Research Summary. Here are some key points about hiring construction labours in the United States:
Before you start to hire construction labours, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire construction labours pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.
You can expect to pay around $32,628 per year for a construction labour, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for construction labours in the US typically range between $11 and $20 an hour.
To hire a construction labour, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a construction labour, you should follow these steps:
Before you get started with hiring a construction labour, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.
Hiring the perfect construction labour also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires, and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.
The list breaks down common construction labour roles and compares their salaries.
Type Of Construction Labour | Description | Hourly Rate |
---|---|---|
Construction Labour | Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites. | $11-20 |
Trades Helper | As a Trades Helper, your duties will include obtaining parts and equipment for supervising tradesmen. You will have to carry out some complex routine tasks involving the use of machinery and equipment... Show More | $10-28 |
Helper/Apprentice | Helpers/apprentices are skilled employees who are responsible for performing various tasks that are related to the construction industry while learning the trade from a skilled employer. These employees must assist skilled tradesmen by performing general construction duties while following the rules and safety regulations of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)... Show More | $12-19 |
Before you start to recruit construction labours, imagine the ideal employee for this position and begin creating a profile and job description. What skills do they have, and what responsibilities do they have to be proficient in?
Here are some of the most common construction labour skills:
Here is a list of common responsibilities that construction labours may be expected to fulfill:
Cultural fit is also an essential factor that you shouldn't overlook. Consider how your perfect construction labour will contribute to the team dynamic and help grow the team's culture in a positive way. If you can include a clear vision of this in your construction labour job description, it'll help attract candidates who are better suited for the position.
Rank # | State | # Of Jobs | % of Population | Avg. Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Washington | 343 | 5% | $41,363 |
2 | Iowa | 314 | 10% | $33,535 |
3 | Colorado | 310 | 6% | $34,924 |
4 | Wisconsin | 262 | 5% | $34,889 |
5 | Oregon | 235 | 6% | $37,991 |
Including a salary range in the job description is a good way to get more applicants. A construction labour salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, their level of experience, education and certifications, and the prestige of the employer. For example, the average salary for a construction labour in Utah may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level construction labour. Additionally, a construction labour with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.
Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | New York | $43,519 | $21 | 9 |
2 | California | $41,703 | $20 | |
3 | Washington | $41,435 | $20 | 4 |
4 | Minnesota | $40,963 | $20 | 5 |
5 | New Jersey | $39,448 | $19 |
Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hill International | $52,504 | $25.24 | 9 |
2 | Resource Management | $43,527 | $20.93 | |
3 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $43,483 | $20.91 | |
4 | Insituform Technologies | $43,150 | $20.75 | 13 |
5 | MDU Resources | $42,063 | $20.22 | 3 |
6 | WeatherTech | $40,447 | $19.45 | 2 |
7 | DATTCO | $40,394 | $19.42 | 1 |
8 | St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office | $40,374 | $19.41 | |
9 | MasTec | $40,355 | $19.40 | 49 |
10 | UGI | $40,200 | $19.33 | 8 |
11 | Turner Construction | $40,041 | $19.25 | 21 |
12 | Granite Construction | $39,871 | $19.17 | 72 |
13 | Warfel Construction | $39,759 | $19.11 | |
14 | Legacy Housing | $39,626 | $19.05 | |
15 | Clear Channel Airport | $39,621 | $19.05 | 3 |
16 | Stronghold Engineering | $39,615 | $19.05 | |
17 | AquaGuard Foundation Solutions | $39,511 | $19.00 | |
18 | Bridge Builders USA | $39,343 | $18.91 | |
19 | APTIM | $38,959 | $18.73 | 9 |
20 | Solar.com | $38,941 | $18.72 |
A construction labour job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a construction labour job description:
To find construction labours for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:
Post your job online:
To successfully recruit construction labours, your first interview needs to be all about engaging with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.
You should also ask about candidates' special skills and talents to see if they match with the ideal candidate profile you came up with earlier. Candidates who are good enough for the next step can then move on to the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Once you've selected the best construction labour candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks that you're offering the candidate. It's essential to ensure that your offer is competitive, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it's important to be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.
It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.
To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.