Owners and executives in the construction space spend loads of time focusing on the bottom line. They may find themselves asking questions daily around how their numbers look, what percentage growth they’ve seen, what projects they have coming down the pipe and if they are trending toward their company revenue goals. And the list goes on. How often do construction executives monetize their company cultures?

This is not earth-shattering news to anyone who has looked for candidates or tried a search lately, but—just to highlight the obvious—the current market makes it challenging to find experienced talent. The problem ranges from management to skilled laborers. There are many individuals who are trying to monetize the value of even being in the industry to start. On the flip side, individuals with a strong background who can manage and run teams out in the field are looking to make a change or find a new opportunity are zeroing in on a company’s culture.

Skilled construction employees who are motivated and team players want to ensure the next move they make is to a culture that fosters personal and professional growth. They look for a culture that has the ability and reputation to hire other great talent when it comes time for growth in their internal team.

There are some interesting facts that go along with setting a strong culture in the construction industry that construction leadership should keep in mind. When asked about the top three reasons why construction is a good career choice, most contractors (70%) select the earning potential in this field.

Many contractors also note the potential to build a career in this industry, with 43% selecting the opportunities for career advancement. A high percentage also see value in the work itself, with 37% choosing the ability to gain skills on the job and 27% reporting the diversity of work experiences among the top three reasons for working in construction. In addition, one quarter (25%) regard the satisfaction of creating a tangible asset such as a building to be part of the reason that working in construction is a great career, an aspect relatively unique to this profession.

Reputation and culture go hand in hand. Statistics alone indicate that a strong culture can improve margins by 33% or more. With stronger leadership and individual drivers in an organization who also value culture, organizations will gain the leverage needed to hire new employees or contractors who are drawn to this same mindset of putting culture at the top of the list. To put it simply, culture drives productivity.

Skilled and well-trained individuals are looking at company and personal growth opportunities—not just a job. As candidates research potential employers, the topic of culture is top on the list.

In the construction arena especially, these trained professionals are looking at culture and talking to others in their network. Specifically, they want to know how company culture will impact their professional growth and personal fulfillment. They’re likely going to ask themselves the following questions.

• Will he/she be able to gain more skill sets and experience?
• Will he/she have the opportunity to lead a team or manage a construction site?

Those in leadership are all too familiar with the word retention. By stabilizing, focusing and strengthening culture, retention numbers increase along with employee satisfaction. Employee and contractor turnover can be stifling to an organization, especially in the construction industry. It all circles back to having culture at the core. Culture trumps strategy and, frankly, everything else.