The industry of construction has always been dynamic and packed with numerous different challenges, including labor shortages, security concerns, delays in project completion and even problems with communication between construction teams. Especially in 2020, 12 years after the industry had suffered greatly during the 2008 recession, the industry is looking for stability. Finding solid ground in the times of crisis has become even more important with the report by the Associated General Contractors of America on the job workflow in construction.
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Over 60% of Contractors Had Projects Placed on a Halt or Delayed
According to the report made by the Associated General Contractors of America, more than 50% of contractors have furloughed or laid off their employees. Moreover, 63% of all US contractors had their projects placed on a halt in the last two months. Some of the biggest construction areas such as New York, Los Angeles, and Florida, had numerous construction sites closed and their project delays as a part of the states’ guidelines.
Crucial Construction Sites After the First Wave of COVID-19: What is Happening?
The industry is slowly catching up with the time lost during the two months of halted projects and closing non-essential construction sites. New York construction sites opened on May 15th, while over 7,800 different construction projects were applied to continue with on-site and off-site operations during the major halt. Florida’s construction wasn’t on the halt even though some smaller cities placed all non-essential construction on delay.
What Does Construction Halts Mean for the Industry Labor?
Back in 2008, construction workers who had lost their jobs as the industry suffered greatly during the recession while having to switch their profession and the line of work to make their “bread and butter”. With nearly a million jobs lost in April within the industry of construction, it is yet to see how the challenge of the lack of labor in construction will turn out after 2020.
