30th April, 2025
The construction industry is at a critical inflection point. With project pipelines surging, compliance pressures intensifying, and experienced workers retiring, the skills shortage is a daily operational reality. For many construction leaders, it’s not just a question of growth; it’s a matter of business continuity.
In our recent survey of over 500 mid-sized business leaders and decision-makers across Australia, we discovered that the majority are struggling to find skilled staff.
For construction firms, the pain runs deeper: over 80% of builders are facing difficulties when it comes to hiring workers. And the stakes are higher for this industry than others. When you’re managing tight project deadlines and on-site safety, being short on labour doesn’t just slow things down, it puts your entire operation at risk.
The conversation around workforce strategy in construction needs to shift. It’s not enough to talk about having more hands on deck. Construction companies need to implement strategies that include employee training, employee retention, and integrating digital tools to keep businesses running.
According to our research, mid-sized businesses power around 23% of Australia’s GDP. Yet, many feel overlooked by government policy. This disconnect highlights a fundamental issue: business leaders can’t afford to wait for outside solutions. The responsibility — and opportunity — lies within their own strategy.
Business leaders tell us that in the next five years, the following is needed to help shape their success:
While that looks good on paper, government funding takes time and valuable resources to secure. This reality has prompted mid-sized construction companies to explore alternative workforce management solutions.
The traditional approach to solving labour shortage is to recruit more workers. But with talent scarce, that model is no longer sustainable.
Construction leaders need to think outside of the box, focusing on retention, productivity, and performance.
This is where digital tools like MYOB Acumatica can help build a strong foundation for strategic workforce leadership.
MYOB Acumatica enables construction firms to:
When site teams are supported with seamless systems and transparent information, it makes it easier to get the job done on time, on budget and without errors.
70% of mid-sized businesses agree that digital tools can help offset staffing challenges. However, that potential is only realised when technology is seen not as an IT initiative but as a workforce strategy.
For construction leaders, ERP systems like MYOB Acumatica represent a critical lever. ERP provides the visibility and control to do more with the team you have — and the capabilities to scale when the opportunity presents itself.
It’s no longer about plugging gaps with quick hires. It’s about equipping your organisation to adapt, optimise, and thrive even when the labour market is tight.
The current skills shortage is not a temporary hurdle to get over before. The reality is that this is the new normal. When you consider the current environment, it’s not hard to see why change needs to happen.
Rather than waiting for conditions to improve or government funding to arrive, forward-thinking leaders are using agile processes and technology to enable their teams instead.
The skills gap won’t close itself. Construction business leaders willing to evolve how they manage their people can seize this moment to build lasting competitive advantages.
Mid-sized construction leaders have the proximity to their teams, the flexibility to innovate, and the urgency to act. Integrating workforce strategy into your process enables a shift from reactive prioritisation to confident, resilient growth.
It’s time to stop thinking about labour as a problem to solve. Rather, it’s time to build the kind of workforce that can thrive in the face of change.
Click here to learn more about MYOB Acumatica Construction.
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