Article written by Kati Viscaino on the Viewpoint blog.

Attract — and Retain — Younger Construction Professionals by Implementing the Modern Solutions They Know

The new generation of construction professionals expect one main thing when looking for a new job, technology. While the opportunity to advance, competitive pay and benefits and proper training are also high on their list of demands, without access to the latest technologies in their working environments, most younger professionals will bypass construction career opportunities.

As older employees retire, this new wave of construction workers will be taking their place and will eventually make up the industry as a whole. Due to the technological world that the Millennial and Gen Z generations grew up in, the need for technology at work is higher than ever. As a result, it is imperative that construction organizations adopt modern technology and processes, and continue to stay on top of technology advancements to meet modern demands, including overcoming the labor gap for skilled construction professionals .

We understand that paper and manual processes are comfortable to many organizations. It’s hard to make a change from what has always been known. However, if you don’t want to be left behind as other construction companies take these steps forward, your organization needs to be able to pivot and scale with the industry’s changing tides as well.

Modern Construction Hiring: 5 Questions to Ask

When thinking about how your construction organization can use modern technology to attract younger workers, consider these things:

1. Is your website visually appealing? If your website is not visually appealing and easy to navigate, you are likely chasing away prospective employees. The same goes for your social media accounts. The new generations of construction workers are looking to work for organizations that use technology and are up to date on modern processes. This includes use of mobile technologies for nearly everything — including the hiring process. If your website and social accounts don’t reflect this advancement, young professionals are less likely to apply to work for your company.

2. Is your recruiting and onboarding easy? Let’s face it, very few people want to fill out stacks of paper when applying for a job or completing onboarding for a new position. Especially when these processes can be digitized and streamlined through cloud-based HR software, like Viewpoint HR Management. If young construction workers are asked to fill out a lengthy application or sit and fill out stacks on onboarding paperwork, the chances of them turning down the job or immediately beginning the search for a new position are high.

3. Are you able to effectively protect employee data? All employees want to feel that their data is safe. This is especially true for younger employees who are used to highly-secure technology protecting their sensitive information. A lack of technology and modern processes may cause prospective employees to feel uneasy about working for your company. This goes for project and other company information as well. Without the proper software in place to keep sensitive information safe, employees will likely shy away from job opportunities.

4. Are your processes streamlined? Due to the high use of technology by younger generations, young construction professionals are used to easy, simplified processes. Through working with technology their entire lives, these workers expect many routine processes and tasks to be automated. If your company lacks modern software which causes processes to be dragged out into unnecessary steps, young construction professionals are going to lose motivation and likely move to a modernized company.

5. Are you using the newest technologies? Maybe your website is up to date and your job applications are online, but you still aren’t optimizing your day to day operations with modern technology. Without the use of the newest software solutions that leverage real-time, connected data and workflows, young construction workers are going to be left disappointed and unmotivated. In order to move forward and remain relevant, construction companies need to adopt modern solutions that not only meet these demands, but offer challenges and inspiration to do even more. Not only will this help retain a new generation of workers, but it will also benefit the organization in a multitude of other ways.

The Benefits of Winning Over the Youth Movement

Attracting the younger generations of workers will be key for construction organizations moving forward. With there already being a lack of incoming talent, the competition amongst construction companies is high.

Make sure that you give your organization the best chance at capturing the attention of these new employees by using modern, connected construction solutions like ViewpointOne. Through optimizing your website and onboarding processes, streamlining daily operations, and maintaining modern technology, your organization will be set up to track and retain the younger generation of employees. In return, you may be surprised by their ability to leverage these technologies and take your business to the next level — opening new doors of opportunity and further streamlining processes to boost productivity and profit.