Finders Keepers. How to Recruit & Retain Talent During a Labor Shortage

As inflation continues to rise and the pandemic persists for a third year, it’s no surprise that a record number of Americans are quitting their jobs. Labeled as “The Great Resignation,” most people are in search of better wages, benefits, and working conditions while others are retiring ahead of schedule. According to the National Center for Construction Education & Research, approximately 41 percent of the current construction workforce (including many people in management roles) will retire by the year 2031. This creates widespread opportunities for future generations but generating awareness has been a struggle for most in the industry.

At PB Roofing, we understand that Millennial and Generation Z jobseekers often perceive working in a trade is characterized by income instability. These misconceptions often begin at the high school level, where school districts are ranked by college enrollment. In addition to this, parents have always played a role in the additional pressure for students to apply to a 4-year higher education track, despite their strengths or skillsets. It’s our goal at PB Roofing to break the stereotype and shed the spotlight on career success in both labor and corporate trade positions.

When we were founded in 2007, founders John Peck and Bryan Peck made it a priority to develop and maintain a long-term plan that kept employee optimism and motivation on the rise, including a commitment to continuously invest in employee education, premium benefits, new technology, and the customer experience. We want our recruits asking themselves and their families “why wouldn’t I work here?”

We’ve broken down some of our ongoing efforts below that had led us to success with recruiting and retaining a great workforce:

Marketing Strategy

The key to the future of our labor workforce is connecting with young prospects and educating them on the benefits of a growing career in the essential industry of commercial roofing.

To increase visibility against competing industries, we invest time and money to stay ahead of cutting-edge technology. Given the current limitations on in-person events, it is more important than ever to appreciate and utilize all media channels. PB Roofing executes this through our dynamic social media and website content focusing on videos that highlight the employee and customer experience. This content helps increase our visibility among job seekers.

We also invest money in the onboarding experience. We want our employees’ first impression to validate that they’ve made the right choice, and to turn them into raving fans of our brand.

Technology

A recent survey conducted by Dell Technologies revealed that 91% of Generation Z survey participants said the technology offered by an employer would influence their job choice if faced with similar employment offers.  In addition, the “gig economy” is on an upward trend, as Generations Y and Z look to find unique situations that meet their financial and time expectations.

PB Roofing invests a great deal into innovation. We use premium Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools, along with other tech stack software systems for finance, project management, and field operations. Our leadership team is part of industry thinktanks and peer groups where executives cross-share the latest tools that not only increase productivity but introduce new ways of enhancing performance.

Continuous Education

Education has always been on the forefront of our unique values at PB Roofing. To support this, we utilize PB University, our customized online learning platform. PB University provides professional development and personal growth as we strive to lead the next generation of commercial roofers.

With engaging, friendly-competitive features like an extensive rewards program and course completion gamification, it provides our team a fun way to push each other in reaching for greater levels of success. Completion of the curriculum offers team member incentives such as career advancement paths.

The best employees are those looking to progress in their career. They require room for growth within an organization. Offering company support through career discussions, mentoring and training milestones builds loyalty amongst the ranks. We provide all the necessary tools for employees to excel in their current role and progress into a higher position.

PB Purpose & Team Bonding Events

One of the most discussed subjects during recruiting interviews is our company’s involvement in the local community. PB Purpose, our community outreach initiative, was created to make a positive impact while getting the whole company involved. Through acts of service, donations, and volunteering, we can help wonderful organizations and make a difference. As a member of these organizations, we host frequent, fun team events on their behalf throughout the year to take a breath, celebrate our victories and re-charge together.

Compensation & Benefits

Along with education and advancement, it is also PB Roofing’s integrity to provide every employee generous compensation and a safe environment that makes us a standout leader in our industry.

Safety is a key component of the roofing industry. We integrate safety into our culture and support it with extensive training and education. We are focused on our employees’ health and well-being.

PB Roofing also provides multiple bilingual advisors to help employees have equal access to all the benefits we offer. Enhancing communication and crushing language barriers is essential for employee confidence, trust, and retention.

In Conclusion

Our purpose is to create raving fans, both within and outside of our organization. Through these initiatives, we exponentially increase our chances of acquiring and keeping employees. We have also invested in a new Chief Human Resources Officer who will keep us at the forefront of various changing health and employment policies, as well as employee mental wellness.

Our open streams of communication with employees at all levels within the company ensures that we’re doing everything we can to make our team feel connected and appreciated at work. The PB Roofing team is our most valuable tool in recruitment and retention, working together and strengthening each link of the chain along the way.