The workforce is the Dirt World’s biggest problem today.

From September to December 2021, 789,000 construction workers quit their jobs.¹ In 2022, the industry faced a shortage of 650,000 workers.² Who’s going to step into those roles?

The people you develop today will be your workforce tomorrow.

We’ll explore the ways you can develop your workforce. But first, let’s look at the current situation.

The Reality of the Dirt World’s Workforce

The National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) estimates 41% of the current construction workforce will retire by 2031.³ It takes eight to 12 years to fully train someone as a construction craft professional, so it’ll be nearly a decade before new hires reach the same skill level as those retirees.⁴

That — coupled with the current workforce shortage — paints a pretty ugly picture for the Dirt World’s future. But that future isn’t acceptable.

The Dirt World makes everything society needs to function; we cannot survive without it. “We can’t fail because this industry is essential. Our communities, our future generations, depend on us to figure this out,” says Aaron Witt, CEO of BuildWitt.

So, Dirt World companies must fix the workforce problem — and they must change to do it. “We cannot continue the status quo. What we’re doing is clearly not working; we need to go beyond what we’ve done up to this point,” Aaron explains. “No one’s coming to save us. We’ve got to save ourselves here.”

So, how can Dirt World companies solve the workforce problem? By following these three steps to develop the workforce:

1. Change Perceptions of the Industry

Over the past 100 years, the workforce has shifted from manual labor to knowledge labor; you can see that when you look at the top five companies in America. Companies like Standard Oil and Bethlehem Steel have been replaced by Apple and Amazon.

The shift toward knowledge work has damaged the Dirt World’s reputation. People have begun to believe myths about the industry, like:

• There’s no money in working with your hands.
• People only work construction if they’re too dumb for college.
• It’s just a bunch of old guys cussing at each other and telling dirty jokes.

You know none of those things are true — but young people don’t. All they know is that parents and teachers are pushing them away from the Dirt World because a college degree or knowledge work is “better” than manual labor. Click the link to read more about more myths the next generation believes about the Dirt World.

https://www.buildwitt.com/learning-hub/dirt-world/myths-the-next-generation-believes-about-the-dirt-world

In reality, those young people’s talents may be best suited to blue-collar work. And the Dirt World offers many opportunities like:

• Camaraderie
• Financial stability
• Career growth and leadership
• Outdoor work, often in different places
• Immediate gratification of seeing what you made
• Community service

The first step to workforce development is showcasing the positives to change how the next generation of workers perceives the industry.

You can do this by sharing your current employees’ stories on your website and social media. What brought them to this industry? Why do they love it? When people see others living the lifestyle they want, they’re more likely to try the same jobs.

2. Align Your Business with Human Nature

You’ve probably seen the pyramid of needs. It starts with our most basic physical needs — food, water, shelter. Then it moves up to safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization (which means reaching one’s full potential.)

We meet some of those needs through our own efforts, family, and friends. However, people spend many of their waking hours at work. So much of our need-fulfillment comes from our jobs.

Workers bring home paychecks so that they can put a roof over their family’s heads. They crave job security so that they can feel safe and not worry about tomorrow. They work hard so that they can feel like they’re accomplishing goals and reaching their potential.

Your workers’ concerns will always be to meet their own needs first. That’s human nature. As a leader, you must give people what they need so they can focus on work and help meet your needs in return.

Here’s what the pyramid of needs looks like for Dirt World workers:

• Pay, benefits, and flexibility. Are you paying them enough to live comfortably? Can they have a good family life alongside this job? Can people enter the industry easily?
• Trust and belonging. Do leaders and workers trust each other? Is the culture respectful and communicative?
• Recognition and growth. Do you praise people for jobs well-done? Do top performers get to move up? Do you ask people where they want their careers to go?
• Purpose and full potential. Have you clearly defined your mission? Do people know how their work benefits society? Do you know your people’s gifts — and do you help them use those gifts?

If you answered “no” to any of those questions, consider how you can improve that area.

For example, maybe a foreman yells at people or ignores the value of their experience. Your crew’s need for trust and belonging is unmet — and so is the foreman’s. So maybe you train the foreman and crew on leadership to help create the trust they need to work well together.

That brings us to . . .

3. Train Your Workforce

Research has found that 52% of manual laborers are unsatisfied with their jobs.⁵ So, we asked over 600 Dirt World workers what one thing would most improve their job satisfaction.

The number one answer was a pay raise. (Remember, that’s the most basic need. They’re most concerned with putting food on the table, keeping the lights on, and providing for their families.)

The number two answer was training. In fact, other studies have found that construction workers think of training as a type of reward.⁶ Your people want to learn and grow. They want to do a good job that they can be proud of — and that their kids can be proud of.

They’re practically begging for training . . . but most of them don’t get it. One in five site workers told us they never get training. One-third of people in all roles said they get training once a year or less. Of those who do get training, nearly two-thirds say it stinks.

Your people want more, better training, and they’re willing to quit working for you and go work somewhere else to get it. But if you train them well, they’re more likely to stay with you. Potential recruits are also more likely to want to work for you, because they see that you’re willing to invest in them and help them achieve their goals — goals that benefit you, too. Click the link to learn more about why you may have high turnover rates:

https://www.buildwitt.com/learning-hub/reasons-you-have-high-turnover

Training is a core part of attracting, retaining, and developing your workforce. So, it’s essential to find an effective, modern, easy-to-retain training program.

Conclusion

Earlier, we depicted a grim future for the Dirt World, but there’s another possibility.

Imagine a future when people view construction and heavy civil work as noble. Imagine children who grow up wanting to be construction workers, and their parents are proud of their choice. Imagine a time when there is no workforce challenge.

That future is possible. It begins when you:

• Change perceptions of the industry
• Align your business with human nature
• Train your workforce

Learn how BuildWitt helps through training software and marketing services at www.buildwitt.com/how-we-help.