Building a stronger workforce starts with smarter HR.
Running a construction company in Canada is a demanding job. Beyond the blueprints and building materials, managing the people who bring projects to life is crucial. And as more and more Canadian businesses embrace digital transformation, outdated manual paperwork becomes an obstacle instead of an asset. This is why construction companies are increasingly investing in HR technology. It makes managing their teams easier, more efficient, and more human-centric.
What’s Happening in Canadian Construction?
The Canadian construction sector is busy and growing, but it’s facing some significant headwinds when it comes to staffing. One of the biggest challenges is a widespread labour shortage and skills gap. Many experienced workers are nearing retirement age, and there aren’t enough new people entering the trades to replace them. This means there’s a high job vacancy rate across the country. Companies can’t find enough skilled tradespeople which delays projects. It’s estimated that over 500,000 additional construction workers will be needed by 2030 just to meet housing and infrastructure demands. Yet attracting this workforce is a struggle.
Keeping the skilled workers you already have is also tough. With intense competition for talent, competitors offering better pay or conditions can easily poach good employees. Chronic understaffing can lead to long hours and burnout, causing even experienced workers to leave. Losing a skilled tradesperson isn’t just about replacing a person. It’s losing specialized knowledge that keeps projects on track. Beyond staffing, construction companies also navigate complex federal and provincial labour laws, tax regulations, and a strong union presence. This adds layers of administrative complexity to HR processes.
How HR Tech Lifts the Burden
This is where HR technology comes in. By automating and streamlining many routine tasks, HR tech frees up valuable time for HR teams and managers to focus on the people side of the business – supporting employees and building a positive workplace. Technologies like automated recruitment systems can handle time-consuming tasks like screening resumes and scheduling interviews. The hiring process becomes faster and more efficient.
Once new hires are brought on board, enhanced onboarding processes use digital portals and electronic document signing to help new team members feel welcome and integrate smoothly from day one. HR tech also supports efficient performance management by providing tools for continuous feedback and goal setting, helping employees grow and stay engaged. With the rise of diverse work models, including remote and hybrid teams, HR technology also provides essential tools for collaboration and communication, keeping everyone connected regardless of location.
By centralizing employee data and providing analytics, HR tech empowers businesses to make more informed decisions about their workforce based on real-time information, rather than guesswork. This helps address issues like turnover and informs strategies for improving retention and employee well-being. Tech-enabled self-service portals allow employees to access important information like pay slips and manage personal details easily, giving them autonomy and improving their experience.
Meet Workforce Go: Your Partner in Canadian Construction HR
Finding the right HR technology that understands the unique needs of Canadian businesses, especially in sectors like construction, is key. That’s why we’re excited to announce that Workforce Go has just expanded into Canada. We’re thrilled to bring our experience and proven solutions to the construction industry.
Our initial focus in Canada is our powerful HR and Time solutions. They’re designed to make managing your team easy, working within the parameters of Canadian national and provincial labour laws, as well as union regulations – which is crucial in the construction industry. Our platform can help streamline HR processes by automating tasks like onboarding and time-off requests, cutting down on manual data entry. We offer enhanced compliance by helping businesses adhere to federal and provincial regulations, including privacy laws like PIPEDA.
Workforce Go also provides efficient employee data management, centralizing records for easy access and reporting, and offers tools to improve employee engagement, such as mobile self-service options. Importantly, our platform is built to integrate seamlessly with popular ERP systems used by Canadian construction companies, including Acumatica, Sage 300 CRE and Sage 100, making it easier to connect your HR data with your existing accounting systems.
Ready to See How Smarter HR Tech Can Help?
HR technology isn’t just about keeping up with trends. It’s about making your construction business more efficient, compliant, and a better place to work. By addressing staffing challenges, streamlining complex administrative tasks, and empowering your people, HR tech helps build a solid foundation for growth.
Want to see Workforce Go’s HR & Time solutions in action for your Canadian construction company? Contact us to schedule a demo!
