Keeping your best employees on board should be a top priority for any business. When it comes to managing a building materials company, that includes architects, builders, contractors, and more. The more your workers feel valued and appreciated, the more likely they are to remain loyal to your business.
The construction industry has felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic more than many others. Many companies had to halt production due to supply chain issues and worker shortages. Even though we’re entering a post-pandemic society, many of those issues are still plaguing building materials companies across the country.
Luckily, there are ways that you can retain your top talent, even in trying times. There are strategies you can put in place to avoid losing your top workers and dealing with a sluggish, suffering business as a result. Let’s look at some of the top retention strategies you should put into place as soon as possible.
Provide Flexibility
Flexible scheduling might not be as easy in the building industry as it is in some others. However, that doesn’t make it impossible. Now, more than ever, workers want a healthy work-life balance. Offering flexibility to architects and designers is a great way to keep them on board and improve their overall happiness.
It’s not uncommon for architects to work remotely, so take advantage of that by offering a more flexible schedule, and giving them the opportunity to collaborate from home with other industrial designers and architects in their field. Creative collaboration is a fantastic way to keep people happy and can be done from just about anywhere.
When it comes to workers who need to be on-site more often, including builders and contractors, consider a more flexible schedule in other ways. Offer more time off, encourage frequent breaks, and do what you can to help them maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Avoid Burnout
The construction industry has been stereotyped plenty of times over the years as one of the most labor-intensive industries in the world. There’s some truth in that, of course. Jobs need to get completed. Deadlines need to be met.
Unfortunately, by pushing your employees too hard, you’re putting them at risk of burnout. When that happens, your entire business can suffer.
Your sales leaders could dread answering customer inquiries. Your architects could become uninspired and lose their creative flow. Your builders could lose focus and motivation and end up making costly or dangerous mistakes.
Reforming your building materials company to avoid burnout will not only make a big difference for your current employees, but it will also make your company more attractive to new hires in the future. Do your part to recognize some of the common signs of employee burnout, including:
- Sleep issues;
- Difficulty staying focused;
- Withdrawing from responsibilities;
- Procrastinating.
If burnout continues, it could negatively impact the mental health of your employees, potentially leading to issues like anxiety and/or depression. Be on the lookout for the signs, encourage your workers to get proper diagnoses if needed, and do what you can to establish a healthier workplace environment that reduces stress and promotes mental wellness.
Offer Advancement Opportunities
One of the best things you can do to keep employees interested in working with your company for a long time is to offer growth opportunities.
No one wants to remain stagnant in a career for years. Your employees want to work for a building materials company that has a bigger vision for the future, as well as a growth plan. If you want to keep your employees on a long-term basis, you’re going to have to establish an environment where they can grow, learn, and hone their existing skills.
It can’t always be about the present. You have to think about the future as much as they are.
The easiest way to do that is by starting your own training program. Doing so will offer your employees room to grow while ensuring their work remains up to the standards set by your company. By providing training, you won’t just create advancement opportunities for your employees. You’ll also experience some of the following benefits:
- More confident workers;
- Increased productivity;
- Top talent worker applications;
- Employee encouragement.
You can even go so far as to create a structure in your business that shows employees what it takes to advance to another level of leadership. Essentially, you’re creating stepping-stone goals for them. When they realize exactly what it takes to achieve each goal, they’re more likely to go through that training. When they achieve each goal, they’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and find more motivation to work toward the next one.
As you can see, there are plenty of things your building materials company can do to retain your best employees. More importantly, these actions will improve your overall company culture, establishing a positive work environment that boosts productivity and morale while keeping your employees happy and content with their jobs.
