It’s hard to believe we’re almost at the end of our nearly year long journey counting down the top states to work in construction. In the runner up position we have Missouri, yet another from the Midwest in the top 10, is a relatively large state, both in population and size, with a lower than average population density. That could be a contributing factor to its low cost of living, at 10.1% below the national average, according to MERIC.
Read moreMarch is Ladder Safety Month, Here Are Some Great Resources to Get You Started
Ladders are one of the most widely used and necessary pieces of equipment on a construction jobsite. They’re also one of the most misused and abused pieces of equipment on a jobsite. In addition to being one of the most frequently cited OSHA violations each year, it also accounts for too many of the industry’s yearly fatalities and countless injuries.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #3 Minnesota
Minnesota is about as average as you can get in terms of cost of living, according to MERIC, as they’re only 0.2% lower than the national average, making them the closest to the center in the country. That also means that they barely benefited from our cost of living adjustment, but the fact that they’re ranked 3rd says a lot about their un-adjusted wages.
Read moreReminder: OSHA 300A Injury and Illness Records Required to be Electronically Submitted by March 2
Even though OSHA recently eliminated the need for employers to electronically submit OSHA Forms 300 and 301, citing privacy concerns, companies are still responsible for submitting OSHA Form 300A – and the deadline is fast approaching.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #4 Washington
We interrupt this utter domination by Midwest states in our top 10 list with a West Coast state: Washington. This is the only non-Midwest state that has landed in the top 10 so far and, spoiler alert, it’s the only one you’re going to see.
Read moreFirst Approval Granted for Possible Tallest Mass Timber Building in North America
A new 21-story apartment building proposed for Milwaukee, Wisconsin as received unanimous approval from the City Plan Commission. If built, the new tower could possibly be North America’s tallest mass timber building.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #5 Michigan
Michigan, the mitten shaped state consisting of two peninsulas and which also seems to be both south and north of all surrounding states somehow, lands at #5 on our list. The state is already the 6th state from the Midwest Region in the top 10, joining Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Read moreVOTES NEEDED! Construction Junkie Nominated for Best Construction Blog of 2019
Construction Junkie has once again been nominated as one of the top construction blogs on the internet and we NEED YOUR HELP to make us #1. Each year, Construction Marketing Ideas organizes a Best Construction Blog competition featuring some the best blogs in the industry. While we’ve come up short of taking the top spot in the past, we think this year is our year.
Read moreAGC: Almost 80% of Construction Firms Plan to Add Headcount in 2019
The construction industry is still booming in most of the country, which is turning into a double edged sword for many contractors. On one hand, more work equals more money. On the other, more work means the need to find more qualified workers to actually build the projects, which has proven to be a very tough task in recent years. A recent survey highlights the repercussions of that dilemma.
The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report
The Associated General Contractors of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate recently released the results of a survey, titled Contractors Remain Confident About Demand, Worried About Labor Supply: The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report that shows 79% of construction firms plan to add headcount in 2019. That percentage is a slight increase over 2018, in which 75% of respondents said they plan to increase headcount. Almost have of the group that plans to add headcount only plan to increase by 10% or less.
Over 1,300 firms responded to a 20 question survey, covering 49 states and Washington DC. You can find the full survey results here.
Workforce Shortages
On the flip side, 78% reported that they are having a tough time filling both salaried and hourly positions, which was down from 83% in 2018’s results. Not only is the inability to find qualified staff making it difficult to complete more work, 37% of the firms say they are increasing bid costs to compensate for staffing changes.
Pay and Benefits for Employees
Increased labor costs can be good news for the actual workers, though. 59% of firms reported that they gave pay raises, another 29% say they added incentives or bonuses, and another 34% increased benefit packages to help retain and attract employees.
Training and Development
63% of firms plan to invest more into training and development programs for both new and current workers, which is up from 52% last year. That’s great news to hear, because as it becomes more difficult to find qualified workers, firms are increasingly hiring “green” employees with little to no experience. Inexperience on a job site can lead to an increased risk of safety issues without proper training.
Technology
42% of responding companies said that they plan to increase their IT budget in 2019 and 30% of those will use that money towards project and document management software. That makes perfect sense to me, as companies that are serious about using technology to further their business need to pick a centralized platform for sharing and communicating with others.
The survey showed that firms are getting more comfortable with moving their project data to the cloud, with 31% saying they are very comfortable, up from 24% in 2018. Just over a quarter of the respondents say that their biggest technology challenge is finding the time to implement and train employees on the new programs. Overhauling a formerly paper driven system is no doubt a tall task not for the faint of heart.
Full Report: Contractors Remain Confident About Demand, Worried About Labor Supply: The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report | AGC and Sage
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JPMorgan Chase announced their intentions to tear down their existing 52-story headquarters in Manhattan, New York City early last year. When the demolition is complete, it is widely believed that it will be the tallest building ever to be voluntarily demolished. It’s speculated that the building will be dismantled floor-by-floor, as opposed to imploded, due to obvious safety concerns.
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