Why we need to recruit younger employees

I recently had the pleasure of attending a session on the Communities and Local Government Committee’s inquiry into the capacity of the housebuilding industry.

The committee is charged with coming up with recommendations to increase output.

“Unless we are able to attract more younger people to the sector, getting the homes we need built and maintained might prove to be a stretch.”

One of the points I made was that the cyclical nature of construction means workers can be employed one minute and out of work the next, and that this is hardly an attractive proposition for anyone, especially young people thinking of an apprenticeship in a building trade.

I’d read somewhere that the average age of a UK construction worker is over 50 and we discussed how, unless we are able to attract more younger people to the sector, getting the homes we need built and maintained might prove to be a stretch, regardless of other factors influencing output.

At Great Places Housing Group, we too need to look ahead and challenge ourselves to make sure we can attract and retain a strong supply of talent, so we have a diverse workforce that is fit for the future.

“Younger people are increasingly attracted to value-led businesses.”

Of course we need experience, just like an apprentice needs to learn from a knowledgeable tradesperson. Our experienced colleagues can also coach, mentor and develop the next generation of housing professionals.

But where is the next generation? We have a fantastic offer and, if you believe what you read, younger people are increasingly attracted to value-led businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

This means the housing sector should be in pole position to tap into this talent.

We need to take every opportunity to promote our businesses and the amazing work we do, tapping into the various apprenticeship levels and using the apprenticeship levy creatively. Here in Greater Manchester, for example, we’re working with other providers to see how we can pool the levy for maximum impact.

We also need to think more about graduate recruitment – something we’ve done fantastically well here at Great Places over the years and are now looking to refresh.

At one point there must have been about six graduates/former graduates in various positions in my development team – something I was very proud of.

“Let’s find better ways to communicate with younger people.”

What could be better than a job in a sector that makes a real difference to our society, that genuinely helps people, and hopefully has a decent employer and experienced colleagues to support your learning?

Bringing our values to life in our recruitment; finding the right way to capture the attention of talent; encouraging HR policies that allow flexible and different ways of working; and aiming to provide meaningful, relevant work within a challenging and enjoyable organisational culture will all help.

As employers we’ve got to put the pieces of the jigsaw together to make our sector attractive to younger people. Unlike the construction industry, we can’t really persuade ourselves that modern methods will do away with the mucky construction site for good.

Yes, we have a digital revolution to usher in as fast as we can, but people will still be the bedrock of our businesses for a long time to come.

So let’s find better ways to communicate with younger people, show off our offer, build relationships with learning institutions – including starting early in schools – and build on the successes we’ve already delivered to create genuine opportunities for the next generation, both for those who want to specialise and those who want something more rounded.

That’s our plan here at Great Places – not at the expense of our existing colleagues but to complement the skills we already have from years of hard work, knowledge and experience.

Matthew Harrison, chief executive, Great Places Housing Group