Construction Marketing…..Are You Making a Good Job of It?

The announcement by Business Secretary, Vince Cable, that the Government plans to make changes to the rules on unfair dismissal tribunal pay outs is the latest in a series of recent moves aimed at jump starting the job market. The theory is that by introducing settlement agreements that bypass the need to go to court, employers will feel more confident about taking on staff. While the Unions may be concerned about workers’ rights, in principle, any idea that makes it easier for employers to take on staff without worrying about the consequences six or twelve months down the line is a good thing…..especially in the construction sector.

In the construction industry, the challenge of balancing the need to keep overheads down against the importance of having the resources to get on site and get a job done quickly has proved unmanageable for some.  And for many, it has led to a reliance on temporary short-term labour which can be difficult to come by and even more difficult to quality control.

While the ‘spend your way out of recession’ approach is definitely not the current Government’s philosophy, recent announcements about infrastructure projects and moves to make funding for projects easier do mean that contractors need to be site ready. The slow burn on projects getting the green light is often counterbalanced by an almighty scramble to get on site straight off the blocks and that can only be achieved with a trusted and experienced team in place.

For so long now in construction it’s been an employer’s job market and firms could pick and choose their candidates. While this remains true, another fundamental truth also remains: to attract the best candidates you need to have an employer brand with clout.

That will continue to lie at the heart of all contractors’ success as the number of projects getting off the ground – hopefully! – increases. Demanding requirements for the highest possible quality outcomes at the lowest possible cost will also remain and that difficult equation can only be balanced by professionals with experience of value engineering, tight project management and relentless quality control.

So, in amongst all the effort it takes to identify jobs, submit tenders and win bids, it’s worth remembering just how vital people are to the success of a contractor’s business. Attracting the right people means projecting the company as a great place to work and keeping them requires engaging internal communications.

So next time you’re considering your marketing plans and discussing how to influence clients, architects and consultants…..perhaps you should add staff – current and future – to your list too.