You post a job. Wait a week. Get maybe two applications. One person doesn't show up for the interview. The other works one day and ghosts you. If this sounds way too familiar, you're not crazy. Trying to find construction workers right now is incredibly hard.
And it's not just you—the whole construction industry needs about 439,000 new workers this year just to keep up. That's almost half a million people.
This problem is everywhere. But here's the thing: once you understand why it's happening, you can actually do something about it. Let's break down what's going on and how to fix it.
You can't solve a problem without knowing what caused it. The shortage of skilled construction labor didn't just pop up overnight. It's been building for years, and now everything's hitting at once.
Here's a scary number: over 20% of construction workers are 55 or older. These are your best people. The ones who've been doing this for decades. The ones who can look at a problem and know exactly how to fix it.
They're retiring. And guess what? There aren't enough younger people learning the trades to replace them.
Get this—by 2031, 41% of today's construction workers will be retired. Almost half. Gone. That's like six years from now.
When's the last time you saw a high school shop class? Exactly.
For years, everyone's been pushing kids toward college. Four-year degrees. Student loans. The whole thing. Trade schools? Vocational programs? Those got cut from budgets.
Now less than 3% of young people are even thinking about construction as a career. They don't know it's an option. Or if they do, they think it's just hard work with no future.
We know that's wrong. Good tradespeople make solid money and have real careers. But nobody's telling kids that.
When the pandemic hit, construction lost over a million jobs. Some of those workers came back. A lot didn't.
They went to other industries. They retired early. They decided construction was too unpredictable. The physical work was too hard. Whatever the reason, they left and never came back.
This "Great Resignation" thing? Yeah, construction got hit hard.
Sounds like a good problem, right? More work means more money.
Except when you literally can't find people to do the work.
Right now there's construction happening everywhere. Infrastructure projects. New houses. Commercial buildings. Data centers. Factories. All at the same time. Everyone needs workers. Everyone's competing for the same people.
Florida's especially crazy. The state's growing like mad. Building is nonstop. Which is great for business—terrible when you're trying to find construction workers.
The worker shortage isn't just frustrating. It's costing you real money.
When you can't get enough people on a job, everything slows down. That two-week task? Now it's four weeks. Your schedule falls apart. Other trades get backed up waiting on you. Your client starts blowing up your phone.
About 70% of construction companies say they can't find enough workers. So yeah, you're definitely not alone here.
When something's hard to find, the price goes up. That's just how it works.
Workers cost more per hour now. You're paying overtime because you don't have enough people. Rush jobs cost extra. Workers traveling from other areas need travel pay. All of it adds up. Your profit margins shrink.
This one stings. When you're desperate, sometimes you hire people who aren't quite ready. They need more watching. They mess up more. You have to redo stuff.
Here's a crazy stat: over half of workers' comp claims come from people who've been on the job less than a year. New workers who got rushed through training get hurt more.
This is the worst part. You could be making more money. Taking on bigger projects. Growing your business.
But you can't. Because you don't have the people.
Contractors are literally saying no to good work just because they can't staff it. That's money sitting there that you can't grab.
Okay, enough doom and gloom. Let's talk about what you can do. These are things that are working for Florida contractors right now.
This is probably your fastest fix. A good construction staffing company has a whole list of people ready to work. They've already checked them out. They know their stuff.
You need workers? You call. They send people. Sometimes same day. You don't mess with posting jobs for weeks. You don't deal with payroll or insurance for temps. They handle it.
But—and this is important—not every staffing agency gets construction. You need one that actually knows the difference between a framer and a finish carpenter.
When you're facing a sudden shortage and need people yesterday, skilled labor agency solutions can fill those gaps fast without compromising on quality.
Look for an agency that:
Tower Eight Staffing does Florida construction. That's it. They know what contractors here deal with and can get you people quickly.
Finding new people is hard. Keeping your current crew? Way easier. And cheaper.
Why do people leave construction jobs?
Fix those things. Pay decent money. Treat people like professionals, not bodies. Show them how they can advance. Make safety real, not just lip service. Try to keep work steady.
When good people think about leaving, they usually hint at it first. Pay attention. Talk to your crew regularly. Find out what they need before they start looking elsewhere.
For projects that run multiple phases, working with skilled staffing solutions that understand long-term planning can help you maintain crew consistency while scaling up or down as needed.
Posting on Indeed and hoping isn't a strategy. You need to think outside the box about where to find construction workers.
Here's what works:
Employee referrals: Your workers know other workers. Pay them real money for bringing in good people. This works better than almost anything because the new person already knows what to expect.
Trade schools: Connect with local vocational programs. Offer apprenticeships. Yeah, training takes time. But you're building your own future workforce.
Social media: Young workers live on Instagram and Facebook. Show them cool stuff. Post project photos. Share your team's stories. Make it look fun.
Job fairs: Show up. Meet people face to face. Bring pictures of your work. Have a simple way for them to apply right there.
If you need a more structured approach, following a proven step-by-step process for hiring construction workers in competitive markets can make the whole thing less overwhelming.
Stop writing boring job posts. "Must have 5 years experience. Must have reliable transportation." Nobody gets excited about that.
Sell the opportunity instead:
Real pay numbers: Don't say "competitive pay." That means nothing. Tell them what you actually pay. "$25-30/hour depending on experience."
Room to grow: Show them they can go from laborer to crew lead to foreman. People want a future, not just a paycheck.
Cool projects: Show off what you're building. People want to work on interesting stuff.
Benefits that matter: Health insurance. Paid days off. Retirement matching. Tool money. These add up.
Steady work: If you can offer consistent hours and ongoing projects, say it loud. Job security is huge right now.
Some contractors are finding workers where others aren't looking.
People coming out of jail often can't find work. But many want construction jobs. They just need someone to give them a chance. There are programs that pre-screen these folks and sometimes even help pay their wages at first. They're often super loyal because they know the opportunity you've given them.
You don't need fancy stuff, but basic tech helps:
The best workers are gone fast. The company that responds quickest usually wins.
Can't find exactly what you need? Make it yourself.
Start an apprenticeship. Hire people with some construction background and train them in your specialty. Partner with a trade school.
Yeah, it costs time and money up front. But you get workers who know exactly how you do things. They stick around because you invested in them. And you're actually solving the long-term problem.
Workers talk to each other. They know which companies are good and which ones suck.
What makes workers actually want to work for you?
This isn't rocket science. It's just treating people like humans. But not every company does it, so doing it well makes you stand out.
It's a perfect storm. Older workers are retiring faster than young people are joining. The pandemic made a lot of workers leave construction for good. Meanwhile, construction is booming—especially in growing states like Florida—so there are way more jobs than people. Plus, we've spent decades telling kids to go to college instead of learning trades. All of this together created a massive shortage that's not fixing itself anytime soon.
Using job boards? Usually three to six weeks from posting to hiring. And that's if you even find someone good. A lot of contractors give up and have to start over. Using a construction staffing agency? You can get workers in 24 to 72 hours. The absolute fastest way to find construction workers is through referrals from your current crew or having a relationship already set up with a staffing company.
It depends on the job. General laborers make about $15-20 an hour. Skilled trades like electricians and plumbers? More like $25-45 an hour or higher. Supervisors and project managers make even more. If you use a staffing agency, you'll pay 40-75% more than the worker's base pay to cover insurance, benefits, and the agency's cut. Sounds expensive, but it's usually cheaper than having projects sit empty because you can't find people.
Both have their place. Direct hiring works great for your core team. People you want long-term. You control everything and build real relationships. But it's slow and eats up your time. Staffing agencies are perfect for temporary needs, busy seasons, or emergencies when you need people yesterday. They handle all the paperwork, insurance, and payroll. Most contractors do both—hire your main crew directly, use agencies to scale up and down.
Everyone should have OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 safety training minimum. Florida requires licenses for most trades—electricians need state licenses, plumbers need licenses from the state, contractors need their contractor licenses. Specialized work needs more—crane operators need NCCCO certification, welders need AWS certs, equipment operators might need manufacturer training. Always double-check that certifications aren't expired. Old certs can get you in serious trouble.
You can't always match their pay. But you can compete other ways. Smaller companies often give more personal attention. Workers can move up faster. They get to do more interesting stuff. Less red tape and rules. Highlight these things. Show workers they won't just be another number. Offer flexibility when you can. Make your sites safe and actually enjoyable. Build a culture people want. A lot of workers prefer smaller companies because they feel more valued.
Yep, and it's a problem. The pandemic especially made workers switch to warehouse jobs, delivery, manufacturing—anything that seemed more stable or paid better. Some left because they saw how inconsistent construction work can be when the economy goes sideways. The good news? Construction wages are going up, which might bring some folks back. Making jobs more stable, offering better benefits, and improving work conditions helps convince workers that construction is still worth it.
Beyond the usual job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn, try construction-specific sites like ConstructionJobs.com. Facebook groups for construction workers in your area can be gold. Connect with local trade schools. Go to job fairs. But honestly? The best way is building relationships with construction staffing agencies that work in Florida. They keep lists of people who are ready to work right now. Tower Eight Staffing focuses only on Florida construction, so they really understand what's happening here.
Here's the deal: this construction worker shortage isn't going anywhere fast. Experts say it'll last until at least 2030. You can't just wait around hoping it gets better.
But you don't have to fight this alone either. The contractors doing well right now? They're not using some secret trick. They just accepted reality and changed how they do things.
They pay well. They treat people right. They use staffing agencies when they need help. They build relationships instead of just posting jobs and hoping. They plan ahead instead of always scrambling.
You can do this too. Start with one thing. Maybe call a staffing agency to handle your immediate problem. Set up an employee referral program with cash bonuses. Bump your pay to match what competitors offer. Just pick something and start.
Tower Eight Staffing talks to Florida contractors every day who are dealing with the exact same stuff you are. They get it. They know how tight the market is. They understand you need reliable people who actually show up and know what they're doing. Their whole network of construction workers across Florida is set up to give you the flexibility to take on projects without stressing about staffing.
Need a couple workers for a quick job? Done. Want to build a long-term staffing plan? They can help with that too. Having a partner who actually understands Florida construction makes everything easier.
Ready to stop worrying about whether you'll have enough workers for your next project?
Reach out to Tower Eight Staffing today. Let them show you how much simpler construction staffing gets when you've got the right partner backing you up.