A 2022 World Economic Forum survey revealed that learning and career development are among the most important considerations when young professionals choose a job. 

Worryingly, only 48 per cent of respondents said the construction industry fulfils these expectations.

With a reputation for being a challenging and inflexible industry mired by old-fashioned attitudes and a lack of diversity, construction has struggled to attract young talent, particularly women. This has made recruiting, training and retaining new staff a top priority for construction companies.

The right leadership is critical to the development and retention of talent. Senior leaders are responsible for the professional advancement of employees through structured coaching and mentoring, specialised training for individual growth and career path planning. They are also instrumental in developing the right strategies for high-performing staff and to help attract, engage and retain talent. 

 Enable greater project visibility and accountability in construction

Failure to develop and implement employee-focused programmes can lead to the loss of talent and damage to the company’s competitiveness. Ultimately, the bottom line is impacted.

Forward-looking leaders and organisations with a transformational mindset and a long-term business outlook can improve workplace culture and build a more cohesive and engaged team. For this to happen, it is imperative that industry leaders identify the talent within the organisation, create the right initiatives to upskill them and promote this framework externally to attract more new hires.

Given the tight labour market and ambitious regional construction initiatives, creating a culture of learning, teamwork and innovation has never been more important. 

Download this report to understand how the industry’s shift towards green construction has opened up new job opportunities and how different generations can mentor each other to optimise career development prospects.