Okos Partners
President Biden has addressed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) as a way to build a better America. An article published by Industry Today poses a common question: is the industry prepared to meet the standards set by the President?
It is well known across the industry that there is a shortage of skilled labor. But just how bad it is? Research done by the Associated Builders and Contractors Association (ABC) states that the construction industry will need to fill 650,000 positions in 2022, and anticipates that an additional 590,000 new workers will be needed in 2023.
So, with these challenges, among others, facing us head on, how is the industry going to support an additional $110 billion dollars in infrastructure funds over the next five years? Some will argue that technology, artificial intelligence, and automation are the way of the future. And while they aren’t wrong, technology isn’t the only solution.
As an industry, we need to cultivate, protect, and upskill the workers we already have while actively recruiting potential new workers. At Okos Partners, we believe that leadership and company culture are at the forefront of this.
A workplace with a poor culture typically suffers from high turnover rates, disengaged employees, lower production quality, and difficulty hiring. “Data gathered from multiple studies of construction, utilities, and other heavy industrial projects reveals that highly engaged leaders foster highly engaged crews and result in higher levels of innovation, and a better ability to hire based on their reputation.” says Peter Krammer, Senior Partner of Okos Partners.
Regardless of previous experience, all leaders, managers, and field workers must continually stay up to date with tools and processes that facilitate critical thinking, planning, strategy development, and execution. This ensures business management excellence, yields higher performance, and creates value for the business and its customers.
