Across the country, industries are facing staffing issues as a result of the continued fallout from the global pandemic. Many construction jobs have been deemed “essential” which means that they are now having to compete even more for top talent.

When you are trying to grow your team, it may sound counterintuitive to promote from within; after all, you will still have to make a hire to replace the individual who is moving up the ladder. However, especially when it comes to leadership positions, your first stop in the recruitment process should be to look at the talent that you have right in front of you.

In this article, we will be discussing three of the biggest benefits to promoting from within.

#1 Double Down on Dedication

When you promote one of your existing employees, you show your team that you are focused on their career growth. Not only will this inspire your team to do their best on the job, but it will likely decrease turnover rates and help employees to think of themselves as here for the long-term. Essentially, if you invest in them, they will invest in you.

One question that is always asked in interviews is, “what does my career path look like within the company?” Hearing that workplace advancement is something that your company actively works to achieve – and, better yet, demonstrating that to your employees – will have an incredible impact.

#2 Actually Know Who You Are Hiring

There are inherent risks of hiring someone that you do not know. An applicant can look great on paper, but then you find out that they are not a good fit socially. When you promote from within you have the benefit of having seen their work and knowing what type of employee they are. You know whether they are proactive and creative problem solvers.

Retention rates also tend to be higher when individuals are promoted from within. Just make sure that you do not forgo the onboarding experience – there are still likely to be plenty of areas that the team member will need to be trained on.

#3 Save Big on Company Resources

It can easily cost companies tens of thousands of dollars trying to fill an open position. There are costs that are incurred from the HR department posting job openings and screening applicants. There are also costs associated with the team needing to cover for the non-existent coworker. When you hire from within you not only save on costs, you also save time, which can be invaluable in a construction project.

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