Build Your Dream Team: Best Practices for Hiring Construction Workers

Hiring construction workers? Learn how to build your ideal team with five tips from PeopleReady Skilled Trades.

Share This


Photo of a construction worker using a snipping tool

Take your construction hiring to the next level with these 5 tips

With the construction industry facing a skilled worker shortage, it’s more important than ever to have a strong construction hiring process in place. That’s why PeopleReady Skilled Trades is sharing our five best practices for hiring construction workers across a variety of roles. By following these best practices, you can build the perfect team and ensure your construction staffing efforts are a success.

5 best practices for hiring construction workers

Plan carefully

It can be tempting to take shortcuts when recruiting for your team, especially when projects are quickly ramping up. For the best outcomes, we recommend creating a comprehensive plan for construction worker hiring that outlines the specific roles, skills and qualifications needed. It’s crucial to understand and outline your current workforce needs while also considering your long-term goals. Then, include realistic timeframes for each step so you can avoid rushed decisions.

Thoroughly screen candidates

When hiring construction laborers and skilled workers, conducting a thorough screening to assess their qualifications before interviewing is a must. This step helps save you time and money by filtering out candidates who may not be a good match early in the process. You can help guarantee success with your company’s construction hiring by partnering with a staffing expert. PeopleReady Skilled Trades has an extensive vetting process that ensures every tradesperson we recommend meets your quality standards.

Consider soft skills

Whether you’re hiring construction laborers or advanced tradespeople, you undoubtedly look for the technical skills and experience needed to get the job done. But don’t forget to evaluate candidates on their soft skills as well. Strong communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills are essential for success in the construction industry. At PeopleReady Skilled Trades, we’ve found that companies who focus on hiring construction workers with these soft skills report better project outcomes and fewer team conflicts.

Conduct reference checks

One of the biggest construction hiring mistakes is not thoroughly checking references. We get it: Checking references is time-consuming and sometimes uncomfortable, and former employers may be hesitant to speak freely. However, not following up on candidate references can lead to bad hires and even liability issues. Just listening to how a reference talks about a candidate can indicate whether they will be a good fit for the role. That’s why verifying each candidate’s information is one of your best chances to spot red flags.

Ensure effective onboarding

When you have a well-structured process for construction hiring, your new workers will be excited and eager to get started. However, if their onboarding experience is less than stellar, their excitement may be short-lived. For successful onboarding, set aside time to assess your company’s process. Think about whether it helps new hires fit into the company culture, understand expectations and feel supported right from the start. Onboarding also provides the perfect opportunity to introduce your company’s safety policies and training, which should always be a top priority.

These best hiring practices can help your construction company succeed in finding the right tradespeople. Now, how do you ensure that you’re attracting great candidates for your available positions while solidifying your reputation as the top choice for tradespeople seeking employment? Our article, “Construction Recruiting: How to Set Yourself Apart From the Competition,” shares strategies that can help your construction company gain a competitive edge. You’ll get valuable insights into attracting the right candidates and ultimately thriving in the construction industry. Don’t miss out on these essential tips for success in construction recruiting!

Hiring construction workers? PeopleReady Skilled Trades can help

If your construction worker hiring could use a boost, turn to PeopleReady Skilled Trades. Since 1987, we have been connecting companies like yours with highly qualified tradespeople who can help you complete your construction projects on time and on budget. We can deliver qualified tradespeople across a variety of trades, including electricians, carpenters, plumbers, pipefitters, sheet metal workers and more.

Ready to find construction workers?

For Skilled Tradespeople and Laborers

For General Construction Workers

PeopleReady, a TrueBlue company (NYSE: TBI), specializes in quick and reliable on-demand labor and highly skilled workers. PeopleReady supports a wide range of industries, including construction, manufacturing and logistics, retail and hospitality. Leveraging its game-changing JobStack staffing app and presence in more than 600 markets throughout North America, PeopleReady served approximately 83,000 businesses and put approximately 226,000 people to work in 2022.