Behind the Times: Digital Technology in Construction
The construction industry is a powerhouse in the world economy. Over $10 billion is spent annually on construction-related projects. However, despite its size and relevance in world economics, the industry is suffering from a labor shortage. This construction labor shortage, however, has a silver lining. In a recent study, it shows that in the US, the construction sector is second to last in the integration of technology, only beating out the agriculture & hunting industry (see the graph below). These factors have helped blossom the ConTech industry that has been growing in recent years.
Shown are different zones of industry, sorted by how digitized they are. Construction was the second lowest, just above agriculture and hunting, in the amount of technology incorporated in the industry.
But how can you better utilize this new aspect of the construction industry to help your business deal with labor shortages?
Construction Labor Shortage Solutions: 3 ways of Implementing New Con-Tech
#1: Cater to the skillset of the rising workforce
Things have changed since the days of Xerox and company machines. Not only is paper-based technology outdated, they become a deterrent for employees who have texting, websites, and social media taking care of almost all their personal communications that aren’t face-to-face. The skills required to work with paper are no longer commonplace. Employees will look for jobs that fit their skill set.
By 2025, three-fourths of the workforce will be millennials (born after 1980), who at the earliest had computers in college and at the latest had smartphones in middle school. These employees will choose companies that use smartphones, tablets, and computers for time tracking, scheduling, and construction software over companies that have decided to cater to the workforce that will be retired within the next ten years.
#2: Target talent early
It is becoming commonplace for high school students to start focusing on their careers before they even graduate. By having a presence on social media and a well made website, being able to reach out to talent early before they have decided on a different career, construction companies could get interns at an early age, talent that can understand early that construction is an industry full of not just hard work, but mathematical, artistic, and scientific. The construction industry is not easy and if high school students can start to see the challenge in the industry, there will be a surge in the workforce.
#3: Eliminate paper
It wasn’t long ago that the fax machine was high tech and printing diagrams of projects were commonplace. However, today, companies that use paper timecards, paper schedules, and paper blueprints deter potential employees who are environmentally conscious. Society is becoming much more aware of the impact of paper usage. More and more companies are trying to eliminate unnecessary paper to attract employees who both care about the environment and want to work for employers who reflect those sentiments.
Hopefully, these tips can help you and can help the industry as a whole. If you are interested in incorporating busybusy into your company to start upgrading from paper, click here. Download our free app and schedule a demo today! If you are already using busybusy, make sure you are utilizing it in full force, including our premium plan.
