The pandemic isn't necessarily over, and the uncertainty continues to impact every segment of the economy, including roofing.

Pandemic challenges and constant fluctuation in the workforce, "along with the fact that skilled trade jobs are rarely perceived as 'good careers' have not helped our industry," notes Roofing Contractor. 

Findings from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce support this sentiment. The Chamber reports that "a majority (52%) of contractors say that a major consequence of the pandemic is an increase in the ongoing workforce shortage in construction." 

Despite increasing tuition rates at traditional four-year universities and the widespread burden of student loan debt, biases surrounding trade school and related careers remain. 

An online survey commissioned by a national metal supplier suggests many people ages 18 to 24 would rather work in a coffee shop than in a high-paying skilled trade, reports The Times. Young people still seem to believe that obtaining a traditional degree is the only route to success, even though trade positions offer exceptional security, stability, and pay.

You're competing for skilled labor with more roofing companies than ever before. According to the Freedonia Group, while the U.S. demand for commercial roofing is likely to stabilize or fall slightly, the global roofing market size is projected to grow from $102.4 billion in 2020 to $156 billion by 2030 ​​— and people want to cash in on the market. As of 2021, the number of roofing companies in the U.S. increased by 1.6% to 108,069. 

When building your team, we know you don't want to just find construction laborers. You want to find good construction workers that are critical thinkers, efficient workers, and reliable teammates. These tips can help you find roofing workers and hold on to them long-term.

What if you could do more with less? There's a way you can optimize your current crew while you look for new team members. 

Some commercial roofing materials are more labor intensive than others and require more training to install. Other materials, however, install fast and with few people. Elevate RubberGard™ EPDM SA and UltraPly TPO™ SA are two such products. Our single-ply self-adhering membranes are uniquely designed to help your team install more squares every season and do it up to 4x faster*. Our EPDM SA roofing membrane, in particular, installs 3X faster than a standard EPDM membrane,** and our self-adhering TPO single-ply roofing membrane can reduce man-hours up to 77% per square on membrane installation.***

No heavy equipment or messy adhesives are required, so your existing crew can move quickly. The cost-savings on labor can be revinested into your company to retain your current talent, or used to hire new teammates.

How well is your roofing company represented on hiring sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter? Thousands of people use these sites to find work, and roofing companies use them to recruit new (and digitally savvy) talent. As of May 2022, there were 15,369 roofing jobs posted on Indeed! 

If you have an online job posting, be prepared for candidates to look at your website, read company reviews, and review your social media profiles. Could any of these platforms be cleaned up or further optimized to best reflect your brand? Social media, in particular, can be a great way for you to gain visibility where your competitors lag. Post open positions on Facebook, and use hashtags like #hiring, #jobs, #jobsearch, and #nowhiring on Twitter and TikTok to attract in-the-moment job seekers. 

According to Zety, "After finding a job opening, 64% of candidates said they research a company online and 37% said they will move on to another job opening if they can't find information on the company."

Search for your company online and review your presence. Ask current employees to write positive reviews about their experience, add a page to your website about employee benefits, or add "day in the life" photographs to social media to spark interest. Put your best foot forward online, just like you would on the job.

Many roofing companies use subcontractors to reduce overhead costs and take on more jobs. In contrast, others prefer an in-house crew to lower labor costs and maintain control of their products, process, and final results. Each setup has pros and cons, and your business doesn't have to stick with just one approach. Subcontractors can help your business scale quickly.

Research trade schools, technical schools, and apprenticeship programs in your state and consider offering your own employment pathway to a local school. 

That's one thing the King of Texas Roofing Company has been very intentional about.  

“I’d like to continue working on our training programs and getting younger candidates and employees in,” Kelly Van Winkle, President & CEO of King of Texas Roofing Company, shares. “Because we do have an aging workforce, we have some internships we’ve developed, and we’re working with Texas A&M University.”

Make your roofing company as visible as possible at local trade schools to recruit young students or soon-to-be graduates. Post on the school job boards, volunteer to speak in the classroom, or attend a job fair. Connecting with your local community can go a long way when recruiting new team members.

As of 2019, 97% of roofers are male. Are men the only ones who can roof? Hardly. What assumptions do you make about who can roof? Check your assumptions at the door and consider recruiting different types of people for your crew, like women, apprentices, military veterans, and foreign workers with special visas. 

We learned from Kelly Van Winkle that “diversity is often thought of as race or gender, but it encompasses much more. Our employees’ experiences, background, personal history, and age contribute to their diverse sets of skills obtained over time,” Van Winkle says.  

In addition to recruiting diverse employees, consider recruiting from outside the roofing industry. Someone familiar with construction can quickly learn a new trade, especially if they're used to working at heights, such as framers, siding installers, painters, and masons.

The roofing industry is rough enough, but you don't have to go it alone. With a knowledgeable partner like Elevate, you'll have the support you need to focus on growing your crew and helping your customers with best-in-class products and expertise. With pandemic restrictions and labor shortages in flux for the foreseeable future, you need a partner on your side who can push your business forward. Find a Elevate Sales Rep near you to get started.

*Based on testing conducted by a third-party in 2017 using our self-adhering membranes versus standard adhered.. Application times vary with settings and environmental factors; actual results will vary.

**Based on testing conducted by a third-party in 2017 using RubberGard EPDM SA versus standard adhered EPDM. Application times vary with settings and environmental factors; actual results will vary.

***Based on testing conducted by a third-party in 2017 using UltraPly™ TPO SA versus standard adhered TPO. Application times vary with settings and environmental factors; actual results will vary.