This month, Rémi Roy, Eng., Estimator and Project Manager, at Beaudoin Canada, shares his thoughts on staff shortages and speaks about the importance of maintaining healthy relationships with subcontractors.
Facing the Post-COVID-19 Surge of Projects
For years now, the construction industry has been facing major staff shortages. By interrupting all projects simultaneously, the pandemic has caused a significant backlog, as many construction sites reopen while other projects are getting started. The most impacted by this are our subcontractors. And make no mistake: without our subcontractors, we cannot complete our projects. Period.
Mobilizing an Untapped Resource
Naturally, there are solutions. Improved staff mobility across regions could offer some relief, of course. However, to increase the sheer number of workers, the industry needs to open pools for candidates who want to learn their trade “in the field” accompanied by seasoned supervisors without having to sit on a school bench for years.
Not all candidates are ready to face a school-like environment to earn their competency card; if we fail to recognize that fact, we will continue to experience staff shortages.
Understanding Each Other
For a company like Beaudoin Canada, it’s all about nurturing relationships. After more than 30 years in the business, our solid reputation is, of course, an asset, as people want to work for us. But most importantly, we do understand the constraints faced by our subcontractors, and they in return, understand our commitment to our clients. As a team, we can only win if we deliver exceptional products on time.
Cultivating Transparency and Trust
The quality of our products directly depends on the strength of our relationships with all stakeholders, especially our subcontractors. That is why we now invite our them to fill out a survey at the end of each project, so that we can improve further, remove any irritating factors and optimize their experience overall.
But obviously, the best way for us to show our appreciation for our collaborators is to entrust them with our next project!
