How to Find and Foster Great Construction Employees

Finding and keeping good employees ranks among the toughest challenges in the construction industry. Yet it remains essential for maintaining productivity, profitability, and a strong reputation with clients. Construction firms that master attracting and retaining talented workers build a lasting competitive advantage. This article explores proven strategies for finding great construction employees and fostering an environment where they thrive. For more on building collaborative relationships, see Building Strong Trade Partnerships How Home Builders Can.

The Hiring Challenge in Construction

The construction industry has long struggled with workforce development. Skilled labor shortages persist across trades, and the competition for talented workers grows fiercer each year. Companies that treat hiring as an afterthought rather than a strategic priority will find themselves perpetually short-staffed.

Why Traditional Hiring Falls Short

Many construction firms rely on the same hiring methods they have used for decades: posting a help-wanted ad, reviewing a handful of resumes, and hiring the first candidate who seems competent. This approach rarely produces lasting results. Quick hires often become quick departures.

Consider Ekedal Concrete, a foundation company based in Newport Beach, California, that specializes in large, complex custom home foundations. Vice President Ryan Ekedal reports that the company vets roughly 100 resumes before finding a single person who truly fits the organization. This level of rigor is uncommon, but it explains why about half of the company’s 80 employees have been with them for more than a decade, and roughly 20 have remained for over 20 years. Their estimator and plan detailer have each logged more than 30 years of service.

“When people come here they stay, and we are lucky for that,” Ryan Ekedal says. “But when we have to put an ad in the paper to find someone new, that process is not easy.”

What to Look for in a Candidate

Screening 100 resumes for a single hire may sound extreme, but it reflects a fundamental truth: finding the right person requires knowing what you are looking for beyond technical skills. Successful construction employers prioritize these qualities:

• Cultural fit — Does the candidate align with your company’s values and work ethic?
• Coachability — Are they open to feedback and willing to learn new methods?
• Problem-solving mindset — Do they see challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles?
• Team orientation — Can they collaborate effectively with coworkers and subcontractors?
• Competitive drive — Are they motivated to improve and outperform?

President Dave Ekedal asks every candidate one telling question: whether they played sports in high school. “That tells you something about someone — it tells you whether or not they are a competitive person,” he explains. “You need to have competitive people working for you.” This reveals character traits that technical certifications cannot capture: resilience, teamwork, discipline, and the drive to win.

Building a Strategic Hiring Process

A systematic approach to hiring transforms the process from reactive scrambling into intentional talent acquisition. Construction companies that invest in structured hiring see better retention, higher productivity, and stronger culture.

Step 1: Define the Role Clearly

Before posting a job opening, write a detailed description of the role, including specific responsibilities, required skills, and performance expectations. A precise job description attracts candidates who fit the role and filters out those who do not.

Step 2: Cast a Wide Net

Relying on a single job board limits your candidate pool. Use multiple channels to reach potential employees:

1. Industry-specific job boards and trade association networks
2. Local trade schools and apprenticeship programs such as the Online Construction Trades Career Diploma Penn Foster Program
3. Employee referral programs with meaningful incentives
4. Social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn and industry groups
5. Community colleges with construction management programs

Step 3: Conduct Rigorous Screenings

Resume screening is only the first filter. Build a multi-stage evaluation process:

Companies that skip steps to fill a position quickly almost always regret it. The cost of a bad hire far exceeds the time invested in thorough vetting.

Step 4: Ask the Right Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions reveal how a candidate has handled real situations. These are more predictive of future performance than hypothetical questions. Examples include:

• “Tell me about a time you made a mistake on a jobsite. How did you handle it?”
• “Describe a difficult coworker you worked with and how you managed the relationship.”
• “Give me an example of a project that went over budget. What went wrong and what did you learn?”
• “What was the most physically demanding job you completed? How did you push through?”

Questions like these draw out real experiences and reveal character, work ethic, and problem-solving ability in ways that standard questions cannot.

Creating a Culture That Retains Employees

Finding great employees is only half the battle. Keeping them requires a work environment where people feel valued, challenged, and respected. High turnover often signals cultural problems that no amount of hiring effort can fix. For more on retention strategies, read How Smart Home Builders Retain Good Construction Employees.

Foster Healthy Competition

Ekedal Concrete has built a culture where competition drives continuous improvement. “We create competition among employees so they want to get better and want to get faster,” Dave Ekedal says. This competitive environment does not breed hostility when managed correctly. Instead, it pushes every team member to raise their standards.

He adds a valuable perspective on visibility: “I tell employees that when they are working they are on a dance floor. They have people looking at them from start to finish. Whether they are lazy or working hard, GCs and builders see it.” This creates accountability and pride in workmanship.

Value Every Role Equally

One of the most powerful retention tools costs nothing: genuine respect for every employee. Dave Ekedal puts it plainly: “The guy who drives the truck is as important as someone pounding nails or working in the office. Everyone plays an important part in the business.” Employees who feel valued will stay even when other opportunities arise.

Provide Growth Opportunities

Top performers want to grow. Construction companies that invest in training and clear career pathways retain ambitious employees. Consider these approaches:

• Sponsor apprenticeship programs for entry-level workers. See Building a Skilled Workforce How to Create an Apprenticeship Program for detailed guidance.
• Provide tuition reimbursement for relevant certifications and degrees.
• Create mentorship pairings between experienced veterans and newer employees.
• Offer cross-training so workers can develop multiple skill sets.
• Establish clear promotion criteria so employees understand what they need to advance.

Encourage Innovation and Problem-Solving

Construction workers on the front lines often have the best ideas for improving processes, safety, and efficiency. A culture that encourages innovation taps into this resource. Dave Ekedal notes that his employees are consistently innovative. “We have never walked away from a job because it was too difficult. If we do not know how to do something, we will figure out how to do it.”

This mindset starts at the top. When leaders demonstrate confidence in their teams, employees rise to meet those expectations. Micromanagement stifles creativity and drives talented people to seek more autonomous environments.

Practical Strategies for Long-Term Workforce Stability

Building a stable, motivated workforce requires consistent effort across multiple fronts. The most successful construction companies treat workforce development as an ongoing priority.

Compensation Beyond the Paycheck

Competitive wages are table stakes. What separates good employers from great ones is the total compensation package:

• Health insurance and retirement plans with employer contributions
• Paid time off that increases with tenure
• Performance bonuses tied to individual and company goals
• Per diem and travel allowances for remote jobsites
• Tool and boot allowances that reduce out-of-pocket costs

Safety as a Cultural Value

Workers who feel unsafe on the jobsite will not stay long. Construction companies that prioritize safety as a core value, not just compliance, attract and retain employees who care about their well-being. Regular safety training, proper equipment, and a culture where workers can report hazards without fear of retaliation all contribute to a more stable workforce.

Recognize and Reward Excellence

Recognition does not require large budgets. Consistent acknowledgment of good work builds morale and reinforces the behaviors you want to see. Effective strategies include:

1. Public acknowledgment during morning huddles or weekly meetings.
2. Employee-of-the-month programs with meaningful rewards.
3. Handwritten thank-you notes from supervisors or owners.
4. Company-wide communication highlighting project successes.
5. Annual awards dinner celebrating long service and performance.

Consistent recognition creates a positive feedback loop. Employees who feel appreciated work harder, which leads to better results and more recognition.

Plan for Succession

Every construction company faces the reality that experienced workers will eventually retire. Companies that plan for this transition fare better than those that scramble to replace departing talent. Develop a succession plan that identifies key roles, potential internal successors, and the training needed to prepare them. This protects institutional knowledge and provides career clarity for ambitious employees.

Measure and Improve Retention

What gets measured gets managed. Track these workforce metrics to identify problems before they become crises:

Review these metrics quarterly and adjust your strategies accordingly. A company that measures workforce health with the same rigor it applies to project profitability will build a stronger, more resilient team.

Finding and fostering great construction employees is an ongoing commitment. It begins with a rigorous hiring process that prioritizes character, coachability, and competitive drive. It continues with a workplace culture that values every employee, encourages healthy competition, and provides growth opportunities. And it endures through consistent measurement and continuous improvement.

Companies like Ekedal Concrete demonstrate what is possible when workforce development becomes a strategic priority. With half their employees staying more than a decade and key personnel logging 30-year careers, they prove that investing in finding and fostering great people pays dividends for years to come. Construction firms that adopt these principles will thrive as employers of choice in their markets.