What is your preferred estimating software? What trends in technology are helping the labor shortage?

What are your best recruiting platforms and strategies, i.e. job board or recruiter or other? What are the most challenging features of beams and baffles? These and other discussions await your input in CISCA 365's Hot Topics forum.

With the current surge in workplace immigration raids and I-9 audits, many employers may be tempted to be overly aggressive in the screening of job applicants, particularly as it relates to immigrant and Latino workers. While failure to properly complete I-9s and ensure worker eligibility can create liability with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, if employers go too far in doing so, their actions may be deemed discriminatory by the Department of Justice’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER).

A growing number of construction companies are incorporating robots to solve labor shortages and reap the benefits of improved speed, efficiency, safety and profits, according to a new report. Robots are beginning to make their way into a variety of construction tasks, which will change the way the industry operates, says the “Construction & Demolition Robots” report from market intelligence firm Tractica.

In a move that National Association of Home Builders’ Dave Logan says will harm housing affordability, the Trump administration increased tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports - including $10 billion of goods used by the home building. Even as the higher tariffs go into effect, a Chinese trade delegation remains in Washington seeking to resolve the trade dispute.

The engineering and construction (E&C) sector is happily swimming in a sea of opportunity right now. On the surface, success looks quite uniform - new hires, new offices, bigger jobs, higher revenues and higher margins. But what’s really happening below the surface? If and when the tide goes out, as Warren Buffett likes to say, will some contractors be standing more proudly than others? 

Construction companies across the U.S. are scrambling to attract young workers, and the lure of using technology can be a big draw. In a recent USG+US Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index of U.S. contractors, 32% cited the ability to work with advanced technology as a top way to attract new workers under 30.

Most people in the workforce have experienced a “quick stop” at some point in their work history. Candidates are often advised to leave these experiences off of their résumés for fear of being labeled a “job hopper” and overlooked for new opportunities. But it’s actually important for candidates to include these brief stays on their résumés - and for employers to avoid passing over a talented candidate simply because of a short-lived career move.

To fill open positions with the best available people is not an easy task. You first must have a company attractive to prospective employees. And then you must have a recruiting program that keeps your pipeline full of available top talent. Contractors who need field workers have a tough job attracting great people.

Safety leaders at construction firms often promote vigilance on projects, encouraging workers to be a set of eyes for their fellow coworkers. But there are limits to the observations that employees can make as they go about their tasks for the day. Artificial intelligence tool Smartvid.io marries machine learning to jobsite photos, videos and other sources and rakes through the data far more quickly than a human could, so that fewer risks to workers slip under the radar.

It borders on cliché to say that drugs - or workers under their influence - have no place on a construction site. The most recent study by the National Drug-Free Workplace Alliance indicates that 11.6% of construction industry workers admit to using illicit drugs and 14.3% admit to experiencing a substance use disorder within the past year. These rates have increased as marijuana usage has become legal for both medicinal and recreational purposes in multiple states.

When long term care is needed, there are only a few options available to pay for those types of expenses. Genworth Life Insurance Company and CISCA are working together to provide members with access to long term care insurance protection.

Texas-based commercial general contractor Joeris shares its experience using PlanGrid's digital document solutions with ForConstructionPros.com. The technology allows team members to monitor projects even when offsite and communicate instantly and transparently with all involved parties.

HBI (Home Builders Institute) and The Home Depot Foundation are expanding their trades training partnership to include transitioning military members, spouses and veterans in the Norfolk, Va., area. Participants in HBI’s Military and Veterans Program can take advantage of a 12-week, no-cost construction industry training, certification and job placement. Active duty military members within 180 days of separation are eligible to participate.