Time to Hire in Construction: Understanding Industry Standards
Jan 15, 2025
In today's competitive job market, understanding how long it takes to fill positions is crucial for effective workforce planning. The construction industry, in particular, has some interesting metrics when it comes to time-to-hire, and the data might surprise you.
The Construction Industry Advantage
According to data from DHI Group's Hiring Indicators report, the construction industry boasts one of the fastest hiring cycles across all sectors, with an average time-to-hire of just 12.7 working days. This makes construction significantly more efficient than many other industries, where hiring can take anywhere from three weeks to two months.
Regional Variations
When we look at more recent data broken down by region, we see some interesting variations. According to Workable's Benchmark tool, which analyzes millions of candidates:
Global construction time-to-hire: 28 days
US & Canada construction time-to-hire: 25 days
Why Construction Hiring Moves Quickly
Several factors contribute to the construction industry's relatively quick hiring process:
Project-based nature of work requiring rapid staffing adjustments
Clear skill requirements that are easier to assess
Immediate need for workers to maintain project timelines
Industry-specific qualifications that make candidate screening more straightforward
Putting These Numbers in Perspective
To truly appreciate the efficiency of construction hiring, consider these comparisons from other industries:
Health Services: 49 days
Financial Services: 44.7 days
Government: 40.9 days
Manufacturing: 30.7 days
This positions construction as one of the most agile industries when it comes to talent acquisition.
What This Means for Employers
For construction companies, these benchmarks provide valuable insights for optimizing their hiring processes:
If your hiring timeline exceeds the industry average significantly, it might be worth examining your recruitment process for bottlenecks
Companies that match or beat these averages should ensure they're maintaining thorough candidate screening despite the quick turnaround
Having a talent pipeline ready can help maintain these efficient timelines while ensuring quality hires
Accelerating Hiring with Modern Solutions
While the construction industry already demonstrates relatively quick hiring cycles, new technology platforms are making the process even more efficient. Laborly, a centralized skilled trades hiring platform, is revolutionizing how construction companies connect with workers. Through immediate notifications and alerts, the platform enables companies to fill roles more quickly and transparently than ever before.
How Laborly Streamlines Construction Hiring
Laborly's innovative approach addresses several key challenges in construction hiring:
Instant Matching: The platform connects companies with thousands of qualified workers near them instantly, reducing the time-to-hire even further below industry averages.
Comprehensive Vetting: Each worker's profile includes their work portfolio, skills, previous job reviews, and equipment information, making it easier for employers to make informed decisions quickly.
Simplified Process: Companies can post jobs in seconds and connect with vetted, experienced workers immediately, eliminating many traditional hiring bottlenecks.
Trust and Reliability: The platform maintains transparency through a review system where both companies and workers can provide feedback, ensuring quality matches.
This type of technology-driven solution is particularly valuable in an industry where quick, reliable hiring is crucial for project success. By leveraging platforms like Laborly, construction companies can potentially reduce their time-to-hire well below the industry average of 12.7 days while maintaining high standards for worker quality.
Looking Forward
As the construction industry continues to evolve with new technologies and changing workforce demands, maintaining efficient hiring processes while ensuring quality hires will become increasingly important. Understanding and benchmarking against industry standards helps companies stay competitive in attracting and securing top talent. With innovative platforms like Laborly leading the way, the future of construction hiring looks increasingly efficient and transparent.
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Source: Workable's "What is the average time to hire by industry?" (September 2023). Data referenced from DHI Group's Hiring Indicators report and Workable's Benchmark tool. https://resources.workable.com/stories-and-insights/time-to-hire-industry