Are your workers ready for change?

The construction industry is the backbone of our cities and infrastructure. It builds our transportation, office buildings, roads, and homes. Whether we realize it or not, communities rely on the construction industry each and every day. But the jobs of past generations built on hard manual labour, long hours, and hand-shake deals are on their way out. Roles are changing — and so is the environment.

The industry now has an urgent challenge: attracting and retaining a workforce that can meet the complexity and demand of today's projects. It hasn't been the top priority it needs to be, and we're feeling the burn.

But it's not just about building a pipeline of future leaders. For many in the industry, climbing up isn't the only path forward. We need people who are able and willing to adapt, learn, and grow, and we need to create new opportunities for them. You might think these are future problems, but they're not. They're problems of today and the same old solutions won't cut it. We can't hire our way out of this problem — it requires a fresh, strategic approach to upskilling, reskilling, training, and employee engagement.

Education, exposure, and experience lead to more engagement 

All workers need the opportunity to grow. Some may have leadership goals, but many don't. We often put so much focus on the need to grow leaders that we fail many of our workers. We can still help them forge their paths to success. Rotating workers across projects and teams introduces fresh perspectives and new skills, but the bulk of their learning comes from hands-on experience in the flow of work. This equips them with the opportunity to discover and develop job-related skills, address challenges, and learn from their mistakes. New experiences can offer a hands-on opportunity to apply knowledge, experiment with new approaches, and learn what does and doesn't work. For example, broadening a mechanic's skill set not only keeps them engaged but also prevents silos where they become locked into working on just one type of equipment.

Leadership has a responsibility to ensure workers stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry. That means equipping those workers with the skills needed to adapt to new roles, technologies, and challenges. Are your drivers and operators prepared for the shift to electric vehicles and equipment? Can your sales team translate complex data into actionable insights for customers? Are your mechanics trained to use QR codes for instant access to machine information or to collect and transmit data about maintenance, usage, and fuel consumption? Don't let your workforce stagnate in a cycle of repetitive tasks that breeds resistance to change; invest in their growth to keep your team agile and future-ready.

Experience may be the best teacher but education plays a role too, especially in the construction industry. Training programs that focus on both entry-level skills and advanced industry knowledge, apprenticeships, mentor programs, and continuous learning opportunities are essential. When we include a variety of learning programs — e-learning, virtual instructor-led, self-paced, or in-person — it gives employees the power of choice and accessibility to get better at what matters to them.

Developing a future workforce means including more women 

The construction industry faces two undeniable realities: women remain underrepresented, and the skilled labour shortage continues to grow. But addressing both challenges takes more than just a job posting. Attracting women to construction starts with recognizing the barriers they face every day. Creating a truly inclusive environment means going beyond hiring — it's about ensuring your employees have the support and opportunities to build lasting careers. Once they're on your team, what are you doing to keep them there?

Are you creating networking and mentorship opportunities tailored to them? Organizations like the Canadian Association of Women in Construction offer hands-on learning experiences to help women gain industry exposure and skills. Internally, employee resource groups can be powerful, especially when they connect women with female leaders and mentors within the company. 

The construction industry is still relationship-driven — one where long-standing professional networks, often built between men, can be a barrier for women breaking in. Acknowledging this reality is the first step. The next is taking action to advocate for and empower the women who join your workforce.

Your leadership team can support women by reviewing workplace policies — ensuring there's a strong code of ethics around discrimination and harassment. But policies are meaningless without enforcement — and without a culture where people feel safe speaking up.

Addressing some of the key issues facing women has the potential to attract and support female employees or to keep them away. Networking, training, and development programs tailored to women create pathways for growth, whether advancing upwards or expanding skills laterally, to ensure a stronger, more diverse future workforce. 

Embracing technology is a business imperative and we need the roles to support it 

Developing our workforce depends on providing workers with the confidence, skills, and tools to adapt to changing roles and new environments. We already see huge opportunities through AI to interpret, link, and customize information. And, as a result, we need people who are ready to learn. Instead of taking our foot off the gas pedal, it's time to reshape current and future job roles and rethink how we hire. It's not just about their leadership quality or the work they can do now, but what work they can adapt to in the future. 

We're still in the early days of change, but success requires attracting and retaining workers who are able and willing to step into critical roles while bringing diverse perspectives and skills to the table. It starts with understanding the future environments we will face and, more importantly, connecting with our workers by helping them develop a breadth and depth of skills to chart their own course.

Lisa Grago is the chief people officer at Cooper Equipment Rentals.