Given that people are such a crucial part of the construction industry - indeed, they are the only asset many companies have - it is amazing how little thought some people put into recruiting staff, or how they put their company across to job candidates.
Contract Journal's Careers Month - which has run throughout September - has given us the opportunity to take a close look at recruitment and careers in construction, and we've spent a lot of time talking to contractors, recruitment consultants, graduates and finalists in Contract Journal's Best Places to Work in Construction Awards.
Firms that have struggled to recruit enough people to meet their workloads are increasingly thinking about things in a different way: job shares, flexible working, nine-day fortnights, the same bonus and benefits from the site to the boardroom all are being considered or introduced by contactors that are keen to recruit good people. And while salary is important, emphasising the company culture and the social side of things is increasingly helping to attract new staff, and retain them.
Many contractors are also spending a small - and rising - fortune on recruitment consultants. Ask any contractor using their services and most can tell you how much it has cost to the nearest pound - and while they might dislike spending so much, they recognise that consultancies have a role to play.
But consultancies themselves believe clients could make better use of their services. Spending time choosing the right consultancy, and committing further time to briefing them properly about the job is essential - and that might include access to the project manager as well as the HR department.
Clearly, finding and keeping talented new staff is a tough job - but made easier with the promise of a better work-life balance, career progression and a happy work environment. Surely everyone has a vested interest in making construction a more attractive place to work?
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