SUPERSTARS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN SUMMER

Although I love the summer months, it proves a challenging time for most recruiters operating in the construction sector. 

Recruiters across the land will spend their days, evenings and weekends casting their nets far and wide hunting for labour. 

The longer summer days allow our clients’ site teams to maximise productivity, which in turn means the demand for labour is at its peak for the year.

At The Shore Group we appreciate that not all jobs run smoothly, especially with the ever changing commercial and contractual demands of clients dictating labour levels, but we hope our useful tips can offer you some guidance for surviving the summer:

Procure early and meet suppliers in spring - I’d love ￡1 for every time a client has asked us to perform recruitment miracles in the middle of summer. The fact remains that early procurement can save thousands of pounds if managed correctly. Our advice has always been to work with your suppliers to ascertain where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and request labour based on their ability to perform.

Supply & demand - Every summer I see construction operatives 'jumping ship' for rate increases. Whilst many of us will see this as short sighted, the truth is that due to the lack of good quality labour, reduction in trade apprenticeships and volume of current live projects, these operatives will continue to maximise revenue whilst the sun is shining.

Price projects seasonally - Summer months generally see a 20% pay hike in labour rates, so if you are pricing works which involve peak summer labour levels, plan for the increase accordingly, and the key is to get your business done early.

Superstars are not available in summer - The best operatives will be in work from late spring through to the end of Autumn, so hiring early and making room to accommodate people can save summer headaches. 

Honesty is always the best policy - Don't commit to unachievable goals and always manage expectations, as in most cases you will end up with 'egg on your face'.

Avoid mid-week madness - In the unlikely event that the best operatives do become available, don't expect them to be free to start on a Wednesday. Good people generally get treated fairly, which is the reason they are normally offered sufficient notice and an appreciated handshake on a Friday - not in the middle of the week!

To find out how The Shore Group can help you plan your recruitment for the summer, please get in contact with one of our experts today: [email protected]