The fight to attract and retain top-tier construction workers is fiercer than ever. The construction economy is booming (still) and the biggest challenge for construction companies continues to be sourcing skilled trades workers. Technology can help facilitate a more efficient and more fruitful hiring process.

Technology has permeated everyday life. The construction industry is also undergoing a period of heightened innovation these days—from modular methodologies to productivity tools; technology is starting to play a bigger and bigger role in the industry. But how can it help contractors hire that next great worker? There are a variety of ways companies and hiring managers can, and should, be leveraging today’s technology landscape.

Lead Generation

Many contractors struggle simply to reach the right workers and get them to engage. They tend to see the same workers time and again on the traditional hiring platforms, most of which aren’t qualified or have issues that make them difficult to hire.

That’s because these platforms target, and cater to, workers who are actively seeking new jobs. This is a small subset of the worker population and tends to consist of lower-quality workers. Therefore, it can be more effective to engage with workers when they’re in a professional mindset but perhaps not explicitly seeking a new job on a job-focused platform.

Tap into construction groups on Facebook and seek out construction-focused mobile apps. Engage in these communities as a participant, while at the same time exploring ways to publicize job opportunities. By doing this, contractors will reach the passive job seeker. It might take a bit more work and hustle, but the juice tends to be worth the squeeze.

Vetting and Evaluation

The written resume, while prevalent in many industries, isn’t as widely used by tradespeople. That’s because the best methods for communicating skills and accomplishments tend to be imagery and video. So, to the extent possible, try to rely less on the traditional resume and lean more on video resumes and imagery of work completed. Workers tend to be more receptive to processes that emphasize these methods. As long as companies make it simple for them to submit these untraditional resumes, potential employees will be more likely to engage. Plus, imagery and videos tend to be a better barometer for quality than written language. 

Establishing a Digital Brand

For better or worse, today’s construction workers are on their smartphones constantly; and, just like everyone else, they tend to be active users of social media. Therefore, it tends to help when a company has a presence on the large social platforms. Just like it’s helpful for employers to be able to find a worker online, it’s helpful for workers to be able to find companies online as well.

It can go a long way when a worker can find a company page on Facebook or LinkedIn and quickly get a grasp of company details and the content a company has posted in the past. It gives companies a more relatable feel and more credibility with the younger generation.

Well-Structured Referral Programs

Many of the fastest-growing employers have a referral program that’s been key to their success. It’s important to note that the foundation of a successful referral program is a happy base of employees. This ranges from competitive pay and benefits to a steady flow of work. If employers have those factors in place, they’re in good shape to grow the business through current employees. Below are the most important attributes of a successful referral program.

1. Dual incentive structure. The referrer and the referee receive a benefit from a successful referral.
2. Make it easy and tech-enabled. There are great technology tools out there that enable a text message-based system. Leveraging these kinds of external tools enable companies to get something spun up quickly without spending too much money.
3. Reward top referrers and make it competitive. Construction workers are a competitive bunch that likes to be recognized.

It’s an exciting time to be in the construction industry. The industry is booming and new, exciting technology is being introduced more frequently than ever. Leveraging the right technology can go a long way toward hiring better workers, faster.