Talent acquisition strategy for civil construction in Q2: A guide for businesses

Throughout the UK’s construction industry, one problem persists: the skills gap. Studies from September 2023 show that 38,000+ vacancies remain unfilled due to a lack of skilled workers.

The skills gap is only amplified in the civil construction sector, where, according to a study by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, 75% of contractors said they had difficulty finding skilled operatives.

The bottom line is that it’s hard to attract skilled workers. Those skilled workers who remain have the luxury of picking the exact role they want.

Talent Needs in Q2

 The construction industry returned to stability in the first two months of 2024, and industry productivity is set to increase throughout the rest of Q2.

As the number of projects begins to increase, so will the need for skilled workers who can carry and manage them.

Engineers, project managers, surveyors and technicians are all set to be in high demand with a small supply.

It follows that attracting the best talent with increased competition between contractors will be increasingly challenging.

So, what are the best strategies to attract talent?

Key Talent Attraction Strategies

 A good start is to reflect internally. Does your company offer a progression pathway? 72% of workers said they were motivated by progressing within the industry. By having a plan laid out, you can attract more talent, offering some form of progression.

It’s also a good idea to reflect on your culture. Skilled workers often prioritise professionalism, diligence, and training over everything else. If your company culture doesn’t reflect their goals, chances are high-value employees will begin to look elsewhere.

Similarly, you should reflect on your firm’s ability to retain talent. If there are no training options and skilled workers do not sense any tangible development, they may leave even if they’ve recently been hired.

After internal reflection, the next step is to analyse how you reach out to talent. In previous years, the job board Monster was famous, or you can even go back to the days of job pages in newspapers.

These days, many skilled workers prefer to search on social media platforms like LinkedIn or dedicated sites like Indeed. It’s essential to stay up-to-date so you don’t fall behind.

Another challenge that many civil engineering firms face is the problem of passive talent. Passive talent refers to workers who are open to new employment but aren’t actively looking.

It’s estimated that this is almost 45% of skilled candidates in the construction industry. Accessing the passive talent network can be difficult as it usually requires long-term, established relationships to work.

Coming in out of the blue can often lead to the feeling of “nicking” talent. So it may be worth finding a recruitment partner who has established these relationships already.

Pinnacle Recruitment

 At Pinnacle, we have over 11 years of experience matching contractors with the best candidates for them.

We have deeply entrenched connections and relationships throughout the industry to help find the best talent, even when it’s not on the job market.

If you’re looking to fill a role or trying to make the most out of Q2, please don’t hesitate to reach on on tel: 0207 401 8886 or email us on [email protected]