Whether it’s houses, bridges, or industry, the construction industry is the foundation of the German economy. Whether this foundation survives stormy times or begins to crumble depends on whether construction companies can continue to attract good employees. This is no longer so easy these days – which is why medium-sized companies are increasingly turning to construction recruitment consultants.
Recruitment consultants specializing in the construction industry can help companies attract high-quality candidates, even during a shortage of skilled tradespeople. Read this article to learn about the serious nature of the staffing situation in the German construction industry and what a recruitment consultancy like Riverstate can do for you.
In summary :
– The number of vacancies in construction companies has quadrupled since 2010
– Companies can help, especially in recruiting, to overcome staff shortages
– Riverstate offers tailor-made personnel consulting for the construction industry
The shortage of skilled workers in construction is becoming more acute
If you run a construction company yourself, we probably don’t need to explain the seriousness of the situation. After all, you’re not the only one feeling this way; there’s a shortage of skilled workers in Germany. According to the IG Bau trade union, the number of job vacancies has quadrupled since 2010.
“There’s a ‘labor vacuum’ in almost all construction companies,” explains Carsten Burckhardt, a member of the IG Bau union’s federal executive board responsible for the construction industry and skilled trades policy. “Construction workers are desperately needed. Construction professionals are the bottleneck for more housing, better climate protection, and lower rents.”
Expressed in numbers: According to the Nuremberg Institute for Employment Research (IAB), there were 191,000 vacancies in the construction industry in the first quarter of 2022, compared to 52,000 in 2010. Compared to other sectors and industries, the situation in the construction industry is therefore significantly more serious: in the economy as a whole, the number of vacancies has “only” doubled in the same period.
THE SHORTAGE HAS MANY REASONS – SOME ARE “HOMEMADE”
The reasons for this shortage of skilled workers are manifold. Of course, there are demographic reasons: Due to the declining birth rate, the next generation is simply smaller. In addition, construction site jobs often involve physically demanding tasks that cannot always be performed until retirement age. Because more and more older skilled workers are retiring from the workforce and there aren’t enough young people coming in to replace them, the gaps are getting wider and wider.
In many ways, the shortage of skilled workers in construction is also a “homemade” problem—at least, that’s how Burckhardt of the IG Bau (German Construction Workers’ Union) describes it. Many construction companies have failed to make the job more attractive, or even attempted to. When collective bargaining agreements aren’t adhered to, working hours aren’t family-friendly, and working conditions are generally poor, skilled tradespeople migrate to the industrial sector.
So you’re not immune to staff shortages. You have leeway not only in terms of working conditions, but also in recruiting.
Modern recruiting for construction
The shortage of skilled workers means you face growing competition for a declining number of applicants. It’s especially difficult for medium-sized construction companies to keep up with large companies and the industry. To even find enough talent, you need to expand your reach. And to stand out from your competitors, you need to sell your company effectively. This is where modern recruiting comes in.
We’ve compiled a few important recruiting tips for you and reveal what Riverstate can do for you:
More applicants through access to the passive applicant market
Newspaper ads, online job postings, and the like still have their place today. However, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in their basket: With these passive search methods, you only reach talented individuals who are actively looking for a job.
This means you’re missing out on a significant target group: those skilled tradespeople and construction professionals who aren’t actively looking for a job but are, in principle, ready to make the switch . A recruitment consultant with expertise in the construction sector can provide you with access to this passive applicant market.
How Riverstate can help :
If you’re looking for specialists and managers in the construction sector, Riverstate’s direct placement service will help you find the most suitable talent faster. We use modern and innovative search methods to attract both actively seeking and those looking to change careers. With a personalized approach and a streamlined application process, we attract the right candidates to your construction company.
Trust the reach of social media
A lack of reach can bring recruitment to a standstill. And when it comes to reach, social media is hard to beat: On Facebook and other social media platforms, you can reach countless talented individuals around the world and target them in a targeted manner. But because each social network has its own rules, a recruiting strategy must be well-planned and tailored to the respective platforms.
How Riverstate can help :
Social networks are our second home. With Riverstate’s social media recruiting, we reach talent where they are, bringing your company to the attention of significantly more people. We know how to properly address potential applicants online and improve your chances of success with suitable candidates.
Look for talent abroad
Could it be that national borders are the only thing standing between you and the perfect talent for your construction site? To find out, you should advertise your position abroad. Of course, it’s understandable that medium-sized companies, in particular, have great reservations about cross-border recruiting, given the significant organizational obstacles involved. A recruitment consultancy can help.
How Riverstate can help :
EU Recruiting is a new service from Riverstate that helps medium-sized companies recruit staff in other European countries. You tell us what you’re looking for – we’ll take care of the rest. Unfettered by legal, bureaucratic, and language hurdles, you can advertise your open position across the EU.
Find qualified employees for your construction site with Riverstate
Whether direct placement, social media recruiting, or EU recruiting: Riverstate specializes in the needs of construction companies. Our advantages as a personnel consultancy for the construction sector:
Specialized in the construction industry
Other recruiters do a little bit of everything, but nothing properly. Our philosophy is different: We focus on what we do best—placement of skilled and management personnel in the construction industry—and go full throttle.
Huge network of talents
Because we specialize in the construction sector, we maintain relationships with the industry’s best talent. So you won’t have to wait long for qualified candidates.
Wide range in the construction sector
For some searches, such as those for construction managers, Riverstate is regularly the recruiting company with the largest reach in metropolitan regions such as Berlin or Düsseldorf.
If you’d like to hear directly from our customers what makes working with Riverstate so special, check out our success stories.
Construction personnel consulting: Your path to top specialists
Recruiting can be a time-consuming and complicated task, especially in an industry where highly qualified and experienced professionals are hard to find. That’s why construction recruitment is a critical factor in your company’s success. At Riverstate, we understand that every construction company is unique and has its own specific needs. As specialists in construction recruitment, we work with you to develop a customized strategy to find and hire the best talent for your company.
Personnel consulting in construction at Riverstate
Riverstate’s construction recruitment services are more than just a staffing agency. We are strategic partners for your construction company and help you take your team to the next level. With our innovative recruitment methods, which target both active and passive applicants, we are able to reach a broad range of talent. Our construction recruitment experts can identify and approach potential candidates around the world to help you fill your open positions. This ensures that you can complete your projects on time and successfully. Trust Riverstate, your construction recruitment experts.
Riverstate: Your experts for personnel consulting in construction
Why choose Riverstate for your construction recruitment needs? Because we work the way every construction site should: quickly and precisely. We identify the best talent on the market for you and inspire them to work for your company. Contact us now and tell us about your requirements – without obligation.
Construction HR Consultants – Frequently Asked Questions
The fee charged by a recruitment agency is generally based on the expected annual salary of the talent placed. It is usually around 30% of this amount, but this can vary depending on the effort involved in the search and other criteria—for example, industry or region.
A human resources consultant supports companies in their search for staff and provides additional consulting services related to recruiting. Their range of services is thus more comprehensive than that of a recruitment agency: HR consultants use more complex search methods and also support companies with aspects such as employer branding and project management.
For recruitment, a recruitment consultant first creates a candidate profile in collaboration with the company seeking a candidate and then begins the search. The most important search methods include direct contact, i.e., specifically approaching specific candidates, or social media recruiting, i.e., reaching out to potential applicants via social networks. In addition, a recruitment consultant also supports companies with aspects such as employer branding, applicant management, onboarding, and the optimization of all these processes.
