In 2020, companies across a variety of sectors shifted strategies to support an ever-evolving remote workforce. Now, more than ever, it is clear technology plays an invaluable role in the workplace, regardless of the environment. Technology is driving a number of resources that allow individuals to feel connected, be more productive and, in many cases, recruit the right talent—a challenge within any labor market.

With so much change happening all around us, the construction industry has never been more open to innovation. Hiring managers and superintendents face an uphill battle with building careers in the trades due to small networks and outdated hiring opportunities. On the flip side, the industry is booming with opportunity, a fact that is very unique in comparison to other sectors. Today, contractors have options to adapt technology best practices simply and effectively to hire the right teams and positively impact the jobsite every day.

Embrace Social Media

Untapped trade workers are historically hard to find. First, contractors must remain open to new mediums that expand talent horizons as this is vital to attract Millennials to the industry. Millennials surpassed Generation X and Baby Boomers as the largest generation within the labor force, totaling 56 million. As many already know, social media is an ideal source to start the conversation with this audience, especially those seeking new opportunities.

Create a Facebook company page and place an online ad to drive interest; encourage followers to share the post on their channels. Alternatively, start a chat on Clubhouse to network and find specific interest groups among the construction population. Yes, we all know referrals are key and campaigning to refer the best worker more broadly can serve as a great strategy. However, in many cases, social media provides an opportunity to also vet skills in advance, which, in most cases, is considered a luxury within the construction industry. Let social media be a hiring manager’s eyes and ears before committing to a new employee.

Think Like an Algorithm

Whenever seeking talent, specificity is key. Matching algorithms rely on key words to connect the right worker with the best role; it’s a strategy many human resources teams have had in practice for years, allowing them to scale a business at a rapid pace. The same can be applied for contractors looking to add talent because algorithms will become a critical future component of every successful business. Be an algorithm and think about the content and skills that matter most to find the right talent. Avoid vague descriptions, as well as high commissions from staffing agencies, and the cost of rework among many other inefficiencies. Algorithm best practices can truly help a company or applicant stand out from the crowd and ramp up at the jobsite faster.

Adapt New Forms of Communication

In an industry historically reliant on word of mouth, new forms of communication might feel daunting. However, contractors can make workers feel welcome by leveraging new methods like chat features in apps, texting, and/or new lines of company customer and applicant support. Looking ahead, once the worker is on the jobsite, they seamlessly look to communication to maintain visibility, allowing contractors to also drive continuous improvement, ensuring projects are in progress, deadlines are met and budgets stay on track. Incorporating new forms of communication provides contractors perspective about their team and the work at hand, creating camaraderie and open lines of access to all.

Market Technology

In the job search, ask about the candidate’s desire for technology and be sure to highlight any form, such as a drone, which your company currently employs. Here, the benefits are twofold: drones support safety and efficiencies on the jobsite, and also are a great way to attract and retain talent interested in working with innovative hardware. It is expected the global drone market will grow from $22.5 billion in 2020 to over $42.8 billion in 2025. All too often, contractors do not have enough time in the day to focus on professional development, and that’s okay.

Another way to empower a team is to encourage self-training through technology. While e-learning may not be as useful for a hands-on industry like construction, the opportunity itself is scalable across projects. Give the team the tools needed to be successful and physically see beyond the boundary of the construction site.