Source:Veit
This article originally appeared on EquipmentWorld.com – a leading media site serving up the latest news in construction, heavy equipment, pickups and everything else that helps you get the hard work done.
It is re-posted with permission
Backlogs are high and talent is scarce. But throwing anyone with a pulse onto a jobsite can lead to catastrophe.
A bad hire can cause poor team morale, legal issues, and worse, safety incidents.
But by consistently investing in recruiting and retention, you can future-proof your workforce – one of the most important influencers of your company’s long-term success.
“Look at any of the labor stats. We’re going to be dealing with this through at least 2040, so the problem isn’t going anywhere,” says Kelly Hansen, vice president of human resources for Veit, a full-service specialty contractor headquartered in Rogers, Minnesota.
And the outlook doesn’t have to be bleak. Hansen shares her top tips for recruiting to keep your pipeline full and your construction crews moving.
Go digital with your recruiting methods
For starters, get your name in front of prospective employees in the region. Hansen recommends creating a career-specific Facebook page, as well as using geofenced and geotargeted ads to attract candidates.
“If they type in ‘laborer jobs’ and they live in our area, they’re going to see our Google search ads,” says Hansen. “We’re targeting cities, geographic regions, businesses, colleges, union halls. Once they come to our website, we retarget them again to come back and see those opportunities. That’s made a huge difference for us.”
While Veit executes the strategy and design of the ads in-house, it uses an outside company to execute the ad placement.
Get out in the community
Contractors should also think beyond traditional advertising methods and visit locations where potential employees hang out, even if that’s a local bar.
“Go in there with a business card. You’ve got to reach those candidates that are more passive now because they have a job,” says Hansen. “And don’t be humble. A lot of private owners are very humble and don’t share the success of their business. People want to know that they’re going for a company that values their community, gives back and makes work fun.”
Create an employee referral program
Loyal employees can also be your best recruiters. While Veit has always offered an employee referral program, Hansen and her team have recently revamped it to make it easier to get a referral bonus. The company currently offers $2,500 for any referral with no maximum limit, as long as the new hire is retained at the business for 90 days.
