Retention

WASHINGTON, April 1—The construction industry had 264,000 job openings on the last day of February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening a...

Women’s participation in the skilled trades has steadily increased in recent years, rising from 8.9% in 2010 to 11% today. However, this progress has not come without challenges—one being access to functional, durable and comfortable workwear. Historically, jobsite apparel has be...

WASHINGTON, March 11—The construction industry had 236,000 job openings on the last day of January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job op...

The construction industry in 2024 was defined by strong fundamentals, marked by a 10% increase in nominal value added and a 12% increase in gross output. Construction spending crossed $2 trillion and maintained a balanced trajectory in the first half of 2024. Despite facing a per...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28—According to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2024 Union Members Summary released today, a record low 10.3% of the U.S. construction industry belongs to a union, a decrease from the prior historic low of 1...

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 23% of construction workers are at least 55 years old. Since the average U.S. construction worker retires in their early sixties, nearly one-fourth of the industry’s workforce is expected to retire within the next decade. T...

The goal of AI in construction should be to manage risk better than ever before. This is how we keep our people safe and, frankly, it is how builders make money. Whoever manages risk best wins! Years ago, I heard from a head of construction operations that the goal of a construct...

The two-year-old Dirt World Summit, started in 2023 by BuildWitt and sponsored by Ariat, is taking the construction workforce by storm in all the best ways. Debuting with an attendance of 750 registrants—including exhibitors, speakers and audience members—Dirt World nearly double...

Managing a new employee can be a challenge. A newcomer doesn’t know your company’s environment, routines, or do’s and don’ts. They’re hungry for validation, and you’re likely too busy to offer much. You have work to do, and getting another person up to speed adds more weight to y...

An experienced tradesperson who steps onto a property to address one problem will probably spot three more issues the owner should address, so there's always entrepreneurial value in learning multiple skills. Consider the landscaper who can offer lighting services to enhance the...