Generation X, Millennials & the Construction Industry
According to an article in Construction Now, “the construction industry missed out when it came to Generation X, but cannot do so with the Millennial Generation. Through no fault of the industry, Gen X – born from 1965 to 1981 – has not embraced construction jobs as a career in the same percentages that prior generations did. Why?”
Career Ladder
Gen X and Millennials have not embraced construction jobs in the same way as the previous generation-Baby Boomers because Gen-Xers and Millennials see construction jobs as dead ends.What Gen-Xers and Millennials want is an occupation that has a career ladder that will lead them to the next level not a job that they will be doing the same thing for thirty years.
Internet Presence
Both Gen-Xers and Millennials are tech savvy. When they research your construction jobs, they want to see that your company utilizes cutting edge technology.They also want to see that you have professional looking website, Facebook account,Twitter and endorsements from sites like Angie’s List.
Company Culture
Company culture is very important to Gen-Xers and Millennials. According to an article in Equipment World, there are 3 things you need to do to get a better company culture: have the right people, be fair and be open and honest. By “right people” means a person, who is a good match for the job. Be fair means treat everyone the same. Be open and honest means you tell the truth when dealing with your workers.
Training
A number of Millennials and Gen-Xers are college graduates. However, they may not have the skill set that you need to fill the construction job.Training is a way that you can show Millennials and Gen-Xers that you are willing to invest in them. Some employers utilize apprentice programs to get their new employee up to speed. Job shadowing is another method, where Millennials and Gen-Xers follow a skilled worker around to watch how he or she does the job. A number of employers appoint a mentor to help workers get oriented to their new job.
Wages
Construction jobs pay well. Salary can be a big motivator for Millennials and Gen-Xers to succeed, especially if they’re are drowning in debt from college loans. Even as they get trained, Millennials and Gen-Xers can be compensated for their time.
Recruiting
Recruiting Millennials and Gen-Xers for construction jobs is no easy task. However, if you utilize job search engines, post jobs on your website and attend college job fairs; you can garner interest and point out the pluses of construction work.
