The construction industry has been aware of the coming storm for quite some time – an ageing workforce, ongoing skills shortage, and labor market fluctuations.
How has your construction business been preparing? If you’re unsure how you’ll access expertise, maintain productivity levels and keep your projects on-time and within budget, outsourcing may be the answer.
Staffing challenges in the construction industry
The industry is under strain – especially in the United Kingdom where there is a housing shortage and calls for more properties everyday.
This stress compounded with staffing struggles can severely impact operations and productivity. Key challenges include:
- Widening skills gap – The industry is acutely aware of the shortage of skilled labor. With more experienced workers retiring every year, the availability of workers with the necessary skills and expertise shrinks. This shortage can lead to project delays, increased labor costs and compromised work quality.
- Labor market fluctuations – The construction industry is sensitive to economic fluctuations. During economic instability, there may be layoffs and reduced demand for construction projects. Conversely, during upturns, the industry typically experiences a surge in demand for its services. This leads to widespread labor shortages and increased competition for skilled workers.
- Ageing workforce – It’s no secret that construction – like many other industries – is grappling with an ageing workforce. As older workers retire, businesses must attract and retain younger workers to fill vacant positions.
Addressing these staffing struggles requires a multi-faceted approach. Changes in your businesses approach to new people could involve:
- Investing in training and apprenticeship programs to develop a skilled workforce
- Promoting the industry’s benefits and career opportunities
- Fostering partnerships between educational institutions and the industry
- Implementing new business strategies that attract and retain a diverse workforce – including outsourcing
How does outsourcing construction roles help my business?
There are a lot of misconceptions around outsourcing – including where it’s applicable.
While it has been historically used in telecommunications companies and within the finance industry, there are many applications for it in the construction industry.
Outsourcing can benefit the construction industry in several ways, including the following:
Access to specialized expertise
Construction projects often require specialised knowledge and experience, in areas such as:
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Project management
- Construction methods and methodology
Outsourcing enables companies to tap into the specialized expertise and professionals who have the necessary experience and skills for your projects.
It helps ensure your jobs are executed efficiently and to your exacting standards, even if you don’t have in-house expertise in certain areas.
Focus on core competencies
Outsourcing non-core activities in your construction business enables you to focus on core competencies.
By delegating peripheral tasks to your outsourced team members, you can concentrate your resources and efforts on project planning execution and client relationships. Outsourcing these roles can help improve project management, increase efficiency, and enhance competitiveness.
Flexibility and scalability
Outsourcing offers flexible workforce management. Construction projects often have fluctuating demands. Outsourcing enables you to quickly scale your workforce up or down depending on project requirements.
You can easily outsource contractors or subcontractors to supplement internal teams during peak periods or for specific tasks.
Cost savings
Outsourcing certain tasks or functions can provide significant cost savings.
By outsourcing specialized, experienced people, companies can avoid the expenses associated with hiring and training additional in-house staff, maintaining equipment, or investing in infrastructure.
By outsourcing, you can tap into skilled labor and expertise at a significantly lower cost, particularly for non-core activities.
Faster recruitment time
Finding, hiring, training and getting new people into in-house positions can be a long, time-consuming process.
Outsourcing enables you to get to work faster, with the peace of mind that your outsourced team members have the skills and expertise required to get the job done. Additionally, it enables you to spend more time on what’s important, including:
- Growing your business
- Ensuring projects are completed on time and to your exacting specifications and quality requirements
- Building client relationships
- Securing new contracts
Access to the latest technology and innovation
Investing in advanced technology and tools internally can be costly. Outsourcing can provide your business with access to the latest innovative tools you may not possess.
We invest in the latest software and equipment, improving your project efficiency and quality. By leveraging these resources, you can stay ahead of the competition and up-to-date with industry advancements.
Outsource construction roles with Cloudstaff
Outsourcing can help unlock your business’s potential. We help businesses of all sizes increase efficiency, find qualified, experienced staff and reduce operational costs.
Get in touch to discuss your business requirements and learn how we can provide a tailored team to help achieve your goals.