Ideally, your multi-year infrastructure project has consistent skilled personnel, contractors, and supervisors across the entire timeline. But disruptions happen. Delays occur. And even when you’ve thought of everything with the project management plan in place, infrastructure labor continuity may cause further complications.
Managing labor for multi-year projects has many challenges. Workers or contractors might not be on site all of the time. Supervisors may change, and laborers may not be available as the project progresses.
Labor shortages in the industry are making it harder to find skilled staff. More than 40% of the current construction workforce may retire by 2031. According to a 2023 report from the Brookings Institution, nearly 1.5 million infrastructure workers are projected to permanently leave their jobs on average each year over the next decade, highlighting the need for effective workforce planning. In 2026, the industry will face a shortage of nearly 500,000 workers.
Our guide showcases ways to solve long-term construction staffing difficulties. The right construction workforce planning strategies can mitigate these challenges.
Strategic Workforce Planning for Long-Term Projects
You probably already plan for temporary staffing solutions for unskilled laborers. Think of the people who help with small demolitions or site clean-up. But what about equipment operators? Concrete workers? Drivers? Construction labor retention can help you maintain continuity with people who are already familiar with your infrastructure project.
Three strategies for multi-year project staffing can yield excellent results.
Maintain Comprehensive Talent Mapping and Skills Inventory
Tap into a database that highlights employee and contractor skills, certifications, competencies, and experience. Let’s say you need three crane operators on site at the beginning and end of your project. If the operators at the start of the project aren’t available at the end, who can replace them? A comprehensive talent map and skills inventory database can help with your construction project management.
Utilize Digital Recruitment Platforms for Efficient Staffing
Digital recruitment platforms and automation in construction hiring will streamline the entire process. Tap into AI-powered resume screening, applicant tracking systems, and video interviewing to improve efficiency. You can narrow down the best candidates without spending a lot of HR time on the process.
Implement Flexible Staffing Solutions to Adapt to Project Phases
Workforce planning for construction should include flexible staffing solutions when project phases wax and wane based on the needs at the time. Digging a foundation might need fewer people on site versus erecting a steel truss. But the equipment and certified operator needs change on your construction site or megaproject.
Your infrastructure labor continuity plan should include a temporary staffing partner with experience in construction as part of the overall project.
The Role of Temporary Staffing Partners
You will see several benefits of partnering with specialized construction staffing agencies to mitigate problems:
- Access to skilled, pre-vetted workers
- Scalability for the ebbs and flows of the infrastructure project
- Reduced costs, risks, and liabilities for labor compliance in construction
- Faster hiring process
- Construction safety training provided before workers enter the site
- Lower costs associated with hiring FTEs, recruiting, and employee turnover
Construction staffing agencies can assess cultural alignment and quality standards for each hire. For example, the automated people mover (APM) project for Los Angeles International Airport used a cloud-based digital platform to screen workers based on skill level. It also delivered diversity and inclusivity initiatives to the transportation project. The project involved partnering with local construction staffing agencies.
The result? The project met the goal of hiring at least 30% of workers from the local population.
Training and Development for Workforce Retention
Hiring is step one. Step two includes training and development for better workforce retention. We recommend these three strategies:
- Continuous workforce development programs that upskill current workers based on the needs of the project
- Cross-training and role flexibility, because studies indicate that cross-training employees can lead to increased jobsite continuity and improved employee engagement.
- Investing in employee development to foster loyalty and longevity, preventing the costs associated with turnover.
Addressing Compliance and Safety in Long-Term Staffing
Construction projects must comply with local, state, and federal regulations. A construction staffing agency can assist with:
- Ensuring adherence to labor laws and regulations at all levels, including hiring local workers and from underrepresented populations.
- Implementing comprehensive safety training programs before a worker sets foot on your site.
- Regular compliance audits to mitigate risks from start to finish.
Contact HireQuest Direct Today
Do you need a viable partner to help with your infrastructure labor continuity? The team at HireQuest Direct can help. Reach out to us for a consultation. We’re here to help!
