For specialty trades, effective workforce planning is not just a strategy – it’s a survival skill. With the pace of business accelerating and projects becoming increasingly complex, having the right people in the right place at the right time is a non-negotiable. Yet, many contractors grapple with the challenges this presents. Balancing the ebb and flow of project demand, managing skills gaps, and ensuring seamless communication within teams are just a few of the hurdles to clear.

The goal of this article is to demystify workforce planning for specialty trade contractors and shed light on the best practices that can optimize your team’s productivity. We’ll provide practical advice on how to forecast demand, allocate resources, promote upskilling, foster communication, leverage technology, retain talent, and plan for succession.

Whether you’re a project manager seeking to fine-tune your staffing strategies, or a company executive looking for ways to improve overall efficiency and profitability, this article is for you.

Understanding the basics of workforce planning

At its core, workforce planning is a proactive approach to managing your team. It involves analyzing your current workforce, predicting future workforce needs, identifying gaps between the present and the future, and implementing solutions to fill those gaps.

In the realm of specialty trades, workforce planning takes on even greater importance. With each project requiring a unique combination of skills and experience, it’s crucial to have the right team members in place. This isn’t just about having enough hands on deck – it’s about having the right hands on the right tasks.

The first step in workforce planning is understanding your current workforce. What skills and competencies do your team members bring to the table? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How many people do you have, and what roles are they in?

The second step is forecasting your future needs. This requires you to look at upcoming projects and predict the types of skills and the number of workers you’ll need.

Thirdly, you need to conduct a gap analysis. This involves comparing your current workforce with your future needs to identify any discrepancies. Do you have enough workers with the right skills to meet your future demand? If not, where are the gaps?

Finally, it’s all about strategy development. This involves coming up with a plan to address the gaps identified in the analysis. This might involve hiring new staff, training current staff, or even adjusting your business strategy.

These primary components provide the groundwork for effective workforce planning. Armed with this understanding, let’s dive into the best practices to help you optimize this process for your specialty trades team.

Challenges in workforce planning for specialty trades

Despite the best efforts, workforce planning in specialty trades isn’t without its obstacles. Recognizing these challenges is the first step in overcoming them.

Firstly, the unique nature of each project in the specialty trades makes it hard to create a one-size-fits-all approach to workforce planning. The skills, experience, and number of workers needed can vary from project to project, requiring constant adjustments to your workforce plan.

Secondly, the scarcity of skilled workers in many specialty trades can make it difficult to fill gaps in your workforce. This makes effective recruitment and retention strategies vital.

Finally, the fast pace and unpredictability of the construction industry can pose a challenge to workforce planning. Market fluctuations, changes in project timelines, and unforeseen events can all disrupt your workforce plan.

By using the best practices we’ve outlined, you can better navigate these challenges and create a more resilient workforce plan.

Best practices for workforce planning

Here are some of the best practices for workforce planning your specialty trades team:

a. Accurate Demand Forecasting

Predicting future workforce needs is both an art and a science. It requires understanding your upcoming projects, the skills and number of workers needed, and the timeframes for these needs. By developing a systematic approach to forecasting, you can mitigate the risk of labor shortages or overstaffing.

Consider factors such as the complexity and duration of projects, the required skills and certifications, as well as seasonality and market trends. By creating a detailed forecast, you can ensure you’re always a step ahead, able to address staffing needs before they become a problem.

b. Effective Allocation

With a solid forecast in place, the next challenge is to allocate resources effectively. This means matching the right people to the right projects based on their skills, experience, and availability.

A common mistake in specialty trades is to react solely to the project at hand, which can lead to scrambling when the next project comes along. By taking a broader view and considering future projects, you can ensure smoother transitions and more consistent workloads for your team members.

c. Upskilling and Cross-skilling

In a field as diverse as specialty trades, upskilling and cross-skilling are crucial for workforce flexibility. Upskilling refers to enhancing your team’s skills within their existing roles, while cross-skilling involves training them in new areas to create a more versatile workforce.

A strong training program not only equips your team to take on a broader range of projects, but it also increases job satisfaction and retention. Employees who feel their skills are being developed are more likely to stay with your company long-term. If you’d like to learn more about how you can begin to upskill and cross-skill your team, we recommend this interview with the Ryan Companies heads of talent development.

d. Leveraging Technology for Workforce Planning

A lot of the best practices we’ve mentioned thus far are difficult to do with the status quo tools contractors use for workforce planning. A lot of this process is done on spreadsheets and whiteboards, which are inflexible and lack any additional insight on your people and projects. Luckily, workforce planning tools like Bridgit Bench have been created specifically for specialty contractors to ditch their manual, disjointed workforce planning process.

Bridgit Bench provides a clear overview of your workforce, enabling you to see at a glance who’s working on what and when they’re available. You can also track skills and certifications, making it easier to match the right person to each job. Plus, you can forecast your workforce needs accurately and plan ahead effectively.

e. Continuous Communication and Collaboration

Clear and consistent communication is the backbone of effective workforce planning. This is especially relevant for specialty contractors as you have to send regular updates to your team as project timelines shift, weather changes, or for general quality control.

The communication tools in Bridgit Bench can help facilitate this communication, ensuring everyone is aligned on project requirements, deadlines, staffing arrangements, or job site changes. Regular meetings and updates can also help to address any issues promptly, before they escalate.

f. Retaining Top Talent

High employee turnover can be costly and disruptive. By focusing on retention, you can maintain a strong, experienced workforce that delivers consistent quality. This involves creating a positive work environment, offering competitive compensation, recognizing hard work, and providing opportunities for growth and development.

Remember, a happy and engaged workforce is not only more productive, but they’re also more likely to recommend your company to others – a valuable source of new talent.

g. Planning for Succession

Finally, effective workforce planning involves looking to the future and planning for leadership transitions. By identifying potential leaders and providing them with the necessary training and experience, you can ensure a smooth transition when senior team members retire or move on.

This is especially important in specialty trades, where experienced leaders can play a crucial role in maintaining quality standards and guiding the next generation.

Effective workforce planning is a critical success factor for any specialty trades contractor. It’s not just about putting bodies on a jobsite; it’s about optimizing your most valuable resource—your people. And isn’t a one-time activity, but rather an ongoing process that requires adaptability and continuous improvement. By implementing these practices, staying responsive to changes, and leveraging the right tools, you can create a resilient and agile workforce that’s ready to tackle whatever comes your way.