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Within the dynamic world of construction, the industry is facing a variety of challenges. Continuing staff shortages are among the most pressing. The Boels Rental Construction Index, a survey* of construction professionals in the Netherlands, adds credence to this. The findings show that 63 percent of companies in the sector are facing labour shortages, resulting in 52 percent using inexperienced workers.
Inexperienced workers
The lack of (experienced) personnel is leading to significant problems in both the short and long term. The shortages are affecting the successful completion of existing projects and may even hinder the commencement of new contracts.
The Boels Rental Construction Index shows that more than half of construction companies (51%) are struggling to complete ongoing projects due to the lack of available personnel. Labour shortages are also leading to cost increases in 34 percent of assignments due to reduced efficiency. On top of that, another negative consequence is that a quarter of construction companies (25%) are losing existing customers.
63% of construction companies face staff shortages
39% of construction professionals work more and longer due to staff shortages
When it comes to new projects, almost half of the respondents (45%) are prevented from taking on certain assignments due to the lack of qualified personnel. Fortunately, 38 percent of construction professionals also report that they are not experiencing any direct consequences.
Overtime at construction sites
The impact of labour shortages also extends to the personal lives of employees. For example, 39 percent of construction professionals say they themselves are working more and longer hours due to the shortages. One-third (34%) say better education and training would ensure more productive work.
“This research sheds important light on the complexity surrounding labour shortages in the construction sector and highlights the need for solutions to address the challenge. The construction industry is tasked with addressing the shortage of skilled workers while also fostering sustainable growth in the sector. This can be done by investing in training inexperienced personnel and implementing proper safety measures and instructions aimed at working more efficiently and safely”, said Funs Hermans, Training Manager at Boels Rental.
*The survey was conducted by Markteffect among 404 Dutch people working in the construction industry.