5 Strategies Housing Pros Can Use to Find and Retain Skilled Employees

The home building industry has been dealing with a labor shortage for years, making it tough to hire and retain good workers. Success in the field depends heavily on having skilled employees in the right positions, so with that in mind, home remodeling and design platform Houzz spoke with five housing professionals to find out what they do to keep quality workers around. Their advice includes forming partnerships with local schools, getting referrals from trusted colleagues, and focusing more on soft skills rather than just the resume alone, among other creative methods to attract employees.

“From the start, Soloway Designs has set one of its goals to create and grow an exciting professional work environment,” says Marc Soloway, architect, founder and principal at Soloway Designs in Tucson, Arizona. “The atmosphere is light, but quality work is produced, deadlines are met and client satisfaction is at the forefront. Our office is a giant family, and as we grow, and during interviews, we endeavor to make sure each new hire will be a good fit.”

Soloway describes the process of sourcing a new employee as an exhausting effort of reviewing hundreds of resumes. He says the company is seeking “a personality that fits with our team. A quality work ethic, knowledge of what the position requires, desire for further growth are a few of the critical success factors for a potential new employee.”