Struggling to Hire and Train New Technicians – Need Advice

[ConstructionHR]

Hey everyone,

I’m from the HR department of a mid-sized construction company, and we’re facing some significant challenges in hiring and training new technicians. I’m hoping to get some advice from the community here on how to tackle these issues effectively.

We’re finding it increasingly difficult to attract skilled technicians. The talent pool seems to be shrinking, and we’re struggling to compete with other companies for the available talent. Does anyone have strategies or tips on how to broaden our reach and attract more candidates?

Also training new hires is another major issue. Our senior technicians are already stretched thin, and dedicating time to train newcomers is impacting our project timelines. How do you balance the need for on-the-job training with maintaining productivity? Are there any training programs or tools that have worked well for you?

We’re really looking for practical solutions that can be implemented without putting too much strain on our current workforce. Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Pay more money.

 

[Smiffy]

Hey everyone,

I’m from the HR department of a mid-sized construction company, and we’re facing some significant challenges in hiring and training new technicians. I’m hoping to get some advice from the community here on how to tackle these issues effectively.

We’re finding it increasingly difficult to attract skilled technicians. The talent pool seems to be shrinking, and we’re struggling to compete with other companies for the available talent. Does anyone have strategies or tips on how to broaden our reach and attract more candidates?

Also training new hires is another major issue. Our senior technicians are already stretched thin, and dedicating time to train newcomers is impacting our project timelines. How do you balance the need for on-the-job training with maintaining productivity? Are there any training programs or tools that have worked well for you?

We’re really looking for practical solutions that can be implemented without putting too much strain on our current workforce. Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

When you say technicians what are you actually looking for. I work for a midsized construction company and we don't employ any technicians.

Pay more money.

Doesn't work unfortunately. If you pay them more
1. They seem you as gullible and they can take the piss
2. Most seem to think that rather than working and being better off they can be in the same position but have regular days where they forget to turn in.
3. You get every chancer turning up after the money claiming this that and the other and unable to perform.

Couple of things that work is bonuses. Significant ones, but aswell as being prepared to give them you have to be prepared to take them away. Otherwise they just do no 2.
Job and knock when deserved. It really really gripes lads when they finish a job and you find them a pointless task to fill in the day when they have already earned the company the money. Only really works on last day of the job or tasks like concrete and tarmac.
And final one depending on the type of company you are try advertising on agricultural sites.
Lads that have come from farms learn quickly as they have a lot of transferable skills. Think the money in construction is amazing as they are used to being paid bugger all. And are used to working their arses off.
Or hire eastern Europeans, only need to hire one and they will bring their whole family.

 

[Nick...]

Sorry to say most youngsters today want to work in a clean warm office with regular hours for good money.can't say I know of anyone wanting to work in grease and mud these days.I've spent most of my life in grease and mud probably due to my dad saying stop being a big girl and get on with it, in my youth.really hate the cold and mud theses days and getting filthy repairing things.I think it's only going to get worse too unless money is very good.employees seem to rule the roost these days and if they don't get what they want they move on.
nick...

 

[V8Druid]

you're looking for rocking
as above, no one has any work ethic any more .. the odd one that does is either self employed or those that are employing them will hang onto them for grim death .... the rest have it too easy with their hands held out ... some one said elsewhere here today .. benefits should be at subsistence level/half min. wage , not beer, fags, 80" colour tv and new everything available, for the asking ... incentivise the ba**ards to get off their arses

 

[Stroppymonkey]

We are a tiny Company, but paying well and offering a bunch of extra stuff seems to help retention. Medical/paid travel time/paid breaks/tools/clothes/training/fuel/holiday/extra days holiday for each year of service after 5years/sickness pay at 80% etc etc etc. Apprentices are the way forward but you need to be looking at least 4 years ahead, and really 6 years before you get someone you can reliably send out solo to any scenario. It's a long slow game.

 

[Quattromike]

We had a good run with apprentices had three or four good guys that worked well with eachother. Then COVID came along and they all flew the nest since the new apprentices have all been a disaster, looking to take on another but had zero interest from local school for leavers gone are the days of folk knocking on the door looking for a career.

 

[JD450A]

Pay more money, train your own and keep them.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Pay more money, train your own and keep them.

Treat em like humans....
"HR" department alone is enough to make some lads run a mile

 

[Smiffy]

Treat em like humans....
"HR" department alone is enough to make some lads run a mile

I think some blokes would love it. Last week a bloke got upset and told me " it's just not very nice when you turn up on site when I've been working hard and criticize my work, it just kind of hurts my feelings" he had dug a trench that was meant to be 600mm deep, at 300mm deep despite 4 long conversations about how deep to dig it,how to work out for himself how deep to dig it, why it is that deep and finally a drawing, all labelled as to how deep to dig it. What's more it was for a 225mm pipe. OD 280mm. He could not see that it was a problem that it only had 20mm of cover.
Then he complained that the council slabs are heavy, and he needed to take a trailer behind the lorry as he couldn't load them that high, despite 5 people stood around waiting to help him load, 2 telehandlers a loader tractor a grab lorry a hiab lorry a 13t digger with lifting chains in the yard all of which he can drive. I turned round to another bloke and said here mate you know those slabs are heavy. Got a text later saying it hurts his feelings to be slagged off and it's not good for staff moral to be treated that way.
TBF he did manage to work out how to move the slabs after I took the piss.

 

[Lancs Lad]

I think some blokes would love it. Last week a bloke got upset and told me " it's just not very nice when you turn up on site when I've been working hard and criticize my work, it just kind of hurts my feelings" he had dug a trench that was meant to be 600mm deep, at 300mm deep despite 4 long conversations about how deep to dig it,how to work out for himself how deep to dig it, why it is that deep and finally a drawing, all labelled as to how deep to dig it. What's more it was for a 225mm pipe. OD 280mm. He could not see that it was a problem that it only had 20mm of cover.
Then he complained that the council slabs are heavy, and he needed to take a trailer behind the lorry as he couldn't load them that high, despite 5 people stood around waiting to help him load, 2 telehandlers a loader tractor a grab lorry a hiab lorry a 13t digger with lifting chains in the yard all of which he can drive. I turned round to another bloke and said here mate you know those slabs are heavy. Got a text later saying it hurts his feelings to be slagged off and it's not good for staff moral to be treated that way.
TBF he did manage to work out how to move the slabs after I took the piss.

You alter an alternative viewpoint but I was talking about staff I'd actually employ.

 

[Smiffy]

You alter an alternative viewpoint but I was talking about staff I'd actually employ.

Unfortunately I work for a company big enough to just have to take any staff they can get. There are some really good blokes. Who work there arse off and produce some really really high quality work. However there are some who simply can't cope.
That bloke won't last long, his attitude has annoyed everyone from the lady that does payroll, to the labourers. And he made the first comment Infront of several people so he will invariably be the butt of every joke.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Unfortunately I work for a company big enough to just have to take any staff they can get. There are some really good blokes. Who work there arse off and produce some really really high quality work. However there are some who simply can't cope.
That bloke won't last long, his attitude has annoyed everyone from the lady that does payroll, to the labourers. And he made the first comment Infront of several people so he will invariably be the butt of every joke.

I watched two blokes rock up to spray weeds on a new industrial estate in Surrey the other week.

It only can be described as a sitcom.
Arrived in a knackered combo liveried up in something random like gutter cleaning UK..
Both had scruffy overalls zero other PPE.
So presumably the stuff that one sprayed out of knapsack whilst the other watched was harmless...we mentioned that the weeds were massive down the side of the unit ...took one look at them got the van and shot off.
Good laugh but dread to think how much it cost the council.

 

[Smiffy]

I watched two blokes rock up to spray weeds on a new industrial estate in Surrey the other week.

It only can be described as a sitcom.
Arrived in a knackered combo liveried up in something random like gutter cleaning UK..
Both had scruffy overalls zero other PPE.
So presumably the stuff that one sprayed out of knapsack whilst the other watched was harmless...we mentioned that the weeds were massive down the side of the unit ...took one look at them got the van and shot off.
Good laugh but dread to think how much it cost the council.

Probably not even council, just a ruse to scope out the site without being questioned.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Probably not even council, just a ruse to scope out the site without being questioned.

We wondered that but it failed soundly we were up scissor lift scoping them out the whole time

 

[Smiffy]

We wondered that but it failed soundly we were up scissor lift scoping them out the whole time

Keep the reg details for when all the cable disappears

 

[Monkeybusiness]

I think some blokes would love it. Last week a bloke got upset and told me " it's just not very nice when you turn up on site when I've been working hard and criticize my work, it just kind of hurts my feelings" he had dug a trench that was meant to be 600mm deep, at 300mm deep despite 4 long conversations about how deep to dig it,how to work out for himself how deep to dig it, why it is that deep and finally a drawing, all labelled as to how deep to dig it. What's more it was for a 225mm pipe. OD 280mm. He could not see that it was a problem that it only had 20mm of cover.
Then he complained that the council slabs are heavy, and he needed to take a trailer behind the lorry as he couldn't load them that high, despite 5 people stood around waiting to help him load, 2 telehandlers a loader tractor a grab lorry a hiab lorry a 13t digger with lifting chains in the yard all of which he can drive. I turned round to another bloke and said here mate you know those slabs are heavy. Got a text later saying it hurts his feelings to be slagged off and it's not good for staff moral to be treated that way.
TBF he did manage to work out how to move the slabs after I took the piss.

Sounds like he needs a good kick in the mangina!

 

[Smiffy]

Sounds like he needs a good kick in the mangina!

I'm just at a complete loss as to talk to him. If I tell him to do something he doesn't want to do he tries to circumnavigate me and go to a director, if I raise my voice ( even to be heard over running machinery) he asks me to stop shouting. I have never shouted at him or near him. I haven't even sworn at him. I dread to think what he would react like if he heard how I get spoken to by clients and directors. Completely alienated himself from the rest of the work force as he can't take a joke, and there is a fair culture of practical jokes.

 

[V8Druid]

I'm just at a complete loss as to talk to him. If I tell him to do something he doesn't want to do he tries to circumnavigate me and go to a director, if I raise my voice ( even to be heard over running machinery) he asks me to stop shouting. I have never shouted at him or near him. I haven't even sworn at him. I dread to think what he would react like if he heard how I get spoken to by clients and directors. Completely alienated himself from the rest of the work force as he can't take a joke, and there is a fair culture of practical jokes.

with any luck he'll end up in Coventry and then just not show up

 

[6feetdown]

I'm just at a complete loss as to talk to him. If I tell him to do something he doesn't want to do he tries to circumnavigate me and go to a director, if I raise my voice ( even to be heard over running machinery) he asks me to stop shouting. I have never shouted at him or near him. I haven't even sworn at him. I dread to think what he would react like if he heard how I get spoken to by clients and directors. Completely alienated himself from the rest of the work force as he can't take a joke, and there is a fair culture of practical jokes.

Fecking snowflakes