THE OFFICIAL EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SUBCONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
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Cultivating the Next Generation
1004 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 | (703) 684-3450 | www.asaonline.com | communications@asa-hq.com
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EDITORIAL PURPOSE The Contractor’s Compass is the monthly educational journal of the Foundation of the American Subcontractors Association, Inc. (FASA) and part of FASA’s Contractors’ Knowledge Network. The journal is designed to equip construction subcontractors with the ideas, tools and tactics they need to thrive.
F E AT U R E S Developing the Next Generations of Plumbers in the Grand Canyon State.................................................10 by Mike Brewer, Brewer Companies
The views expressed by contributors to The Contractor’s Compass do not necessarily represent the opinions of FASA or the American Subcontractors Association, Inc. (ASA).
From the ‘New Normal’ to the Future: Embracing Change, Technology, and Opportunity to Recruit, Train, and Retain the Next Generation........................................................................... 12 by Mark Drury, Shapiro & Duncan
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Engagement "Nitty Gritty"…or "Essence"........................................................................................................................ 14 by Mary Klett, ASA Communications Team
FASA was established in 1987 as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity to support research, education and public awareness. Through its Contractors’ Knowledge Network, FASA is committed to forging and exploring the critical issues shaping subcontractors and specialty trade contractors in the construction industry. FASA provides subcontractors and specialty trade contractors with the tools, techniques, practices, attitude and confidence they need to thrive and excel in the construction industry. FASA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Richard Wanner, President Courtney Little Richard Bright Anthony Brooks Brian Cooper Jack Austhof SUBSCRIPTIONS The Contractor’s Compass is a free monthly publication for ASA members and nonmembers. For questions about subscribing, please contact communications@asa-hq.com. ADVERTISING Interested in advertising? Contact Richard Bright at (703) 684-3450 or rbright@ASA-hq.com or advertising@ASA-hq.com. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Contributing authors are encouraged to submit a brief abstract of their article idea before providing a full-length feature article. Feature articles should be no longer than 1,500 words and comply with The Associated Press style guidelines. Article submissions become the property of ASA and FASA. The editor reserves the right to edit all accepted editorial submissions for length, style, clarity, spelling and punctuation. Send abstracts and submissions for The Contractor’s Compass to communications@ASA-hq.com. ABOUT ASA ASA is a nonprofit trade association of union and non-union subcontractors and suppliers. Through a nationwide network of local and state ASA associations, members receive information and education on relevant business issues and work together to protect their rights as an integral part of the construction team. For more information about becoming an ASA member, contact ASA at 1004 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314-3588, (703) 684-3450, membership@ASA-hq.com, or visit the ASA Web site, www. asaonline.com. LAYOUT Angela M Roe angelamroe@gmail.com © 2020 Foundation of the American Subcontractors Association, Inc.
How to Inspire and Foster the Future Generation of Construction Workers................................................15 by Patrick Hogan, Handle.com Early Loyalty—Jump Starting Success in the First 90 Days..................................................................................16 by Mindy Curtiss, SHRM-SCP, Kent Companies, Inc. Adopting Technology to Appeal to the Next Generation of Construction......................................................18 by Alissa Rogers, Raken Educating the Next Generation of Construction Professionals........................................................................... 21 The Importance of Early Safety Training........................................................................................................................ 24 by David Ward, safety consultant Future Generations — Attracting And Keeping Future Trade Workers........................................................... 26 by Jack Rubinger, freelance author Millennial Myths Debunked: Overcoming Generational Biases and Embracing Diversity.................. 28 by Jeff Sample, eSUB Shifting the Business Model to Ensure Future Success—The Needs of the Next Generation............ 29 by Stephane McShane, Maxim Consulting Group Addressing the Needs of the Next Generation: It’s Less Change Than You Think................................... 32 by Steve Antill, Foundation Software Recruiting Gen Z? Here Are Three Tips to be Successful..................................................................................... 33 by Rachel Burris, NCCER
D E PA R T M E N T S ASA PRESIDENT'S LETTER....................................................................................................................................................5 CONTRACTOR COMMUNITY................................................................................................................................................8 LEGALLY SPEAKING: Legal Considerations for the Next Generation of Construction Professionals............................................19 by Mark A. Cobb, Cobb Law Group
QUICK REFERENCE Upcoming Webinars..................................................................................................................................................................37 Coming Up......................................................................................................................................................................................37
! d r a w n O Charting the course for unity, growth, and prosperity
1004 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 684-3450 . meetings@asa-hq.com . www.asaonline.com 4
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PRESIDENT ’S LE T TER Dear ASA Members, I write to you this month ready to embrace a time of growth and discovery. The seasons will be changing soon, and with that comes a new crispness in the air, new colors in the trees, and anticipation for what is on the horizon. Some of you may be excited for the return of flannel shirts and bonfires, while others are looking forward to the opportunity for new community events that always spring up this time of year. All of those joys may look different this year in the current climate, but that shouldn’t stop us from embracing the exciting new period that we are entering into. Before we fully turn the page on Summer, however, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible work that ASA members have been doing during these warm months. ASA continues to work hard for the needs of the subcontracting community, and those efforts have never shut down. Our chapters continue to work within their communities supporting our members, and I have never been prouder to hear about all of the accomplishments happening around the country. Our organization is strong today and will be stronger tomorrow. I am thrilled to share that in August Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) toured Claborn Manufacturing’s new state-of-the-art facility in Tanner, AL. The tour was led by former ASA President, Kerrick Whisenant, President of Limestone Building Group, constructor of South Limestone Industrial Park where the plant is located. Claborn Manufacturing’s sister company and ASA member, Cornerstone Detention Products, installs products in prisons and jails, including doors, frames, windows, and furniture, which are now being made at this new Claborn facility utilizing highend, technologically driven, robotic manufacturing processes. Rep. Brooks has supported ASA with his voting to include the Small Business Payment Performance Act as an amendment to the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Bill, as well as being a member of the House Armed Services Committee that deals with many priorities important to ASA members. These opportunities for our nation’s leadership to see the incredible work that our industry does day after day will help shine a brighter light on what we all know to be a thriving, growing, vital part of our country’s landscape. Celebrate these moments and share the good news with your communities and chapters about the incredible work that all of us are doing as ASA members. Together we will always be stronger. My best to you all, Brian Cooper ASA President 2020-2021
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The Ultimate Value Think of a leader. No—not George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Closer to home. Your mom. Your dad. A teacher. A coach. A boss. Someone who had a positive (or negative*) impact on
a purpose greater than themselves. They are selfless. Yes, we’re all human and we have our faults. But a true leader sees a better future, a better way, and takes action to make it so. A true leader gets out in front and leads by example, not by dictum.
"Surely there comes a time when counting the cost and paying the price aren't things to think about any more. All that matters is value — the ultimate value of what one does." —James Hilty, author
who you are today. *Sure, it’s helpful to think of those people in leadership positions that weren’t good leaders. What did they do wrong— in your opinion—that affected us negatively? How did we adjust? In general, good leaders excel at: • Empathy. They know what you’re thinking, and understand how you’re feeling • Communication. They know what to say and how to say it for the right audience, and they listen • Camaraderie. You know they’ll be right next to you in the thick of it They didn’t do it for the fame. They didn’t do it for the glory. Leaders pursue a vision and
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What makes the person you thought of a good leader?
The American Subcontractors Association has a legacy of strong and selfless leaders. Jeff Banker of Banker Insulation was a leader in the ASA family, who in addition to growing his father’s insulation company into a leading contractor in the southwest, selflessly gave of his precious time to strengthen ASA in Arizona and served as national president from 20172018. Jeff passed away on September 2, 2020, after a long battle with cancer. We recognize that we stand on the shoulders of others, and ASA could not be where we are without Jeff’s leadership and dedication to making us stronger and better than before. Each of our presidents—our leaders—strive to take us to a better future. Jeff was a passionate advocate and supporter of many industry and community organizations. In addition to leading roles in ASA, Jeff was involved in the Insulation Contractors Association of America, the National Insulation Contractor's Exchange, and Fighter Country
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Partnership (a community group that supports Luke Air Force Base). As this issue delves into our future leaders, there is a lot of discussion about motivation. Many people have a vision, but good leaders also know they need others to help their vision become a reality. The examination of Gen-X, Millennials, Gen-Z, Baby Boomers…. While their formative years may be different, it’s the true leader who can communicate and motivate individuals, not stereotypes. They are truly “people persons”—knowing what to say, how to say it, when to say it, where to say it—to make the message understood and to be acted upon. While we mourn Jeff’s passing, like any true leader, his legacy lives on through his sons, his colleagues, and those who treasure their memories of his humor, dedication, and humanity.
Jeffrey Banker (1962 – 2020)
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CONTRACTOR COMMUNIT Y Apply for ASA’s annual industry awards! Each year, ASA gives individuals, companies, and chapters the opportunity to apply for ASA Awards. These prestigious awards are a way to highlight those in the subcontracting community who are shining examples of excellence. Apply today! ASA is proud to announce a NEW AWARD THIS YEAR, the National Annual Safety Award, representing ASA’s commitment to safety and safety education. Being nominated for this award is a significant honor in your community and among your peers. Each chapter can nominate ONE company for the ASA National Safety Award. All nominations will be displayed at ASA’s National SUBExcel Conference where each nominee will receive recognition on a National Level. Other distinguished awards presented are: • ASA Certificate of Excellence in Ethics • ASA National Construction Best Practices Awards • President’s Award • Subcontractor Federal and State Advocate Awards • Attorney's Council Awards • John H. Hampshire Distinguished Lifetime Service Award • Timmy L. McLaughlin Exemplary Leadership Award • ASA Outstanding Service Award • ASA Chapter and Chapter Leadership Awards
Apply today for ASA Awards, and get the recognition you deserve!
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ProCore’s GroundBreak Conference for Construction Offers ASA Members an Additional Discount This year, ProCore is going virtual with Groundbreak, offering 10 CEU credits across 20 different sessions on topics like safety, inclusion and diversity, innovation, power skills, and more. Not to mention amazing keynotes and other engaging content. That's an estimated $1000 worth of educational content for just $99. ASA members receive an additional $10 off. These sessions will be available live at Groundbreak and on-demand for an additional 30 days––so ASA members can take them at their convenience. Check recent issues of Hammer & Nails and ASAToday for the discount link.
risk and profit on one screen. The Dashboards are part of the company’s ongoing initiative to update its platform architecture and modernize the user interface. “As a data-centric platform, eSUB captures a tremendous amount of data related to field activity, project costs, labor hours, and even time between documentation approvals,” says Wendy Rogers, president and CEO of eSUB Construction Software. “Now more than ever, trade contractors need that data to quickly determine the status of a project from a cost perspective and identify early warning signs for potential risk. We’re thrilled about this new update because it delivers a realtime snapshot of the project so trade contractors can protect their profits.” Click here to view this press release on the eSUB website.
eSUB Construction Software Releases New Project Summary Dashboards
NLRB Issues Decisions Regarding Social Media and Non-Disparagement Rules
Dashboards centered on KPIs to help trade contractors protect profits
eSUB Construction Software announced the release of its new Project Summary Dashboards, providing information about a project’s
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This article is from our friends at SESCO Management Services, one of the many stellar ASAdvantage members available to ASA Members. To learn more about all of the benefits that come with your ASA Membership, please click here.
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Employee social media expression can damage an organization’s brand and violate its social media and nondisparagement rules. Discipline for social media expression can run afoul of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently clarified the types of employee social media activity employers may regulate, giving employers more latitude to discipline employees for social media conduct that violates employer rules and threatens the employer’s reputation. In short, employers still need to carefully review social media policies to make sure they protect the company’s reputation with customers and/or the general public without impermissibly limiting employees’ rights to discuss working conditions among themselves.
Click here to read the full article from SESCO Management Consultants.
Performance and Payment Bond Forms from ConsensusDocs Coalition
ConsensusDocs is a proud member of the ASAdvantage program, ASA's stellar member benefit program. To learn more about all of the ASAdvantage deals available to ASA members, click here. Check out the Contractor’s Compass issue about ConsensusDocs from December 2019 here. The ConsensusDocs Coalition recently published eight newly revised performance and payment bond forms. These comprehensive revisions further ensure that ConsensusDocs has the most up-to-date and best practice performance and payment bonds in the industry.
Significantly, the ConsensusDocs 706 Subcontractor Performance Bond now provides a self-help provision, which is not included in other standard bond forms. Also included are more definitive time requirements regarding the Surety’s time period to investigate and respond in a timely fashion. In addition, the performance bonds now require a definitive declaration of default or non-default upon its investigation. The payment bonds now address a threshold for which a surety consent is required when contract orders increase the contract amount. ConsensusDocs is the only bond form that includes four different versions of design-build performance and payment bonds that address issues of potential surety design liability.
ASA Attorneys' Council Virtual Happy Hour Thursday, October 15th 6:00 pm CDT ASA Attorneys' Council Annual Fall Meeting Friday, October 16th 1:00 - 4:00 pm CDT
ASA Virtual Attorneys' Council Meeting ASA would like to invite you to participate in our 2020 American Subcontractors Association Fall Virtual Attorneys' Council meeting. After surveying our members on the best timing for this meeting, the majority leaned toward an afternoon session on Friday, October 16th. Our meeting planned for San Antonio has been moved to Fall 2021. In addition, we would like to invite you to join us for a VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR prior to the meeting on the evening of Thursday, October 15th with friends and attorneys from across the country. It's a poor substitute for our lively dinners, but we are making the best of it in these difficult times. We hope you can join us for both! As always, we look forward to an informative, insightful and entertaining dialogue with a group of legal experts in the construction contracting industry. Please feel free to pass along any topics you would like to see discussed during this year's meeting. Contact Shannon at soscar@asa-hq.com with any questions. REGISTER NOW TO PARTICIPATE!
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F E AT U R E Developing the Next Generations of Plumbers in the Grand Canyon State by Mike Brewer, Brewer Companies In 1978, I began working in the construction trades, and after ten years, purchased the business. More than four decades later, I am the Founder and CEO of Arizona's largest plumbing company, Brewer Companies, working alongside a leadership team of friends I have known for more than thirty years while leading an organization of more than 350 team
that the number one challenge facing our company was building and maintaining the labor force necessary to support our current operations, and growing our businesses by identifying qualified tradespeople capable of producing the quality labor required to fulfill our needs. Unfortunately, with a fixed number of trained plumbers in Arizona, one company's
and elevate the concept of construction trade workforce development throughout Arizona. That meant a new emphasis on public relations and substantive relationship development beyond our traditional trade partners and industry leaders. I began engaging with state legislative leadership and helping them understand our industry needs and the
members, including four of my sons. Today, our Brewer family of companies consists of Brewer Enterprises – residential new construction, building over 7,000 houses in 2020, Brewer Commercial Services – providing new build and services to the commercial marketplace, and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing – 'on-time' residential service and repair to homeowners. As our organization grew, we discovered
gain in headcount meant another company's loss. That meant that recruiting had become a zero-sum game without expanding the talent pool for individual employers and our industry as a whole. With an emphasis on positioning my business for the next generation of our family and maintaining the high level of quality and service that Brewer customers have come to know, my team and I began developing a plan to increase relevancy
negative impact that the construction trade shortage was having on both homebuilding and commercial contracting from a bottleneck perspective. One of our greatest long-term wins was connecting with the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Arizona's largest Chamber, and developing an industry-led, multi-year marketing campaign to promote the construction trades. This partnership culminated with the launch of Build Your
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Future Arizona (www.BYFAZ.org), an industry-funded and led, multi-milliondollar marketing campaign to educate and attract young people to the trades. As the founder and President of the Brewer organization, I was focused on external relationships and strategic partnerships with industry colleagues and C-suite leadership from national homebuilding organizations. I tasked my leadership team with developing a plan to train technicians in a completely new way and develop our own "Brewer" pipeline for the future. From this challenge, our company funded a first-of-its-kind program that we named the Brewer Craftsman Academy. Graduates of our academy receive a fast-track education training program, earn $40,000-$50,000 upon graduation, and by year three are positioned to earn between $70,000$100,000 annually—without a nickel of debt. Our company's most productive plumber made more than $120,000 last year, yet throughout the community, many young people don't know a career in the construction trades even exists—hence, the importance of developing both internal and external programs to create awareness, drive relevancy and build a whole new generation of young people interested in pursuing careers in the trades. At Brewer Companies, we have knocked the socks off of traditional post-high school education with a program that allows team members to get paid to learn and positioned to earn, instead of just racking up mountains of debt today for a potential job in the future. The Brewer Craftsman Academy course runs 24 weeks and has trained over 140 men and women since its inception. In August, we kicked off our fifth cohort —with a class half the size of normal because of COVID spacing requirements in classrooms. While initially, we had to work especially hard to generate enough interest to fill our first class of students, today, each new class has seen more than 100 applicants who are committed to securing a seat in this one of a kind program. Retention rates for students have increased as our Brewer leadership team has finetuned recruitment, selection, and program requirements - our latest class achieving a retention rate of over 74%. We've dubbed our Brewer Craftsman Academy a 'fast-track' course, because unlike the traditional four-year apprenticeship program, our cadets
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spend 40 hours a week learning inside the classroom, as well as training with hands-on instruction, working on real projects, in the field as a group. It's not the traditional "nights and weekends after a hard day in the field" training program, but rather a student-focused, skill-set developing program designed to ensure that trainees are prepared to hit-theground running. We make the investment to have their complete attention because, by training in this new method, we can get them up to speed in a relatively short time frame. The Brewer Craftsman Academy model is very attractive to the thinking of young people today who are focused on outcomes. We allow them to graduate with a career in hand instead of just thousands of dollars in debt or the uncertainty that the traditional four-year training program provides. Upon graduation, our plumbing apprentices work on Brewer Enterprises' residential job sites in two-person teams with a mentor coach to make sure they are successful. Despite their training being paid for entirely by the company, graduating academy class members don't have to work for a Brewer division. We'd like them to stay and grow with us and build our future workforce, inside our culture, but that is their choice. We believe that our company is a better fit for the next generation of plumbers than union apprenticeship programs or for-profit colleges because we have shown that substantially more time is spent in classes during our 24-week academy, and 18 weeks of mentorship than an apprentice will get in years of taking night classes in a union shop or graduating from a for-profit training program. In addition to funding the program internally, as the founder and CEO of Brewer Companies, I invest a significant amount of time mentoring and guiding our Academy students in the first week of classes by sharing my personal story about starting out as a plumber in the field. My own work experience as a teenager, scooping horse manure, and throwing newspapers on a delivery route before becoming an apprentice plumber, helped set the tone for the entire Brewer Craftsman Academy program and I believe, help serve as inspiration for the young men and women who are about to embark on their new career adventure. In the last week of classes, I have the opportunity to return for a general
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discussion with the trainees, and give them practical tips about how to succeed in the trades. With topics ranging from cell phone use and to leave it in the truck, to managing their earnings, these young people are about to earn 'real' money, while the majority do not have a background in managing finances. As their employer and as new members of the Brewer family, we have a responsibility to position them for success. Our Brewer Craftsman Academy has been so successful with the new residential programs, that our company is now designing a new curriculum to train service technicians for our Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise business. The challenges faced in the service and repair technician side are just as daunting, if not more so than the new build. The retail side of our business requires an entirely different personality, and the special skill set of communicating with customers when they invite us into their home for service. Developing the workforce of the future is not going to be easy, but with innovative thinking and creative approaches to attracting young talent into the trades with accessible programs that allow new entrants to learn, grow, and secure employment immediately, we are confident that our investments will continue to generate a high return. That's why at Brewer Companies, we are committed to continuing to invest in the future of our industry by developing and funding training programs while cultivating a willing audience for the future. About the Author To learn more, or connect on developing your company’s program, feel free to reach out to mike.brewer@brewercompanies. com. Mike Brewer is the founder and CEO of the Brewer Companies, Arizona's largest plumbing company. He currently serves as President of the American Subcontractors Association of Arizona, chairs the steering committee for Build Your Future Arizona, and has collaborated with Maricopa Community College System in developing a new three-pronged construction trades training program for Carpentry, Electrical, and Plumbing. Brewer is also a tenured member of the Entrepreneurs Organization – Arizona Chapter.
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F E AT U R E From the ‘New Normal’ to the Future: Embracing Change, Technology, and Opportunity to Recruit, Train, and Retain the Next Generation by Mark Drury, Shapiro & Duncan
The world was abruptly upended at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we continue to shift and adapt to its repercussions. These times have brought a number of challenges, but also a wealth of opportunities, particularly for the next generation of the construction industry.
Amid Widespread ShiftsConstruction is an Essential Industry While the majority of elements of daily life and work have been upended in recent months, the construction industry for the most part has forged ahead, and even reported growth, while business across several industries was halted and some may be permanently shuttered. If anything, construction workers have emerged as a front-line group during this time, for the responsibility they have to build, operate, and retain building infrastructures and systems. Overall, it is important to note that while massive
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unemployment has taken root across the country, construction work has continued. Our industry should be envisioned as a hub for talent displaced from other industries, giving rise to new approaches in recruitment, training, and maintenance of the next generation.
Major Pivot and the Changing Face of Talent Recruitment In the COVID-19 era, the construction industry saw a widespread pivot to zero-in on a new form of safety as a key focal point. Ranging from daily temperature checks to enter the job site, to mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing, these activities became a part of everyday life, which for our industry was a dramatic shift from the normal jobsite conduct. As protocols pivoted, so has the opportunity to develop new talent for our workforce and the shifting recruitment approaches these changing demographics require. More talent has
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been made available as industries such as hospitality, travel, and aviation have continued to conduct staff downsizes and layoffs. As workers seek their next career move, construction will continue to emerge as a positive, forward-looking industry brimming with opportunity. The expansion and development of new online certifications and remote training programs are crucial as these displaced individuals seek to join the construction industry. Leading trades, such as carpentry, and the licensed trades, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, will continue to be highest in demand among new recruits. Now more than ever, it is critical to establish a proactive, impactful recruitment process, consisting of:
• A solid on-boarding process. You’ve made an investment in finding, interviewing, offering employment, and bringing that hire in the door. To ensure you – and they – reach the full potential, you need an extensive
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structure to expose them to the full spectrum of your business, show them where they fit in, and ensure they feel engaged from the start.
augmented reality as well as video conferencing platforms. Additional elements of the shifts in training approaches include:
• A formalized mentorship program.
• Reduced barriers to changing
Once these new hires are on-board, how do you keep them there? One way is through a mentorship program, which works best when grown organically from natural mentors and mentees connecting in the field, but having a more formal system in place will ensure greater success. This also helps to strengthen retention. Overall, employees will stay longer where they feel connection and have the resources to support them on their journey.
• Career path mapping. Another way
to recruit and retain new hires is to help them envision and chart their future career path. From noting the path to the top as well as the various pathways available, this approach helps hires keep their eye on the prize, with benchmarks to guide them as they rise. What will continue to be most important for construction organizations to understand is that from a recruitment perspective going forward, the incoming flood of talent will be primarily entrylevel. As such, these hires will require additional involvement and support from the get-go. It’s critical for us to embrace the unique opportunity we have to train young and entry-level talent, show our commitment to their professional development, and grow resources who accomplish more.
The Rise of Reskilling, Upskilling, and Adapting Training Methods While the pool of talent has changed, so too have the methods used to train and mentor these employees as they enter and grow in their careers. Several education and apprenticeship programs are now being conducted virtually, and there has been significant progress made in the development of digital learning tools using virtual and
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careers and achieving new certifications. Remote technology and workforce retraining tools will streamline the process to receive industry certifications, such as OSHA, to enter new trade careers.
• Increased focus on key growth
areas, such as modular construction, where social distancing, cleanliness, and material handling can be more tightly controlled.
• Additional boot camp and short-
term training opportunities to scale entry-level hires up faster.
• A break from the norm of a typical
apprentice model. Now, instead of a focus on time and hours in the field, the emerging model is rooted in performance and prioritizing skills and achievements without being restricted by time. Federal funds from the Workforce Investment Act have been allocated to this effort and this approach is expected to continue.
Embracing Change and New Measures to Retain Talent As our industry grapples with these large-scale shifts affecting our talent pool and subsequent recruitment and training efforts, retaining these hires becomes the next key concern. To ensure employees feel engaged, appreciated, and supported, typically requires a combination of mechanisms at the organizational level. Mentorship programs play a large role in employee engagement and usage of resources available to help them grow professionally as well as personally. Helping new or existing hires to keep their finger on the pulse of the construction industry as a whole – and their position within it – is key to fueling their engagement. This approach drives ambition and hunger to learn more and grow through additional educational
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opportunities and/or training courses. Additionally, the ongoing pandemic has forced people and organizations to place new public health safety measures at the forefront of all initiatives. Safety, and the commitment as an organization to care about staff health and well-being has always proven to drive retention and maintenance efforts.
The ‘New Normal’ Is the ‘New Future’ The truth is, there is no going back to “normal.” The changes, both positive and negative, brought about by this pandemic have encouraged us to focus on the future, continue to embrace technology, and think creatively about the future and the continued possibilities for growth. We have continued to keep our employees working when many other industries have had to conduct massive layoffs. This is a factor we are proud of and will use it to encourage new talent to enter the fold. We all recognize the personal reward that comes with being part of the creation of structures and infrastructures. No matter how you contribute, the pride in the work we do lasts a lifetime. This is a leading element driving the future of recruitment, training, and maintenance of the next generation in construction.
About the Author Mark Drury is the vice president of business development at Shapiro & Duncan. He brings more than 40 years of experience in construction management, and oversees the company’s corporate development, contracts negotiation/ management, and production of marketing and sales materials. Mark is a past Chairman of the Board of ABC Metro, is a LEED AP and Designated Design Build Professional. He completed his undergraduate studies in History at Shepherd University and graduate coursework at Princeton and Clemson Universities. For more information about Shapiro & Duncan, please visit www. shapiroandduncan.com.
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F E AT U R E Engagement "Nitty Gritty" … or "Essence" by Mary Klett, ASA Communications Team A recent study by Dale Carnegie found that at no matter what level, the single most important—and often underutilized— resource for employee engagement is an employee’s supervisor. My first job out of college was in a company of two people. So yes, there was a lot of engagement between the two of us. (I would joke with people that I was a VP right out of college.) But because we were so small, she knew we needed to mesh personality-wise as well as work-wise. It’s common sense. Who will the new guy lean on for information, direction, instruction? His manager. What managers say, and how they say it, profoundly affects employees’ attitudes about their jobs, their company, and even themselves. Yet managers are rarely given additional time for developing relationships with an employee, thinking that it will come naturally. Still, in a manager’s hectic daily schedule, these relationships are what get short-changed. Almost every company out there is touting how employees are their #1 priority. Yet most have not created an environment that encourages their leaders to engage with employees. The Dale Carnegie study showed that leaders who make the commitment to engage their employees personally benefit from having an engaged team:
• Remove obstacles and provide resources.
Support the agreed upon career goals, help eliminate barriers, and enable them to succeed.
• Hold accountable to high performance.
Communicate high expectations and measure and reward efforts that go above and beyond expectations.
• Show that you care. Become genuinely
interested in employees as people and place value on their health and well-being. Career goals will be different for each individual. Conduct informal talks that let 86% agree that their job is easier when their managers know their employees better - as direct reports are fully-engaged. individuals. Together with good listening skills, here are 75% agree that their job is less stressful when their direct reports are fully-engaged. some questions that can help leaders begin a meaningful engagement conversation: According to Dale Carnegie research, 1. What are the things you feel you do well? there are six practices proven essential for 2. What are you passionate about, personally relationship centered leadership. and professionally? • Provide growth and development opportunities. Align goals with that of your 3. What current challenges might be organization or department and provide impacting your performance? active support and encouragement. 4. What recent accomplishments make you • Mentor and coach. Model positive and most proud? appropriate behavior and be available for timely coaching and advice. 5. What opportunities do you see for bringing about greater satisfaction in your job? • Help employees build networks. Make introductions, create opportunities for 6. What motivates you and how do you like to visibility, empower them to partner be rewarded? with others, and seize opportunities for connections. 93% of surveyed leaders agree that employees who are fully-engaged produce better results than those who aren’t.
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And speaking of rewards. Everyone likes genuine praise. If they did something right - let them know. One teacher encouraged a poorly performing student by praising the few right answers, rather than focusing on the number of wrong answers. It changed their whole perspective. Leadership has to focus on encouraging and supporting engagement at all levels to grow their business, their leaders and their employees. And yes, I grew a lot in my first two years working for the President of the company, and there are definite perks of working in a small business. But no matter what size of a company, it really IS about the people - and how they engage with each other and with the customers. Read the full report, “Managers Matter: A Relationship-Centered Approach to Engagement.”
Marcey Walsh and Robert Graves of Dale Carnegie, will be presenting about “Leading Across Generations” at SUBExcel 2021 in February. They’ll be speaking about leadership and how to lead and communicate in a multigenerational work environment.
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F E AT U R E How to Inspire and Foster the Future Generation of Construction Workers by Patrick Hogan, Handle.com
Labor shortage remains a top problem in the construction sector. In a recent survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), around 81% of respondents said that they were having difficulties filling salaried and hourly positions, while 43% agreed that recruitment challenges will persist in the next 12 months. As contractors and subcontractors struggle to attract young skilled workers, the construction job market is expected to keep expanding. More opportunities for new construction are expected to open up, so construction companies must step up their game in recruiting new employees and honing them to become competent industry leaders. Below are five tips that can help you not only to find and train the next generation of construction professionals but also to inspire them to stay in your employ.
technology, and construction businesses have to adapt to this reality. You should definitely use technology to your advantage: not only will you attract techsavvy workers, but you can also improve the efficiency of your work processes. If you haven’t yet, you should consider integrating technologically advanced devices into your business. Being able to operate electronically controlled machines can be very attractive to young employees, especially if they know that these devices are not just fancy appliances but are also effective construction work tools. Using advanced construction management software is also a good way to improve efficiency at work. Teaching new employees how to work their way around a computer is no longer an issue, and the use of laptops and other mobile devices to increase work efficiency should be encouraged.
1. Actively search for interested and skilled workers Posting job opportunities on online job boards will no longer cut it in this day and age. If you want to meet future employees, you have to proactively search for them and inspire them to kickstart a career in construction. One way to do so is to conduct open houses on a job site so visitors can get to see what goes on at a construction project. Utilizing social media is also a good idea to promote your business and inform the youth that working in construction can be a lucrative and fulfilling career. Furthermore, you can consider fostering relationships with local high schools and community colleges—opening your business up for apprenticeship opportunities is an effective way to attract interested students who are just about to explore their post-secondary career options.
3. Provide hands-on training Construction work is fast-paced, and you should use it to your advantage. Providing hands-on training over theoretical textbook instruction to your new employees is definitely a good way to keep them interested. Getting their hands dirty does not only train young employees directly, but it also gets them involved and helps them feel productive. However, meaningful mentorship should still be in place for your young workers. Hands-on training should come with explanations of why things are done a certain way, and the floor should always be open for discussion on how certain practices can be improved.
2. Adopt technology and promote innovation The younger generations are raised on
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4. Engage them in decision-making There are many leadership styles that work, but young professionals prefer to have their voices heard instead of being told to just follow the rules. Consider implementing an open-door policy on your work site and make sure that all the rules on expressing work-related issues are communicated to your employees.
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All construction professionals should know when and how to report their concerns, especially as regards health and safety issues. It's also a good idea to hold regular work meetings in which workers are encouraged to participate and share their thoughts and recommendations. By fostering a culture that encourages people to speak, young workers are highly likely to stay and feel valued. 5. Highlight company values and always plan ahead Employee retention is not just about giving your workers the highest compensation or the best benefits, it also has to do with your company’s mission and vision. Workers are more likely to keep working for a company that is stable and cares for their employees’ future. Your company should, therefore, have a clear vision. You have to make your workers feel that they are being taken care of— no employee, young or old, would want to keep working for a business that makes them feel disposable. This is also why planning ahead is very important. You must consistently assess your finances and make sure that your vision will be realized regardless of potential economic downturns or cash flow troubles. Running a strong, steady business will definitely help you retain your employees. About the Author: Patrick Hogan is the CEO of Handle.com, where they build software that helps contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers with late payments. Handle. com also provides funding for construction businesses in the form of invoice factoring, material supply trade credit, and mechanics lien purchasing.
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F E AT U R E Early Loyalty—Jump Starting Success in the First 90 Days by Mindy Curtiss, SHRM-SCP, Kent Companies, Inc. Think back to your first day on the job. You felt anxious, stressed, excited and scared. These feelings are typical and fully expected for nearly anyone encountering a change, which is why most companies provide an orientation for new hires. Orientation typically lasts for a day, and it involves a magnitude of paperwork and policy lectures. When compared to the interview experience, which can take weeks or months, orientation tends to fall short. There is no real connection made with the new employee. The best companies offer an orientation “experience” - and realize that this experience will create a lasting effect on employees, driving them to high levels of engagement from day one.
The hidden costs of turnover Companies continue to underestimate the cost of employee turnover. Consider the following when calculating the costs:
• Time spent filling the position • Lost productivity from that employee once notice is given
• Time spent by other employees
completing the work once the position is vacant
• Advertising, interviewing and selecting a new candidate
• Training and orientation costs for the
new employee By creating an orientation experience that starts before you present an offer for employment, you develop the employeremployee relationship more quickly. Starting off on the right foot reaps rewards that continue beyond the onboarding experience. Collaboration between Human Resources, Safety and Training leaders is the key to program success.
Starting off right The employee experience begins the first time you contact a potential member of your team. Interviews, whether by phone, in person or virtual, all provide the first touchpoint with the onboarding experience. This is the perfect opportunity
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to begin cultivating the employeremployee relationship. Positive results come from transparent and highly-detailed communication. Talk about the role this person would fill. Talk about their past experiences that will benefit your company. And most of all, talk about how your company can provide a rewarding career with opportunities for growth. Once you’re ready to make an offer, consider what need-to-know topics should be covered before they arrive that first day. Specific details about how your organization works can mean the world to a nervous first-day employee. Small details - like the best place to park – go a long way to relieve day-one stress. The time spent waiting to start a new job can feel like an eternity. Follow up with your new hire before they start and include them in the communication channels prior to their first day (texting apps and emails work great).
you must continue conversations with new hires throughout their first 90 days. After the orientation process, Human Resources can set up monthly check-ins with the new hires. Touchpoints should include Human Resources, Safety and Training/Development. This reinforces the commitment the company has to the success of each new hire, and gives them the opportunity to share feedback regarding their first days with your company. Develop a consistent set of questions to ask new hires. This can reveal successful trends and opportunities to improve onboarding deep within your organization. Each support division representative will also be able to uncover areas where the employee may need more attention, and they can provide recommendations to the hiring manager on how to bridge the gap.
Day one
The onboarding process is designed to increase employee satisfaction and decrease employee turnover. Both of these factors speak volumes to management, and it’s imperative that hiring managers receive a follow up from their support staff so satisfaction regarding the new hire and the process can be discussed. Retaining top talent is essential now more than ever. New employees expect an experience, and they want to feel needed and important to your organization. Seasoned staff want a new hire who can assist with the workload. Managers want full engagement and increased production. All of this can be accomplished by creating alignment within the organization from day one.
Collaboration between your support staff is key to the success of any onboarding program. These teams provide resources to help your employee get up to speed more quickly. Support staff divisions like Human Resources, Safety and Training/ Development should all be involved with an employee on day one. Important topics to include in these conversations include:
• Human Resources provides a deep
dive into company mission and culture, eligible benefits and compliance related issues.
• Safety provides guidance and
direction to promote the importance of maintaining a safe work environment.
• Training/Development provides basic
training to preparedness for the field, and assigns mentors for continued support and direction as they progress.
And beyond Onboarding doesn’t stop once orientation is complete. For a true onboarding program to be successful,
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Ninety days have passed… what’s next?
About the Author Mindy Curtiss, SHRM-SCP, as human resources director, supports company initiatives by promoting and implementing Human Resources strategies for Kent Companies, Inc. Kent Companies is currently ranked as the 9th largest concrete contractor nationwide.
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Good News Travels … to Georgia and South Carolina Started as an initiative of the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce, Be Pro Be Proud is attracting and providing young adults a taste of a wide variety of professions that don’t require you to sit behind a desk. Want to be a CAD/CAM drafter? Check out Be Pro Be Proud. Welder? Check it out. Traveling around the country, focusing on students from 7th - 12th grades, this pop-out trailer is its own advertisement, attracting crowds eager to “test drive” interesting occupations. The really exciting news is that now there are two more states that have added Be Pro Be Proud trailers to their teams. Both Georgia and South Carolina have their own trailers specifically “geared” to their states’ skilled professional needs, making the rounds to local communities and attracting future trained professionals. For our previous articles on this venture, check out the history of this initiative here and here. For more information on the Be Pro Be Proud program, please contact Trey Lambreth at tlamberth@arkansasstatechamber.com, or call 501-372-2222, and visit beprobeproud.org.
F E AT U R E Adopting Technology to Appeal to the Next Generation of Construction by Alissa Rogers, Raken
When young people think of construction, they typically don’t think of a tech-savvy industry that’s full of digital tools and processes. As a more than 7,000 year-old industry, construction is notoriously known as being slow to adapt and try out new technologies. Until very recently paper and pen was historically used as the tried-and-true method for nearly every workflow—from daily reporting to time cards and beyond. However, when faced with a global pandemic, companies were forced to quickly find new ways to innovate and go virtual to accommodate for fewer physical touchpoints and increased distancing requirements. While this has been somewhat of a challenge overall, the companies that have been able to successfully pivot and adapt to more technology, conveniently find themselves with an additional new advantage— appealing to the next generation of employees.
Staying ahead of the curve to entice new workers It’s no secret we’re in the digital age. And with so many options for young graduates and people looking to enter the workforce, construction is now directly competing with tech offices offering perks like cold brew on tap and nap pods. In order to successfully maintain a strong pool of candidates, companies need to start looking at how well their company embraces technology to appeal to this younger incoming class. It’s rare to find someone from the new generation who isn’t tied to a digital device in one way or another, so integrating tech within a company’s processes is crucial to making sure they don’t miss out on quality candidates. This doesn’t mean a company has to rush and buy all the tools they can find to look like they’re technologically
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advanced—but they should start considering and planning which processes could use a lift into the 21st century.
Moving away from manual processes Especially with the ongoing global pandemic, pen and paper will no longer cut it as a company’s main source of communication and documentation. Aside from the fact that it’s time-consuming and tedious to manually fill out paperwork then transcribe it onto a computer later, it also increases a company’s risk of losing or missing crucial project information. By finding the tools that eliminate double entry and save workers time, they’ll have more flexibility to focus on the parts of the job that matter most. Technology can help remove the friction and monotonous tasks that sometimes plague the workplace, leaving a company with better organized data and reports with less effort.
Building a construction tech stack Many companies fall into the trap of thinking an all-in-one solution will solve all their problems by purchasing just one tool at one price. While these solutions will certainly help bring most workflows into the present-day, companies run the risk of implementing something that’s average at everything, and master of none. Plus, a complex tool that’s difficult to use because it’s so robust might end up getting ditched for whatever was easier and seen as the path of least resistance by the end user. If a tool doesn’t gain traction or high user adoption, the investment is essentially useless for the business. By taking a page from the tech industry, a company can increase their enduser adoption by supplementing all-inone tools with multiple best-in-breed solutions that integrate seamlessly. This results in a more efficient stack of technology that offers the best of both T H E
worlds—easy-to-use features that talk to each other and streamline operations across nearly every workflow.
Offering digital trainings The final piece to making sure a company is technologically ready for the next generation of employees is looking at moving apprenticeship classes online. With the continued limitations to in-person offerings, this adaption is crucial to filling the funnel of apprentices and potential future employees. Raken’s Construction Support Manager, Brian Poage, who previously worked as a Superintendent at Turner Construction and a Construction Project Manager at WeWork, saw many contractors quickly pivot to online classes within a week of COVID-19 shutdowns. “When you need to survive, you start changing the way you operate,” said Poage, “In the real world, if you don’t have a kick and a push like the COVID pandemic, the urgency isn’t there. Construction is capable of leveraging technology, but we just need a jump start—and I think COVID has been a really great jump start.” At the end of the day, technology isn’t going anywhere. The faster companies can adopt digital tools and integrate them from every angle, the faster they’ll start to see more efficiency and returns on investment as new, younger workers begin to explore their options. About the Author Alissa Rogers is the marketing content manager at Raken, the cloud-based software that was built to connect the field to the office. Raken helps boost productivity and safety by streamlining workflow processes such as daily reporting, time tracking, and safety management.To learn more about how Raken helps construction companies improve their field workflows and streamline communication to the office, start a 15-day free trial today.
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L E G A L LY S P E A K I N G Legal Considerations for the Next Generation of Construction Professionals by Mark A. Cobb, Cobb Law Group As a construction law firm we are accustomed to preventing clients’ problems through developing good contracts and implementing better business practices. We are also accustomed to helping solve immediate, critical problems such as payment issues and pending lawsuit claims. But, when it comes down to a better way to prevent problems in the future, how wonderful it would be to work with the newest generation of construction professionals to bring about a significant change in the future of construction. Imagine a world where there is greater professionalism, fairness, and a desire to work together, thereby creating more efficient projects, increased profitability, and happier employees. And it could happen.
What Young Construction Professionals Can Do to Build Better Construction Contracts Everyone understands that good, fair contracts improve the likelihood of a project’s success; thus, it is important that the drafter and the client work together to build something “good.” When we sit down with clients to draft their construction contracts, we want to know what that particular client has learned from their boots-on-the-ground experience. We want to know when contracts have been used as leverage against them; we want to know when problems have arisen that were not addressed in the contracts; and we want to know other situations which they have encountered. Who is better to be on the front lines of these experiences than the next generation of project managers and young executives? Thus, we would encourage each person to keep a journal or log of the
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issues which they (or their colleagues) experience. There’s now a record of situations that arise which might be preventable. The list could include their experience among different employers, different types of projects, and even their colleagues' experiences. Then, when the next generation become the decision makers, they have a wealth of experience at their fingertips, and they can more easily recall how a contract helped or hindered their performance. Similarly, each one should journal the successful problem-solving techniques which he or she witnesses on each jobsite by others as well. (Yes, people can learn from the mistakes of others!) Thus, they will begin to develop a sense of practical, problem solving skills for their own tool box as well as to build into their contracts. For example, we recently wrote a contract for an addition to a church. Based upon the project manager’s real-life experience, we added contract language in the Subcontract agreement related to the use of profanity on the job-site, in addition to other provisions which might be especially important for a religious institution which maintains a day-school and counseling programs.
Don’t Underestimate the Next Generation’s Experience While we are discussing contracts, it is important to point out that some younger professionals bring a significant, current understanding to projects and contracting. In building a solid construction contract, the younger generation tends to be more adept at anticipating issues related to changes within the industry. The use of current software, the availability of tablets and iPads, and the use of drones has built new areas that need to be addressed in the business world, and offer new
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opportunities for earlier (and easier) problem-solving on a jobsite. This is a great opportunity to involve all levels of management in construction contract drafting.
Everyone Should be Mindful of Methods of Communication Often construction contracts require specific types of communications and a schedule for meeting milestones or deadlines. In the real world, however, all forms and methods of communication are used almost interchangeably. Each and every method of communication is useful for one reason or another. However, when a client is involved in litigation, there is nothing more useful to their case than the written word. Even more specifically, our construction litigators constantly wish that all directives, all serious issues, all notices were in letter form on the company’s letterhead. Yes, texting is useful; yes, emailing is useful. However, when it takes a combination of a long text string and, maybe too, an email string (or two!) to show that a change order was authorized, it is difficult and time-consuming for the attorney to convey this to the fact-finder. However, if there is a signed change order, then, viola, fast and easy. Similarly, when there is a delay and notice is required, texts and most emails are written less formally and with less punctuation and correct grammar. Thus, ripe is the opportunity for confusion or misunderstanding. When a more formal letter is required, most people put more conscious thought into their words and their goals for accomplishing a task. The earlier that a construction professional learns to use letters to document their projects, the easier time they will have "winning" their case. S E P T E M B E R
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Now Is a Great Time to Build Strong Relationships Recently, there was a meme making the rounds on social media which stated, “Your network is your net worth.” Networking is an important aspect of every industry, but an argument could be made that building relationships is absolutely vital to a successful construction career. Everyone you meet brings value to the table, and once a relationship is tarnished, it will never again be as strong. From the moment that a young construction professional begins the application process with a prospective employer, a relationship begins to form. The hallmarks of first impressions do, indeed, last a lifetime, so never look sloppy, speak ridiculously, or act entitled. As young professionals make their way in a career path, it is advisable that they understand–and exercise– traits which reflect their absolute best. These traits include honesty, taking responsibility, knowing personal
limitations (and asking for assistance), respecting others, and, generally, being pleasant. Most everyone has stories as to how past relationships helped (or hurt) them in the future. Permanently and unwaveringly adopting these principles will build strong relationships; furthermore, holding dear to these values will, simply, help avoid problems in the first place. A spin on this concept includes the relationships built between owner, developer, design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. Often suppliers are able to use a credit score as an indicator of a customer’s ability to perform (based upon their past performance). Other tiers in the construction line-up do not have it so easy. Thus, the relationships that are built may be the sole source of predicting future performance. Time and time again, our firm has seen successful projects where the prime contractor and subcontractor have decades of working together in a mutually beneficial relationship. In other words, the Golden
Keynote Address: WOULDN'T SOME FLAWLESS EXECUTION BE AMAZING? Flawless Execution enables individuals to connect strategy to execution, reduce task saturation and stay focused on key strategic initiatives in order to reach and exceed your goals. Afterburner has partnered with 80% of the Fortune 100 Companies in order to inspire and accelerate individual, team and organizational performance. Our keynote speaker, Charles "Chaz" Campbell is the most senior member of the Afterburner Team. He'll be explaining the Air Force experiences and leadership lessons..their Flawless Execution...with us!
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Rule works admirably in the field of construction: Treat others as you wish to be treated.
Conclusion: It is an exciting time to be engaged in construction. Furthermore, since the Great Recession there has been a wonderful influx of new talent, technological innovation, and specialty construction techniques which adds even more excitement. Young talent, now more than ever should seek to combine the best of traditional construction with the best of modern, innovative business.
About The Author A leader in Georgia construction law for over 25 years, the Cobb Law Group brings expertise, experience and knowledge to your team. Focusing on project development, construction contracting, construction litigation, and payment issues including materialmen's liens and payment bond claims, our firm understands your goals and needs. For more information, email: mark@ cobblawgroup.net or visit https://cobblawgroup.net
Afterburner Breakout: RAPID PLANNING WORKSHOP Leveraging the six steps to Mission Planning used by elite fighter pilots, participants will create a 30/60/90-day Mission Objective. With Afterburner facilitators working side by side with participants, each individual will gain valuable knowledge on how to create a clear, measurable and achievable Mission Objective, while identifying threats and resources, and reducing risk of pop-up threats.
Check out the full schedule here.
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F E AT U R E Educating the Next Generation of Construction Professionals In today’s age of digital transformation, skills that formerly differentiated job candidates are now baseline requirements to kickstart a career. The construction industry is no exception. That’s why educational institutions are working to get technology in the hands of the next generation and introducing students to a diverse and highly valued set of experiences. To help bridge the gap from the classroom to the jobsite, Procore and Bluebeam have committed to an investment in academia, providing access to their respective technology and training resources to equip universities across the country with the tools they need to educate and inspire the future workforce. The two companies recently joined forces to launch the Construction Educator Podcast. The series highlights the stories, initiatives and research that industry educators from around the country bring to the forefront of learning environments and the future of the industry. Here are the key takeaways from the series.
Industry Experience Fuels Teaching Careers When asked what inspires industry professionals to teach, a number of educators reflected on their experience working in construction prior to starting a career in education. The decision to teach was often made after realizing that one of the best parts of their jobs was educating and training others on the jobsite. A deep appreciation for building and construction was also recognized as a source of inspiration for those who remembered entering the field at a young age. One professor spoke of his experience working as a carpenter when he was a teenager living in Chicago, IL. Although the work was challenging at
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times, he said he would always marvel at the fact that he had built something that did not exist before. The magnitude of that accomplishment stayed with him throughout his work on projects spanning the globe and in the classroom. “With each one of these projects, I get the same sense of magic that I built that; I contributed to that,” said Greg Starzyk, Construction Law expert and Professor in the Department of Construction Management at California Polytechnic State University (“Cal Poly”). Professor Starzyk and others explained how they apply the same enthusiasm that they had on the jobsite in the classroom. A passion for educating the future workforce continues to drive their careers and also acts as a recruiting tool to build interest in construction as a career.
Diverse Learning Techniques Drive Innovation and Creativity Students are eager to learn and equip themselves with the tools needed to succeed in the industry. With that in mind, educational institutions are finding creative ways to introduce learning objectives with access to training, tools, and instruction resources designed to get students up to speed on the latest technology. Dr. Patrick Suermann of Texas A&M University shared more about his efforts to introduce students to virtual learning environments through building information modeling (BIM) software. The University’s Department of Construction Science exposes students to a Computer Assisted Virtual Environment, also known as BIM CAVE, where students can explore 3D models and learn how to build in a diverse set of environments. Through an initiative called the Texas A&M Space Alliance, students also have the unique opportunity to build virtual models on
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the moon, creating structures that can withstand radiation. Because there is no substitute for industry experience, a number of professors emphasized the power of providing their students with hands-on learning opportunities. For Auburn University, this means running some classes in a virtual reality environment, where students receive training and instruction as they visit the jobsite virtually. Brad Hyatt, Department Chair of Construction Management at Fresno State University went on to describe a tiny home competition that his students participated in to implement their learnings out in the field. “I like these projects because they’re real. We can’t simulate the stress of actually needing to get something done by a deadline, especially when you have to deliver the project to someone,” explained Hyatt.
The Value of Strong Communication Skills Construction technology education can enhance students’ digital literacy and can contribute to their future post graduation. But it takes more than access to technology to prepare the next generation for success. If one thing stood out as a recurring theme throughout the podcast, it was the need for students to develop strong communication and interpersonal skills. Dr. David Gunderson and his research team of Washington State University surveyed hundreds of superintendents in the U.S. and found that these soft skills were crucial to success in the field. Professors, therefore, have created opportunities for students to collaborate more and build relationships with their classmates, in addition to mentors from the industry. It was reported that much of what drives the success of a project team is the individual’s ability to
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successfully navigate and respond to the many perspectives and personalities on the jobsite. Students at Cal Poly, for example, form negotiation panels to examine cases on construction law in Professor Starzyk’s class. Professor Andrew Kline at Cal Poly established an industry advisory board panel for alumni working in the industry to provide mentorship and career development opportunities for students. According to Dr. Casey Cline, Department Chair Construction Management at Boise State University, there’s no doubt that educators play an important role in equipping their students with the information and tools needed to operate effectively on the jobsite. “It’s just amazing to see what a wealth of knowledge students bring to the companies they go into nowadays,” said Dr. Cline.
Preparing Future Industry Professionals for Success Construction educators made it clear that technology is becoming an increasingly central aspect of their curriculum. Dr. Cline of Boise State University explained that although construction has historically been behind the curve in terms of adopting new approaches to the same work, technology has changed that standard. “All of a sudden, technology came to construction and we started moving forward,” Dr. Cline pointed out. Last year, Dr. Cline’s students partnered with a local high school to collaborate on a building project aimed at introducing technology to day-today operations while constructing a community center for their local neighborhood. The community project came less than a year before the school won this year’s Associated General Contractors (AGC) Outstanding Student Chapter Contest for Construction Management.
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“As educators, we have to be able to relearn things so we can show students what they need to know about these trends and how they are going to affect them,” explained Starzyk. To help support the transition from the classroom to the jobsite, construction technology companies like Procore and Bluebeam have stepped up to partner with educators and equip them with what they need to keep up with the latest trends. The classroom environment has facilitated partnerships that underpin the importance of working together to think critically and solve business problems. “In the months and years ahead, it’s less about the technology and more about developing a deep understanding of how technology shapes the relationships we’ve formed with educational partners to teach students the technical and soft skills they need to reinvent construction,” says Miles Anderson, Procore’s Manager of Procore. org. “These industry educators continue to lay the foundation for the future of a productive and skilled workforce. As we strive to connect these leaders and learning environments to technology, we recognize what incredible insight they impart to us as true industry partners and to the next generation,” cites Bluebeam’s Senior Community Development Manager, Kellie Ward. You can subscribe to the Construction Educator Podcast here. If you’re interested in learning more about how Procore is supporting the industry, visit procore.org for more information. The following educators were interviewed for the podcast:
• Greg Starzyk (Construction
Law expert and Professor in the Department of Construction Management, California Polytechnic State University)
• Dr. Casey Cline (Department Chair
of Construction Management, Boise State University)
• Brad Hyatt (Department Chair of
Construction Management, Fresno State University)
• Dr. Jim Sullivan (Director of the
Undergraduate Construction Management Program, University of Florida)
• Jeff Kim (Assistant Professor of Building Construction, Auburn University)
• Andrew Kline (Lecturer of
Construction Management, California Polytechnic State University)
• Dr. Jeong Woo (Department Head
& Professor of Construction Management, California Polytechnic State University)
• Dr. Jay Christofferson (Professor
Program Coordinator of Construction and Facilities Management, Brigham Young University)
• Dr. David Gunderson (Associate
Professor of Construction Management, Washington State University)
• Gareth Figgess (Professor of
Construction Management, Sacramento State University)
Resources • https://www.procore.com/jobsite/
construction-managementprofessors-weigh-in-on-educatingthe-next-generation/
• https://www.procore.com/jobsite/ opening-doors-for-the-nextgeneration-of-women-builders/
• https://www.procore.com/jobsite/ training-the-future-generation-ofbuilders/
• Dr. Patrick Suermann (Department
Chair of Construction Science, Texas A&M University)
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To the trades who build our world: thank you. We’re proud to support you and over 30,000 other hard working men and women with powerful tools and resources for the job. To say thanks, we’re giving you the chance to enter to win the National Trades Day Contest by 10/16/2020.
Groundbreaker’s Grand Prize 1 winner will receive a Premium Pass to virtual Groundbreak 2020 AND an M18 FUEL™ 2-Tool Hammer Drill and Driver w/ ONE-KEY™ Combo Kit from our partners at Milwaukee.
Everyday Hero’s Prize 4 winners will receive a Premium Pass to Groundbreak 2020
Visit procore.com/nationaltradesday to enter to win.
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F E AT U R E The Importance of Early Safety Training by David Ward, safety consultant
Our current generation is all about technology and moving quickly. The next generation will be forced to work in a construction industry that has more dangerous work conditions, due to potential the lack of skilled labor, with those skilled laborers working longer hours, where fatigue may set in. Currently, construction companies and manufacturing companies are finding it difficult to hire and/or attract new millennial employees. Millennials can be seen as very independent and difficult to manage, as they believe they can move from job to job if it’s not what they want. Millennials bring technology savvy
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with them, but I have heard complaints from some managers about their work ethic. I have several manufacturing clients that cannot keep millennials employed, as some move from job to job for just a few pennies more. Even in “normal” times training is very difficult to complete on a construction site. Now with COVID-19, that training has become even more difficult, as most companies will not allow you on their worksite unless you are an essential worker. In construction, training is hampered by language barriers. Being safe today has several steps before you’re allowed on anyone's property.
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Taking your temperature is first, filling out the COVID-19 questionnaire is second, and then having the appropriate PPE (mask, gloves, face shields), just to name a few. Keeping the hand sanitizer available and properly stored and located through the work area is important. I can’t say if there is a PPE “best practice,” since this is a new concept and everyone is trying to do all they can to protect their employees. Employees must be held accountable for properly wearing the required equipment. But it’s tough when employees don’t feel it’s important. I recently had a safety manager say, “What can I do, as they just won’t wear
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the mask? It's the law.” I advised her to make it personal. Tell her, “If you don’t want to protect yourself, you have that option. But my job is to protect you and everyone else on this worksite. If you can’t protect those around you, including your family, I have to. Not wearing your mask could cost you your job…is it worth it?” Construction sites bring up many challenges when it comes to safety. Now add to that the additional emphasis of COVID-19 into the mix, and you see how demanding protecting employees can be. Construction workers many times need to work close together, so social distancing guidelines are a challenge. Working with the same tools, ladders, and other equipment is another virus area they have to think about. The next generation of workers in the construction industry will face new technology. Technology that requires more training, since the equipment will be even more expensive. Employers are no longer looking for just a warm body, they are looking for individuals with certain skills and abilities, including a strong work ethic. Companies see the value in building a strong safety culture. Employees that are more engaged in safety activities create a safer work environment that makes the company more profitable. The employee then has a higher value of themselves and of the company, which increases productivity and a reduction in injuries.
Safety Training Safety training may include but is not limited to the list below:
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) • Lockout/Tagout • Globally Harmonized Systems (GHS) • Fire Extinguisher • Machine Guarding • Hazard Recognition • Electrical Safety Work Practices • Confined Space Entry • Trenching • Powered Industrial Trucks (PIT)
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• Walking-Working Surfaces • Fall Protection • Ladder Safety • Emergency Plans • Respiratory Protection • Injury Reporting • Near Miss Training should be hands-on face to face and not just sitting in a room watching videos. The purpose of training is to ensure that the employee understands the expectations, and then you must explain the consequences for not following the requirements. Training should consist of some means of ensuring that the information provided is understood - either through testing, quizzes, or even better - practical evaluation. It is critical to make sure that all employees fully understand the emergency action plans, and that all plans have hands-on training. Knowing what to do in an emergency is lifesaving, but many companies don’t place enough emphasis on making sure all employees on all shifts are properly trained. Just the basic fire drill training is critical. I have completed emergency action plan training for several companies in which several supervisors had valid concerns when it came to conducting fire drills. They actually wanted to know if they were going to be held accountable if someone was injured or killed in an actual emergency. According to OSHA, training should be conducted in a language that they understand (Spanish, Polish, Chinese, etc), and it is mandatory. In construction there are many hazards, and if not properly trained to recognize these hazards, employees are exposed to fall hazards, electrical hazards, struck-by hazards and caught in between hazards. Safety training emphasizes the importance of recognizing safety hazards that employees could have the potential of being exposed to and how to correct those issues. Safety training is critical in reducing the potential risk of injury/death. Once the initial training is completed then
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they should receive more specific training from the department they will be assigned to. Training should be mandatory and it’s required by OSHA. In the construction industry, falls are in OHSA’s top 10 list of injuries. Employees are exposed to working at heights, and if not properly trained in the equipment necessary to protect them, the risks become enormous - not only for the employee but the employer. The focus of safety and health programs in construction is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well as the innocent suffering and financial adversity experienced by employees, their families, and employers. Working around heavy equipment and Powered Industrial Trucks (PIT) create another significant hazard. Employees need to be trained on how to become more aware of their surroundings. Training is a critical component for any company with the hazardous conditions identified in the construction field. It’s important to understand the hazards, conditions, and the environment as you work because they can change rapidly. The new generation is going to be faced with tremendous opportunities. And they must be ready to take on the challenges ahead. It’s up to everyone involved to make sure they are.
About the Author David A. Ward Sr, Senior Safety Consultant for Sentry Insurance and former owner and CEO of Safety By Design Consultant Services, Federal Investigator, OSHA and National Safety Examiner, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons and Security Police, USAF. My focus is to provide quality customer service with effective solutions to resolve your safety concerns, and reduce your loss of revenue, production, profits, accidents, injuries, exposure to workplace hazards, and fatalities. For questions about this article or additional information, please contact David at david.ward@sentry.com, or dward@ sbdcs.com
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Future Generations — Attracting And Keeping Future Trade Workers by Jack Rubinger, freelance writer In a world struggling with climate change, economic change and a global pandemic, what’s going to happen in the future is difficult to predict and hard to imagine. This is a challenging time for adults and our young people. With Baby Boomers retiring from many trades, what is the future going to hold for the next generation of trade workers? What can we do now to ensure that there will be a future generation of trade workers? How will technology impact the next generation seeking a career? In the short-term, because of economic slowdowns in commercial real estate development due to the global pandemic, less work might be available for some trade workers, cautioned Kate Lister, Global Workplace Analytics. Some second and third generation welders and fitters have discouraged their children from the heavy
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construction trades due to the travel demands, work hours and the impact on family life, even though the money is still very good (anywhere from about $25,000 to $60,000 or more depending on the state). “That electrical person, plumber, HVAC person will be needed for a LONG TIME COMING in society. Trade jobs do important work that is much needed. These jobs take skill and provide incredible value. More importantly, many trade workers will tell you they get great satisfaction from being able to see the direct results of their efforts—which their officeworking friends may wait years to see,” said Safety Manager Terry Penney. Training is a good place to start to predict the future.
Training It’s not fair to expect someone going into a new career to know
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everything about that job. The Oregon Tradeswoman organization, for example, conducts a hands-on career fair introducing debt-free career education for high-paying, highdemand careers in the skilled trades. Many top colleges offer construction trades programs, including Alfred State, SUNY Canton, Morrisville State College (NY), and Arizona Western College. Community colleges and high schools offer training, too. Not everyone is meant to or can afford to go the traditional university route. In fact, more and more young people are questioning this path, because it doesn’t ensure a job after four years, universities are expensive, and while you wind up with a degree, you may still have no real work experience. “Our colleges and tech institutes must be current and even future proofing for new systems and code
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requirements on how we have to build differently. As a lean organization, teaching students at all levels to be problem solvers and not just mechanical processors will greatly enhance their success going into the future,” said Tom Plumb, Kinetic Construction. Chanel Pichaco from Alpha Construction in Oregon, is launching a new internship program and getting the word out via social media. This family business is growing and encourages young people to jump on the construction bandwagon. “The cool thing about the construction industry is that it requires no experience or prior knowledge to get into,” she said. “I’ve known people who have gone to labor unions and signed up to learn about framing or siding via job shadowing and internships for on the job experience. It’s definitely a learn-by-doing career path. The critical factor is to find the right mentor and person to shadow.”
Interviewing There’s an art or a practice in becoming a good interviewer and a good interviewee. Both parties want something out of the deal. The best interviews are conversational and collaborative. But how do interviewees learn to be good candidates when they might have no prior experience in a particular trade? Does it make sense to hire a resume coach or do you just find a template online and fill it in? “It can become very discouraging seeing the hundreds of job openings that want 5-10 years’ experience. Even more discouraging when you actually meet the qualifications and the recruiter has already thrown out your resume,” said Safety Manager Heather Ziegler. “I think the hiring process needs to go two directions; one, understand what qualifications/ duties truly need to be met and know the national average salary for that
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role. And two, develop an accurate personnel development and training process.” Invest Time To Foster Longevity In the trade industry, many people switch companies to hopefully make more money and achieve greater schedule flexibility. Companies need to make the investment up front with an equitable wage, offer on-the-job training and foster longevity. A study by Employee Benefits News states that the average cost of losing an employee is a staggering 33% of their annual salary. In the spirit of longevity and loyalty, it makes tremendous sense to retain employees whenever possible. Constantly training new employees is costly and timeconsuming. Plus, when people leave, their knowledge goes with them.
Technology Think of the advanced techniques and high technology that have become a part of a tradesperson’s toolbox. Successful tradesmen and tradeswomen require a solid grounding in math, analytical skills, literacy, the ability to solve complex problems, understand and analyze countless situations. Young people have been raised on technology and can quickly get up to speed with building information modeling (BIM) and other tools, so the skills they possess will be an advantage. BIM for example will change the way we build forever. In the construction field, automated heavy equipment, drone use for surveying and inspections, 3D printing of buildings and bridges, are just a few of the technologies that are currently a growing part of everyday life at job sites. Encouraging young people to go into construction makes a lot of sense for those who enjoy variety. They’ll be constantly learning new skills and using technology every day. There’s no
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reason to suggest that the university path is the only path. Learning a trade is cool. You get to be outside, you are part of a team, you’re not stuck behind a computer all day and the money is decent. “Construction is a wide open industry begging for young people who want to excel and grow within an industry,” said Plumb. “We encourage site experience as a stepping stone to other jobs as the demographics of a retiring workforce will open up many opportunities to progress and the better wages along with it. We are actually looking for MINDSET over SKILLSET.” With so many opportunities and high growth potential, considering a job in a skilled trade is certainly worthwhile. You can put your skills to use while getting better at something that is very useful in society. These trades will always be important, especially as machines and technology continue to change. Improved training, access to technology and greater transparency in the interviewing and hiring process will be the three keys to open doors for the next generation of trade workers.
About the Author Jack Rubinger is a freelance writer, with more than 10+ years of workplace safety and construction industry research and writing experience. Looking for an article on a specific construction topic? Contact: jackrubinger814@gmail.com or call 503-964-4877. S E P T E M B E R
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F E AT U R E Millennial Myths Debunked: Overcoming Generational Biases and Embracing Diversity by Jeff Sample, eSUB
Chances are that you’ve heard plenty about millennials over the last few years, whether it’s companies trying to harness their buying power, or frustration over their traits as a group. However, there’s a very real practical reason why millennials are getting a lot of attention in the construction world. 10,000 Baby Boomers are reaching retirement age every day. With this comes the loss of their information and expertise in just about every aspect of the construction world. As a result, more and more companies are seeing millennials as a greater part of their workforce. Our goal here is not to bash millennials, but to point out how the construction industry is fundamentally broken. Our outdated methods of recruitment and management are directly contributing to construction’s workforce crisis. It’s not a work issue either. The demand for infrastructure is growing rapidly. There’s just no one to do the work. As a result, we need to clear the air about millennials and understand how to embrace them in the industry.
The Millennial Mentality: What Are We Getting Wrong? Part of millennials getting as maligned as they are by other generations is simply the nature of how every generation precedes the one that follows. The Silent Generation felt this way about Baby Boomers, Baby Boomers about Generation X, and now Millennials are the next group under the microscope. Let’s define what makes millennials unique as a group, though. For the sake of this conversation, we’re talking about people who reached young adulthood in the early 21st century. Every generation grows up with something different, and with millennials, it’s an increasingly electronic and socially networked world. What does this mean? It means that your millennial workers expect to feel that level of connection, and if they enter a company still built on paperwork, it’s an instant shock. If you say a given task can’t be done on a device, they don’t believe you, because they’ve seen it done.
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This also translates into their financial perspective on things. They’ve seen the financial struggles of their parents and the impact of the 2008 crash. They are also the most ethnically diverse generation we’ve seen to date, and were raised to be confident and positive. Some spin this into calling them narcissistic, but that’s not really the issue here. The problem is that millennials are seeing productivity going up, but compensation staying stagnant. Millennials see things getting translated into digital areas and becoming more efficient, but there’s little additional reward for it. At the same time, the world of social media has trained people’s brains to expect instant gratification, the ability to get that little bit of dopamine in a pinch at any time from that post, that image shared. Combine frustration with the constant need for something more, and a sizable portion of millennials are ready to quit their jobs at any given time. Some may call millennials undisciplined, but if anything, it’s the opposite. Millennials want to leave because in many industries, they come into an environment where no one is like them. They try to bring their ideas and mentalities to the table, get frustrated because they couldn’t make a meaningful difference, and decide to go elsewhere. This is something that needs to be fixed.
Creating A Proper Environment For Millennials So, with this in mind, where do we point the blame? The truth is, that doesn’t really matter. Assigning blame isn’t as important as taking responsibility and doing something about it. You could apply this to other areas as well - like why your company is lacking in women and/or minorities. One place to start is having a truly symbiotic mentorship program. Ideally, this creates a space where younger professionals both learn and teach. This can work in the software industry and other spaces, but it is a bit harder in construction. A person can leave school with the best grades, but that doesn’t qualify them to build a building right off the bat. At the same
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time, we have those 10,000 Baby Boomers potentially leaving the workforce each year. We need mentorship to transfer that information before they leave. So, how do you implement a proper mentorship program? Don’t assume that you can do it alone, for one. Take this seriously and invest in a professional mentorship course or coach. After all, you wouldn’t send a team member to a job site without appropriate training, would you? This is very much the same way. Better to have small, iterative failures you can learn from, than one massive one. It’s also important you pick the best people to be these mentors, both for experience and just as important - temperament. Finally, you need to have a proper symbiotic relationship. The senior expert can share tools of the trade, while the millennial can introduce digital tools. This also helps with that all-important retention. In order for this plan to work, you need millennials to stick around for 1-2 years, not just 8 months. Under this format, they are building bonds in the workplace and feeling like they are making a difference. What we need to do is create a more forward-thinking environment, utilizing technology, and promote it to millennials. Any chance to get more workers in the industry should be welcomed, and the only chance to tap into this resource is giving millennials the chance to show that they can make a concrete impact. About the Author Jeff Sample, as director of strategic accounts for eSUB Construction Software, conducts technology assessments for trade contractors and develops recommendations and roadmaps to adopt a secure and thriving IT ecosystem. His depth of IT experience in a variety of industries and his passion for outdoor adventures and Ironman competitions has made Jeff widely known as the “The Ironman of IT.” He is a popular speaker and vocal thought leader in construction, spending much of his time educating on a variety of topics to better the industry as a whole.
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F E AT U R E Shifting the Business Model to Ensure Future Success — The Needs of the Next Generation by Stephane McShane, Maxim Consulting Group Only a small percentage of construction firms have put a strategic focus on modifying their business practices to meet the needs of the next generation of construction. This should be a critical focus for firms to allow for the hiring, retention, advancement, and effectiveness of the younger individuals who will soon hold influential leadership positions in our organizations. As of 2020, the Millennial generation comprises about half of the American workforce. By 2025, the Millennial generation will make up approximately 75% of the global workforce. The way that businesses are currently operating in many firms contrasts greatly to the needs of this next generation. The reality of the timeline that is required to accomplish enterprise level change must be taken into consideration when planning these necessary business improvements. The objective behind this is to allow the younger generation to learn, thrive, and remain engaged for a much longer period of time.
Technology Implementation Technology implementation is the logical first requirement of this generation. The men and women joining our firms today grew up with one thing that all the other generations did not: Instant access to information. This new generation grew up in the Google and Alexa era, where the answers were a few keystrokes or verbal questions away. Technology is certainly second nature to this generation. Construction organizations must take specific steps to guarantee that they have the necessary hardware, software, documentation, and training to arm the workforce with the best tools available. When you consider the employment opportunities for entry into our firms, they all require strong technology deployment. Whether field operations, estimating, project management, T H E
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engineering and design, or fabrication, each of these verticals within our organizations will require a strong technology deployment to attract and engage the younger generation of workers. This generation will expect to utilize technology to do their work, as well as to see, in real time, the impact and status of their work. They will expect to use data mining or exception reporting to enable them to focus on what is important, instead of spending precious time simply looking for the problems. For example: Up and coming project managers and field leaders will need to be armed with data to manage their work efficiently. Data based project management would allow for transparency of the financial position of a project, so necessary to drive success. Having the correct tools to evaluate labor productivity, purchasing efficiency, subcontract management, change order management, enterprise level schedules, etc. would allow the project manager to run a greater volume of work, mitigate risk more effectively, and maximize profitability. Data based field management would allow for effective planning, scheduling, project execution, labor productivity tracking, and change order management. The era of project management of field leadership by “gut” must be modified and enhanced using this type of information, coupled with effective training in communication and leadership. To prepare your organization for these changes, it would be key to evaluate the current state, and plan the future state. The following steps would be integral in making the best strategic decisions and should be revisited on an annual basis:
• Technology assessment • Determination of future technology needs
• Implementation planning
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Technology assessment Performing a current state technology assessment would take into consideration the quantity of programs your company is utilizing. In addition, you will need to determine how well these current platforms are implemented, as many organizations purchase software only to implement a fraction of the capability. Additionally, you’ll have to perform a deep dive into the integration of the multiple platforms, looking for any multiple points of entry for the same data, duplicative work, and “workarounds” currently being used. From this assessment, you will need to accurately identify and document areas of improvement.
Future technology needs Taking an objective look at where your part of the industry is moving in the next 5-7 years is paramount in making decisions on future technology needs. For example, if it were determined that BIM modeling will be a requirement for your business in the next 5 years, how long do you think it will take to investigate which software to purchase and make all of the other decisions surrounding the organizational changes that would have to occur for this endeavor to be successful? Since it takes 3-4 years minimum to fully implement a new technology, committing to the change far in advance of the actual need to use it is a key part of planning.
Implementation plan Putting a new piece of software or a technology tool in play is not as simple as purchasing it. During the ramp up phase, standards of use, roles and responsibilities, training protocols, subject matter experts, organizational structure, and measurement of success must be defined and developed to fully leverage the investment. Without a comprehensive implementation plan, S E P T E M B E R
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the risk of a prolonged timeline to use, or even failure to implement completely, can rise considerably.
Employee Engagement and Development The next generation will require different types of leadership and engagement than in past generations. The challenge is that many construction organizations are not shifting their employee development and engagement programs in lock step with the changing needs. In a study conducted by Qualtrics, a survey software firm, and venture capital firm Accel Partners, Millennials were able to express what they want when they start a new job. These items are: 1. Sufficient training—40% 2. Clearly set goals and expectations—31% 3. All needed information to do the job—30% 4. Reasonable goals and timelines—26% 5. Leaders who are invested in their success—23% With the above in mind, an assessment and restructuring of employee development and engagement programs to ensure that the above goals are met or exceeded would be paramount in retaining key staff. How this is done can be outlined as follows:
Training and development The days of giving someone a job and hoping they learn fast enough not to fail are long over. Or, sitting down with someone one time and verbally telling them how to do something, hoping they will remember, is also an outdated approach. While the next generation of workers places an extremely high value on one-on-one training and mentoring programs, this must be a part of a far more comprehensive training and development program. Workflow should be documented and shared in a way that can be referenced at any time by staff. The use of roles and responsibilities matrices would allow the employee to see what information
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comes to them, what they do with this information, and where it goes from there. This would allow for clarity so that there are no questions as to what the expectations of a position are. These workflow documents should be embedded with videos, examples, and hyperlinks to facilitate the work, allowing for self-guided learning to take place.
Career path mapping Millennials not only want to define where they go in their careers, they want to play a strong role in how quickly they get there. The use of career path mapping allows the employee to own more of the process and, therefore, more of their own development. If the roles and responsibilities of each position within the firm were made available, it would allow employees to investigate where they might like to go. Of course, there are those who would look to climb the ladder vertically from the position they are in now, to a higher position in the same type of vertical. However, the Millennial generation also would like the opportunity to move horizontally, that is, to move in a lateral motion to a different type of work or department to remain engaged and challenged. The career path mapping process would allow for the employee and their designated lead to map out a path from where they are now, by objectively and collaboratively evaluating current skillset, and defining the roadmap to where they would like to go. The mentor or leader would commit to meeting twice a year to evaluate, coach, and update the action plan with the employee, ensuring that the opportunities and training resources needed to allow for development and advancement are in place.
Flexibility Many construction firms were caught unprepared during the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation caused remote work to be pushed to the forefront due to the need to continue to “get work done,” while balancing the need to keep staff safe and well. Remote work is a key to many in the younger generation who seek to “work to live” rather than the “live to work” of generations past.
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Telecommuting for many positions in our industry is not only possible, but can be done with great benefits to productivity, performance, and profitability. In an article published by Forbes magazine after reviewing studies by Gallup, Harvard University, Global Workplace Analytics, and Stanford University, 54% of employees say they would change jobs for one that offered them more flexibility. This results in a reduction of turnover rate by 12% for those utilizing remote work.
Summary The construction industry is already challenged by the lack of interest by the young workforce in entering our field. It is in our best interest to ensure that we have built a business model that the younger generation would look forward to being a part of. One that takes their desires, learning needs, and savvy with technology into account. In a 2016 Deloitte Millennial survey entitled, “Winning Over the Next Generation of Leaders,” it was found that 71% of Millennials likely to leave their current job are dissatisfied with how their leadership skills are being developed. With this said, the decision must be made to proactively improve our business model to increase employee retainage, development, engagement, and productivity. If we fail to do so, the impact to the structure, integrity, and survivability of our organizations may be in serious jeopardy. About the Author Stephane McShane, director at Maxim Consulting Group, is responsible for the evaluation and implementation processes with clients. Stephane works with construction related firms of all sizes to evaluate business practices and assist with management challenges. Her areas of expertise include: Leadership development, organizational assessments, strategic planning, project execution, business development, productivity improvement, and training programs. She can be reached directly at stephane.mcshane@maximconsulting. com
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F E AT U R E Addressing the Needs of the Next Generation: It’s Less Change Than You Think by Steve Antill, Foundation Software Cultivating the next generation of workers should be a focus for all business owners, but we’re approaching a time when there’s a shift in exactly who that next generation is going to be. Articles have been produced repeatedly about attracting millennials and shifting the workplace to cater to their needs, but the harsh truth is that nearly all millennials are already in the workforce. Pulling them away from their chosen career paths, while not impossible, poses an unnecessary challenge. Instead, businesses should start placing more attention on the generation after millennials — Gen Z. Though it can be hard to pin down exactly when a generation truly starts and ends, the common consensus is that Gen Z consists of those born between 1996 and 2015, making up nearly 28% of the total US population (Statista). Financial Executives International claims that Gen Z will make up about 36% of the workforce as of this year — with more still incoming. The good news is that Gen Z is already looking for the benefits the construction industry has to offer, but businesses need to do a slight shift in how they present those benefits to this new workforce.
Use of Technology It’s no surprise that one of the biggest attractors for members of Gen Z is technology. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z is the only group that was essentially born with technology in hand. While other generations had to adapt to the quick advances of tech — from the widespread availability of the Internet to utilizing smartphones and other portable devices — Gen Z emerged at a time when these were common. While the construction industry has a reputation for being slow to adopt
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technology, attitudes toward tech are changing as more technology appears on jobsites. Gen Z is already aware of the benefits technology can bring to stagnated or outdated workflows — and their ability to evaluate the usefulness of technology can be an incredible asset. Rather than viewing tech as a way to simplify processes, Gen Z views technology as an essential tool to effectively complete work tasks. Now is the time for owners to look into tech that will not only be useful for their business but also to help attract Gen Z. And with their seemingly natural aptitude for technology, Gen Z can also help with realizing the full potential of technology on the jobsite or in the office.
Workplace Stability According to a 2019 survey from Business News Daily, 69% of Gen Z’ers surveyed indicated that they would rather have a stable job than one they’re passionate about — categorically the opposite of traditional responses from millennials. Further, 40% of Gen Z within the same survey stated that their main career goal was to have a position where they felt secure and stable. It’s undeniable that a lot has changed over the past year, and stability is, arguably, an even greater priority for all workers at this point, but the construction industry is in a unique position since COVID-19. Where the stability of several industries has been turned upside down, the construction industry — for the most part, has endured. For businesses looking to attract members of Gen Z, highlighting this stability — even in the face of a pandemic — should be a priority.
Employee Investment Attracting Gen Z is only part of the equation. To retain them, business
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owners need to cultivate their skills. According to a Robert Half survey from 2018, 95% of Gen Z indicated that career advancement was one of their top factors when searching for employment. Presenting opportunities for additional education and career growth — such as mentorship programs or certification training — is something that Gen Z values. And while many conferences and tradeshows have been cancelled this year, local associations are still active. Encouraging and sponsoring employees’ membership can lead to both increased local connections and educational opportunities.
Conclusion Gen Z’s career aspects align well with the construction industry, but businesses need to highlight how they’re already equipped to fit the new generation. Technology, job stability and advancement opportunities should all be discussed more when talking about a career in the construction industry with the next generation.
About the Author Steve Antill is VP of business development at Foundation Software and Payroll4Construction.com, where he leads the charge for continual revenue growth, including new entry points into the market to serve contractors. He invests much of his time building partnerships and relationships across the construction industry with contractors, CPA firms, associations and technology vendors. Over 20 years, he’s led more than 1,000 software selections and implementations for contractors of numerous sizes and trades. Contact information: santill@ foundationsoft.com or (800) 246-0800.
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F E AT U R E Recruiting Gen Z? Here Are Three Tips to Be Successful by Rachel Burris, NCCER
Move aside, millennials, you’re not the “next generation” anymore. When it comes to recruiting and retaining workers, is the research behind each age group helpful? It’s easy to wonder if it really changes that much from generation to generation. Growing up in a technological landscape, experiencing the recession of 2008 as children and seeing major political changes is sure to have shaped Gen Z. So, who are they? Pew Research identifies those born after 1996 as Gen Z (although the age range is debated). That would be the generation AFTER the Millenials. They currently make up about 24% of the workforce. And, they are commonly described as pragmatic. When it comes to recruitment, follow these tips to be successful.
1. Offer stability and clear paths forward. This generation has shown to be risk averse; they seek job security and meaningful compensation packages over flashy perks. Wood, a large global employer of skilled trades and operators, examined how they could differentiate themselves from their peers, which led to an enhancement of their 401K program, healthcare options and stock purchase program. Their 401K program is available on day one, fully matched up to 5% of participating employee’s salary contribution and 100% goes to their employees, with no tiered vesting schedule. Wood also offers a wide range of choice for health benefits and gives one share for every two shares employees’ purchase. The details of such compensation plans are selling points to futureconscious Gen Z-ers as they provide
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financial stability and responsibility. But the younger generation is not only looking for benefits packages – wellthought out career paths and guaranteed training are also appealing. Schaffhouser Electric, a veteranowned small business based in Tennessee, committed to having every single person within their organization involved in training. Founder, CEO and President, John Schaffhouser shared, “We’ve identified that training is where we are going to separate ourselves from our competition.” More than ever, Gen Z is intentional with their career goals. This isn’t to say they don’t have dreams, but rather are choosing more profitable, stable employment options adjacent to their interests – think welder for artist or tower crane operator for gamer. In fact a survey from Accenture found that 88% of the 2019 graduating class chose their major with a specific job in mind. For the construction industry, this provides the opportunity to show young job seekers how they can use their talents in rewarding careers that are in high demand.
2. Be authentic and embrace open-mindedness. Authenticity matters to Gen Z. From knowing what impact their job may have to company-sponsored volunteering opportunities, this age group wants to know how they will affect society. They understand that their particular role may not change the world, but they want to be part of a company who values transparency, giving back and being part of something bigger. Showing Gen Z that their work will have a positive impact on their community will be a persuasive argument during recruitment. The ways
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that craft professionals are contributing to our built environment every day are endless – focus on the projects that your company is working on to demonstrate the reach of construction. Beyond impacting the world, postmillennials are highly invested in diversity and inclusion. An analysis by Pew Research found that 48% of this generation is non-White. Several political and cultural evolutions happened during their formative years – seeing the first Black president elected, gay marriage legalized, and the #MeToo movement – that have shaped their expectations of the workplace. In a Construction Dive article earlier this year, Peter Davoren, CEO and president of Turner Construction, stated, “When you have a community on the jobsite that’s actively caring for each other, you’re safer.” Turner Construction Co. updated their mission earlier this year to include anti-bias education and inclusive work environment. And then they held themselves accountable by shutting down two Ohio projects after finding discriminatory graffiti in order to conduct training. Because 90% of Turner’s jobsite workforce is subcontractors, it’s key that subcontractors are aware of and on board with the zero-tolerance policy. When recruiting Gen Z, share what your company is doing, or even where you have room for improvement, and what your plans are for the future. Being transparent with your efforts will be compelling and open the door for an honest dialogue about expectations in the workplace.
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Contractors aren't
ONE SIZE FITS ALL. Why should your training be?
NCCER offers a full range of resources to train and develop your workforce, no matter the size. With standardized curricula, assessments and industryrecognized credentials, we have the needs of your entry-level recruits and seasoned craft professionals covered!
Learn more at nccer.org. 888.622.3720 34
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3. Start building a pipeline of talent early. While the generational cutoff for Gen Z is still debated, it is agreed that those born in the early 2000’s are included With the youngest still in secondary education, there is opportunity to raise awareness of careers in construction prior to graduation. Industry involvement in career and technical education programs can have a significant impact. In addition to donating materials and tools to your local schools, serve on local school advisory boards to help educators learn about what skill sets are needed in the community. This helps schools stay current with programs that they are offering and shows students that you are invested in your community. Build Your Future (BYF), an initiative by NCCER, encourages partnerships between industry and education to help build a pipeline of talent. In October
2020 BYF is asking construction companies to make a dedicated effort to connect with students during Careers in Construction Month. By pledging their support, companies will receive exclusive resources, including a website scavenger hunt quiz, Tips and Tricks for Connecting with Schools guide, and be entered into a drawing to win one of three $5,000 scholarships to be given to a craft training program of their choice. To participate, visit www.byf.org/CICM. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember that post-millennials are truly digital natives. The study by Dell Technologies found that 91% say the technology offered by a potential employer would be a contributing factor in choosing between similar job offers. When recruiting Gen Z, focus on the limitless opportunities of our industry – career paths can start with apprenticeship and end at CEO. With construction already narrowing the wage gap with close to equal pay for
women, it shows what matters most is the skills you bring to the table. From quickly building hospitals in times of a pandemic to hurricane relief efforts, craft professionals help shape our world – now we just need to show that to the next generation.
About the Author Rachel Burris is the communications manager at NCCER. She has over seven years’ experience in communications and public relations, including writing and editing content for emails, social media, press releases, blogs and articles. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of South Florida and a Master of Business Administration degree from Webster University. For more information, she may be reached at rburris@nccer.org.
THURSDAY, FEB 25, 1:00–3:30 PM
The Beach Bash
Time to hit the beach! This fun, familyfriendly event is open to all registered attendees, and will include a BBQ lunch, beer, and wine. Beach games including sand volleyball, cornhole, and sandcastle building will make for a memorable feature to SUBExcel. All registered guests and children are welcome to attend, so bring the family! This is a great opportunity to network with peers and key industry suppliers.
Check out the full schedule here.
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The Devil's in the Details—But That’s What You’re Good At!
Get Recognized for Your Safety Excellence
Are you proud of your company? It’s policies and practices? Do you want to show the world that despite COVID-19, you’re doing things right? Then apply and be proud to the whole world of your company. Yes, you’re busy. But a little each day, and you’ll have no problem getting your application in by December 31. The ASA Awards are not a competition, but rather a program recognizing subcontractors for their commitment to ASA values like quality construction and a safe and healthy work environment. Each applicant is required to respond to questions concerning the firm’s corporate safety policies and procedures, its construction practices, and its general business practices. ASA will honor selected firms that demonstrate the highest safety standards during an awards ceremony at the ASA annual convention, SUBExcel 2021, February 24-27, 2021 in Miramar Beach, Florida.
ASA is proud to announce the new ASA Annual Safety Recognition program. This program represents ASA’s commitment to recognize members in each chapter that make safety and safety education a priority in their company. The companies recognized will be those that go above and beyond to ensure their employees, and everyone on the jobsite, goes home to their families after every workday.
Application deadline: Dec. 31, 2020 Don’t Forget Other ASA Awards: There are many more awards available through ASA, and more information about all of them can be found by clicking here. All award winners will be recognized during the 2021 SUBExcel conference on February 24–27, 2021, in Miramar Beach, Florida. We highly encourage all ASA members to get involved in our awards program. These valuable recognition opportunities are only available to ASA members.
• Download the Safety Award Application
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Coming Up
Complimentary Webinars
in the October 2020 Issue of ASA’s
OCTOBER 1, 2020, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET Integrating Worker Health and Safety: A safety practitioner perspective and six key benchmarks to achieve Total Worker Health
Envision a workplace where employees feel empowered, productive, creative and inspired by their work – a place where employees leave healthier than they came. Changing employment patterns, new technologies, and an aging population are among the issues facing our workforce. By leveraging the right resources; leaders, managers, and workers can adapt to these shifts and support a workplace culture that supports and promotes health, safety and overall well-being. This webinar will present why integrating health and safety is important and how to apply a Total Worker Health® (TWH) approach to any workplace – using data-driven strategies to help champion worker well-being Katie Guthmiller is the Total Worker Health® program coordinator for the Center for Health, Work & Environment. Katie earned her MPH with a concentration in community and behavioral health from the Colorado School of Public Health.. Dr. Van Dyke is an industrial hygienist, researcher, public health practitioner, and educator. He is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and the Center for Work, Health & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health. Register here.
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Presenter: Katie Guthmiller, MPH, CHES & Mike Van Dyke, PhD, CIH
Theme:
Professional and Personal Development • The Mastery Mindset: 6 Keys to Stay on the Path • Shifting the Employee Development Model Transparency and Collaboration Creates Success • And more...
OCTOBER 13, 2020, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET Resources to Recruit the Future Construction Workforce Presenters: Jessica Gray & Holly Mathis, NCCER With a shortage of 1 million craft professionals expected by the year 2023, Build Your Future (BYF) aims to be the catalyst for recruitment. It takes a village — to truly solve the workforce shortage, we need to work together. BYF has created resources such as student scholarships, free downloadable recruitment collateral, success videos and more. Join us to find out how you can get involved. Jessica Gray is the Marketing Project Manager at NCCER. Her roles at NCCER include managing vendor relationships and organizing annual contests and special projects. She also assisted with launching new NCCER programs such as the testing system, pipeline program and training workshop series.
Look for your issue in October. To access past issues of The Contractor’s Compass, please click here. For questions about subscribing, please contact: communications@asa-hq.com
Holly Mathis is from the Build Your Future (BYF) initiative at NCCER. She comes from a recruitment and event planning background and has been working in her current role as the BYF manager since September of 2019. She is very motivated in leading BYF as she works to shift the negative public perception about construction careers and recruit the next generation of craft professionals into the construction industry. Register here.
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AMERICAN For all upcoming ASA events, go to www.asaonline.com
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Onward
The premier education and networking event for subcontractors, specialty trade contractors, suppliers (and families). Our “Onward” theme represents that 2021 is going to be a year of moving our families and businesses forward. That’s why SUBExcel2021 is planned as a family-friendly event held on the beautiful beaches of Miramar, Florida. Mark your calendars and prepare for inspiration, new ideas, quality education, rest, relaxation, and a ton of fun for you and your family.
HOTEL: Hotel Effie Sandestin, Miramar Beach, Florida Group Rate: $209; Group Code: 24B0LE Reservations: 1-800-320-8115
SCHEDULE: (condensed) February 24, Wednesday
REGISTRATION FEES By 1/19/2021 ASA Member Non-member Exhibitor Guest/Spouse Child (4+)
$950 $1,195 $1,800 $ 610 $ 165
After $1,150 $1.395 $2,000 $ 810 $ 265
See subexcel.com for details
Welcome Reception
February 25, Thursday
Opening session and keynote: Charles “Chaz” Campbell, Afterburner, Flawless Execution Education Session: Charles “Chaz” Campbell, Rapid Planning Workshop Education Session: Luke Matelan, Leading Operational Excellence within Your Organization The Beach Bash
February 26, Friday
Keynote Speaker: Bernard Baumohl, Economic Outlook in a Post-COVID-19 World Education Session: Tom Woodcock, Beating a Bad Economy Executive Director Education: Robert Graves & Marcey Walsh, Dale Carnegie, Public Leadership Education Session - Jamie Hasty, Developing Your Workforce Post COVID-19 Cocktail Reception and Awards Banquet
February 27, Saturday
Attorneys’ Council Meeting Sunquest Lunch Cruise - All proceeds to benefit the Subcontractors Legal Defense Fund
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Please visit SUBEXCEL.COM for a complete schedule, speaker information, activites, details, link for hotel discount, and registration information! C O N T R A C T O R ’ S
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DEFENDING OUR FUTURE
SUBCONTRACTORS LEGAL DEFENSE FUND ASA's SLDF supports critical legal activities in precedentsetting cases to protect the interests of all subcontractors. FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION SUBCONTRACTOR COMMUNITY NATIONWIDE ASA underwrites the legal costs of filing "friend-of-the-court" briefs to inform the Court regarding the broader impact of relevant cases throughout the country. We have won dozens of these cases since 1997, vindicating subcontractor rights today and into the future!
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT Funding YOUR Legal Defense
Each year, courts across the country hand down hundreds of decisions on federal and state laws, as well as court-made or "case" law, that apply to subcontractors' businesses. Many of the decisions impacting subcontractors interpret the contract provisions of subcontract agreements—provisions like pay-if-paid, holdharmless, duty-to-defend, and no-damages-for-delay. Some of these decisions are precedent-setting and carry significance for subcontractors across state lines. ASA's Subcontractors Legal Defense Fund supports ASA's critical legal activities in precedent-setting cases to protect the interests of all subcontractors. ASA taps the SLDF to fund amicus curiae, or "friend-of-thecourt," briefs in appellate-level cases that would have a significant impact on subcontractor rights.
From its inception, the SLDF has been involved in many landmark decisions, starting with its first case in 1997, Wm. R. Clarke Corporation v. Safeco Ins., which prohibited pay-if-paid clauses in California.
Your financial support keeps the SLDF in operation PLEASE DONATE TODAY To make a contribution to this vital fund, visit http://www.sldf.net or send an email to soscar@asa-hq.com for more information!
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American Subcontractors Association 1004 Duke Street | Alexandria, VA 22314 C O N T R A C T O R ’ S C O M P A S703.684.3450 S
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