Most of the United States experienced a busy month of construction in January. A press release from the Associated General Contractors says that despite harsh winter weather, construction jobs increased in January, 2014, as compared with January, 2013. Kansas topped the list for job creation, with a 10.7 percent hike, or 5,900 new…(Read More)
According to OSHA, only nine percent of people working in construction in the U.S. are women. This includes managerial, professional, and administrative positions. Has anyone parsed the data to determine the number of women who are deemed “bossy?” The ‘Ban Bossy’ campaign initiated by Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg looks to prevent stereotypes of women…(Read More)
Officials at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are assessing feedback from businesses and associations about its plan to make injury records public. OSHA says its rule change is needed so employers can compare track records with their peers. But not everyone agrees. For the past four years, many have voiced opposition to the recommended…(Read More)
The World Green Building Council has started to take an in-depth look at how green building strategies can positively affect the health and productivity of office building occupants. At the heart of the research are people, and how their surroundings impact overall health, sick days, employee turnover, and more. A post on GreenBuildingNews.com…(Read More)
Humility and confidence are among the attributes you should insist upon when hiring managers. Top notch construction project managers should also have superior communication skills. “A person who is frequently misinterpreted or who always seems to rub people the wrong way just won’t be the best fit for a management position, states Robyn Tellefsen…(Read More)
A New York-based company is beta-testing robots that can lay bricks and may be coming to a jobsite near you. The semi-autonomous mason machine, or SAM, is being watched closely by construction and robotics professionals alike. “At a full sprint, SAM can lay bricks at speeds comparable to a mason,” says Scott…(Read More)
February featured brisk job activity in the construction sector. Some 15,000 jobs were added last month, that despite the unseasonably cold and snowy weather in much of the country. Overall, the economy added 175,000 jobs, an unexpected increase compared with the two prior months that saw sluggish numbers. Also, Marketwatch reports that the…(Read More)
An associate business professor at Utah State University says he can determine if an employee is ready to jump ship. On the list of 10 factors, Tim Burns contends if six are positive, statistically, the individual is looking to separate. Burns maintains that based on the criteria, he’s correct 80 percent of the time…(Read More)
How much credence do you give to your gut instincts? If you depend on your intuition when hiring, workplace blogger Meghan Biro warns that going with your gut is too vague when making important hiring decisions. Biro says due diligence is needed, and she has five ways to avoid the common traps of bad hires…(Read More)
How do you keep clients up-to-date in our attention-starved business world? If you’re still sharing information through spreadsheets, multi-page reports, and PowerPoint slides, it’s time to refine your business communication. Visuals and multimedia are the buzz for 2014. Clearly, visuals have been integral to the construction industry long…(Read More)
