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Your Choice Of Staircase Supplier Can Combat Skill Shortages
In the construction sector, there is an increasing call for skilled workers to meet the rising demand from the UK sector. With the construction industry requiring 251,500 extra workers over the next five years (equivalent to 50,300 per year), according to the latest CITB Construction Skills Network Report 2024-2028, the repercussions will be felt by you and your housebuilding business. Chief Exec of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Tim Balcon recently warned that the construction sector is in serious need to “attract and retain top-level talent”.
Despite this, there are claims that it will be a “major task to respond to the call for higher skilled workers”. This article is not only aimed at highlighting the reasons for the skill shortages within the sector but will also provide a means to help alleviate the challenges faced by a lack of skilled workers.
An ageing workforce
The construction workforce faces significant demographic challenges. With 9.2 million people absent from the labour force (700,000 more than pre-pandemic levels), and the inactivity rate at 21.8%, there’s a huge need for greater numbers. The issue is, the sector has been struggling to fill roles for years, and the latest generation isn’t showing a considered interest in construction.
As workers retire, so does the access to and knowledge of their skillset. With fewer workers coming through the system, the gap will widen, causing shockwaves of delays and even financial penalties throughout the sector.
Brexit, COVID & the great resignation: The impact on house builders
The construction workforce crisis has deep roots that continue to impact housebuilders in 2025. Brexit’s effects persist, with 12% of the UK’s construction workers now coming from other countries, with the majority from the EU, significantly reduced from pre-Brexit levels when 40% of UK construction workers came from the EU.
Five years on, construction still reels from COVID’s labour challenges, contributing to 9.2 million people being absent from the labour force, which is 700,000 more than pre-pandemic levels, with the inactivity rate at 21.8%. The CITB report confirms that job vacancies in construction were stable at 36,000 in the three months to February 2024, indicating ongoing demand despite workforce shortages.
Wage inflation affecting high skill availability
The lure of higher pay compounds the problem further. If there is increased demand for a limited pool, the businesses willing to pay over the odds will likely reap the rewards. Average regular weekly earnings growth had subsided from a peak of 8% in July 2023 to 5.9% in January 2024, according to the CITB report, but this remains historically high. Despite these increases, there’s still a historically high number of vacancies in the sector, with job vacancies in construction stable at 36,000 in the three months to February 2024.
Overcoming these challenges
It’s not the first time the sector has faced these challenges, and it certainly won’t be the last. Finding means of overcoming puts businesses in much stronger positions, after all, you shouldn’t let a ‘lack of workers’ contribute to your business’s reputation. Instead, consider how suppliers can take the pressure off, allowing products to be installed with a lower level of skill. This relies on finding partners who focus on quality services, with the aim being your success. Conducting their own site surveys, expertise in manufacturing and dry assembling products prior to dispatch ensures when materials arrive on site, they require very little input.
Not only will this reduce the project timeline, but it’ll be also better for your bottom line, too. You don’t need to pay over the odds for a diminishing pool of skilled workers, you can make savings without jeopardising quality.
Since 1989, Multi-Turn has built a wealth of experience and knowledge, offered through a service called Staircase Success, helping you meet the demands of the housebuilding sector with high-quality bespoke staircases.
Find out more by speaking to our team today.
