In short, this could simply mean that while record growth within the construction industry is starting to plateau, spending and activity related to projects are most likely going to stay constant through 2019 with very minimal increases in overall spending. However, there are still some key factors that indicate a change is on the horizon. Based on past events with a similarly strong economy, this level of growth and spending is simply not sustainable over a long period of time.

Chief Economist and VP of Dodge Data & Analytics, Robert Murray, believes that a even if the construction industry sees a decrease in activity that doesn’t necessarily mean that the overall state will suffer a decline. It is his belief that overall value and spending on construction starts will achieve a “deceleration…the enhanced level of activity that has been achieved over the past several years.” In essence, the construction industry may fall back to where spending and activity was at its most profitable and sustainable over the past few years; a decline but not drastic.

However, according to Cristian deRitis, the Senior Director of Moody’s Analytics, the biggest red flag indicating an economic decline is the steady but low unemployment rate. Cristian argues that, historically, “any time unemployment hovers around 4.5%, recession comes about three years later.” And, in fact, ever since March of 2018, the unemployment rate has been steadily dropping. With this information in mind, according to Moody’s Analytics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this could mean that the economy is due for a recession next summer.

In addition, it is no surprise that the desperate demand for a skilled workforce is effecting the overall health of the construction industry. In a recent survey performed by the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk, 81% of those surveyed said they are having a hard time filling craft positions and 56% said the same thing about salaried positions. Where a small number of contractors are attempting to sustain through the labor shortage, the overall problem is that economists agree that is a problem that isn’t going away overnight. Only time will tell how much the construction industry will be able to retain this level of productivity through a long-term labor shortage and consistent low unemployment rates. However, all signs seem to point to 2019 remaining steady and profitable.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“We have the same commitments to each and every one of our employees as we do our clients. We have high expectations and our requirements are stringent. Once you become an employee of Trillium, we’ll do everything in our power to help you succeed and meet your career goals. When our employees are successful, we’ve done our job,” stated René Poch, CEO.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Is there really that big of a difference between retaining existing employees over searching, vetting and hiring a new candidate. Absolutely! In fact, according to Peoplekeep.com, the costs of employee turnover are continuing to increase, as much as 2.5 times an individual employee’s salary, depending on the role. This figure doesn’t even take into account “soft costs” such as lowered productivity and training costs.

So the question remains; how do you increase employee retention? Here are a few simple suggestions to keep in mind.

• Retention should start before the hire: This simply means that employee retention should be something that your hiring staff focuses on from the very beginning; starting with recruiting and continuing through the entirety of the hiring process and beyond. You need to keep a clear and concise idea of what type of culture your company holds and make sure to focus on individuals who value the same type of working environment. Always hire with the intention of keeping that employee as a long term asset. Hiring a new employee knowing full well that they will not be a long-term solution is putting your company behind from the get go.
• Always engage employees with opportunities to learn new things and for advancement. It’s human nature to want to strive for bigger and better things. No one wants to be stuck in a “dead end” job doing the exact same thing each and every day without the opportunity for additional responsibilities or even promotion within. The idea here is simple; continuously provide your employees with opportunities for growth and to further their education, even if that simply means becoming more knowledgeable about your company as a whole and how they can continue to be an important asset to you and your team.
• Benefits are and always will be a huge selling point. This can be an excellent way for your organization to stand out from your competitors. This doesn’t necessarily just mean health benefits. A lot of companies are starting to allow more flexible scheduling so their employees can spend more time with their families. In addition, some companies are beginning to offer up to 18 weeks of parental leave for all of their employees. The idea is that by allowing employees to take time off to handle personal situations, the employer is provided reassurance that when the employee does return that they are able to put their full attention back on the job, rather than worrying about something going on at home. Other important and sought out benefits could include paid holidays, company outings, performance bonuses, etc.
• Embrace technology. Especially in today’s society where it feels like there is a new technological advancement every single day; companies have no choice but to either embrace it or fall behind the curve. Everyone expects to be exposed to and have new technologies available at their fingertips. From the newest smart phone being launched to how AI will be integrated into their daily lives, employees want the best technology available to ensure that they are performing at their best at work and at home.
• Turnover will happen so be prepared for it. Unfortunately, no matter how well your treat employees, life can get in the way. In circumstances where you are feeling lost after losing what you consider to be a rock star employee, you have to move on. Always try to have a succession plan for any and all of your higher level or hard to fill positions. Making sure that there are others within your company that can at least assist with the workload after the turnover takes place, can take a huge weight off of your shoulders. Also, remember that turnover can also be a blessing in disguise. You never want to hold on to employees that don’t want to be a part of your organization in the first place.

If you take anything away from this post, please remember that now is the time for retention. Companies need to start treating their employees as true assets and not individuals that can be easily replaced. It’s only when the employee feels appreciated and recognized and the employer understands their worth that true employee retention can thrive.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Even with the advancement of self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles becoming all the rage, it is believed by many that no amount of technology can fully replace the reaction and thinking capabilities of a veteran Driver. Recently, this topic took center stage at the 2019 Mid-America Trucking Show. As reported by ttnews.com, the outstanding concern for many Truck Drivers in attendance was how quickly they would be replaced with “robot trucks.” However, to help in easing some of the concerns, the panelists, all mainly representatives of various tech companies within the automotive industry, answered questions directly on this topic.

“I can assure you that a young person going into trucking today will retire a truck driver, if he or she wants it,” said Robert Brown, director of public affairs for Tucson, Ariz.-based TuSimple. “The technology really, truly is amazing. I always tell people we can handle the freeways, but we can’t handle the infinite number of things that you all do on a daily basis.”

“I think like everyone else that as long as there are trucks, there are going to be truck drivers,” said Ognen Stojanovski, CEO of San Franciso-based Pronto, a company that makes driver-assist technologies. “But having great eyes and reaction times is not a substitute for having a great brain.”

The fact of the matter comes down to this, while technology in the trucking and automotive industry has broken through many barriers and has exceeded expectations in number of ways, it will not replace the human beings behind the wheel. Their intuition and experience is irreplaceable. Technology’s purpose in these industries to assist those Drivers and make their job easier and safer, not only for the Driver but for the other motorists on the roadways.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

• Networking is key! Networking doesn’t just have to be reserved for networking events or conferences. Everywhere you go, there could be the potential of making a connection with other professionals or opening up a conversation that can lead to future prospects. By increasing your reach through networking, you may be made aware of new openings or opportunities before they are even made public. This could, in turn, put you at an overwhelming advantage simply by giving you first dibs on making an impact during the interview.
• Use proper grammar and triple check your application materials for errors. We are all human and do make grammatical errors and typos from time to time. However, the time to do this is not when you’re trying to impress a hiring manager. Improper grammar or typos throughout a resume or application can be a read flag to any employer and can instantly cause trepidation on the hiring manager’s side. The answer is simple, take your time in filling out paperwork and speak clearly and concisely when responding to questions. If you take your time and put together a well thought answer or response, you can prevent being disqualified even before the interview is over.
• Always, always, always tailor all application materials to the company or position you are applying for. Hiring managers are used to seeing the same generic resume or cover letter, ones that candidates are obviously using for a variety of opportunities. You want to stand out! The resume and cover letter are the first step in grabbing attention. Once you have the hiring manager in front of your for that long awaited interview, make sure to explain why you are qualified but why you and your skill sets are perfect for THEIR opening. Research the company and go into that interview not only prepared to answer the question “So what do you know about this company?” but go into detail on why your specific skill set makes sense for the role.
• No Brainer Alert! DO NOT ARRIVE LATE or TOO EARLY for an interview! One of the worst faux pas’ candidate’s can fall victim to is either showing up late or too early for an interview. Either can result in the same thing, aggravating the person who you are trying to impress. For many hiring managers, there is a specific reason they choose the day and time for an interview; they are busy and are trying to fit in interviews when possible. If you show up late or too early, this can put the hiring manager in a tough spot. This is especially true if they move another engagement to make up for your lack of punctuality. Also, it can be just plain rude to show up late to a scheduled meeting, regardless of the type; so just don’t do it.
• As awkward as it can feel, be prepared to discuss pay and salary at the interview. The key here is to do your research and find out what others are making in similar positions in your area. Think about what salary you would personally feel comfortable with in accepting a new role. Combine the two and come to terms with a reasonable pay range that you can back up if pay negotiations come up.
• DO NOT LIE. I hate to use all CAPS and I hope this goes without saying but lying, whether on your resume, application or in person, is not acceptable. You have to remember that you are not the only one doing research here. Your prospective employer will also be doing their due diligence for all applicants when going through the hiring process. Plain and simple, if you lie before, during or after the interview, the hiring manager will most likely find out the truth regardless. It just isn’t worth it.
• Follow-up post interview. There is most certainly a fine line in following up after an interview. No one wants to become annoying or considered desperate to a hiring manager. Typically, a quick email or phone call within a week following your interview will suffice. Remember, that you were most likely not the only candidate that was interviewed, so practicing patience is very important. Sending a quick thank you via email can not only show the prospective employer that you’re still interested but it also shows initiative.

Take confidence in what you have to offer and use a little common sense and you’ll be well on your way to that next big opportunity!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.