Over the last few weeks, we’ve spent a fair amount of time engaging with our clients, talking about the changes they've made on their sites to make their working environments safe. Getting everyone back on-site during the pandemic has been tough but there have definitely been some benefits to looking at how sites were operating and making changes. In this blog, I’ll be sharing the top 3 changes we’ve identified… Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction In our previous blog, The Top 3 Ways Construction Companies Want to Be Supported during COVID-19 we looked at how our clients wanted and needed to be supported by us during the early days of the pandemic. Since then we’ve been having a lot of conversations with our clients about the changes they've made on their sites. What practices would they recommend? Has there been a positive in having to re-evaluate their processes? And as promised we’re going to share the results with you. Whilst our clients operate in sectors and each site will have different requirements there is definitely a common theme... The Top Three Changes Our Clients Have Made to Their Sites during the Pandemic But what were the other responses? We actually received quite a few from this question but the top 3 we're definitely clear. The next four responses received came up evenly within our poll: You can see all responses here: ​September’s issue of the Glenigan Construction Review has identified positive trends inactivity as the industry has emerged from lockdown, restarted projects, and progressed new projects to site. The value of projects starting on-site averaged £4.7 billion per month during the three months to August, a decline of 30% on the previous year. Underlying projects, valued at less than £100m, declined 32%, but rose 28% on the preceding three month period, seasonally adjusted. Major projects, anything over £100m, declined 22% on the previous year. So whilst year on year the outlook has declined, comparing quarterly things are starting to look up. Could these changes have been a major part of this? Do you think that making these changes will be long term improvements in your business? Comparatively the pandemic also made us reevaluate how we work as a business and whilst some changes aren't always comfortable we are starting to come through the lockdown a strong, leaner more productive construction recruitment team. If you haven't already read our blog about the changes we made you can do that here. ​We’d love to hear from you. We'd like to continue getting your feedback so that we can share ideas, best practices, and general feedback. If you’d like to have a chat with your Consultant feel free to call us or ask for a call back (at your convenience).

We recently announced the launch of our specialist offsite construction team, we're focused on helping our clients to source the very best talent to meet the ever-increasing demand in the offsite construction sector. I'm happy to let you know that we're now a member of the Offsite Alliance! Rhian Newman Business Manager Offsite & Professional Who are the Offsite Alliance? Formed in 2019 the Offsite Alliance has brought together a wide collaboration of makers and shakers who have a vast depth of experience all working within the Offsite sector. Through collaboration and action we will deliver the transformation the Construction industry needs. Driving innovation and change. Focused on offsite residential we help to create the beautifully designed sustainable homes and communities that are truly for all. What do they do? The Offsite Alliance works alongside leading organisations, industry bodies, government, local authorities, housing associations and most importantly its members to increase the uptake and delivery of Offsite technologies across the residential sector. They promote best practice, share innovation, and work together to create the high quality, sustainable homes of the future. Collaboratively we create the new skills needed to fuel a revolution in housing, inspiring generations to join the new and exciting world of manufactured construction. How can we help you? We’ve visited over 75% of the UK’s Offsite manufacturing facilities and have helped to build many of the most successful modular companies within the market today. The team have an unrivalled reputation in delivering candidates of all levels within Offsite construction. Whether you’re an established provider of MMC looking for a full Site and Commercial team or maybe you’re looking for that industry expert to help drive Modular Build within your Traditional construction company - we are here to help. We recruit from Site Supervisor level to Construction Director and from Trainee Estimator/QS to Commercial Director.  With our Proven Process we can provide quality, vetted candidates on both a temporary and permanent basis. Sectors Include Timber Frame, Modular Build, Light Gauge Steel Frame and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT).   When you’re looking to work with recruiters that specialise in Offsite, Design & Technical, Sales, Manufacturing & Operations and Professional - we’re proud to be your go-to recruiter. Contact your Offsite team today to discuss how we can support your business needs.

I'm delighted to announce that we're amongst the finalist of this year's Bristol Property Awards. The team have all worked really hard to achieve this recognition and whether we take the prize or not I'm really proud of them all.  Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction This will be the second year of the Bristol Property Awards celebrating the dynamic Bristol property sector. From residential to commercial, lettings to new builds, civic buildings to bold re-imaginings, Bristol is jam-packed with exciting and forward-thinking property businesses who are helping to shape Bristol's skyline. Property matters to us all. Professionally in financial terms; aesthetically in its creativity; practically in somewhere to live or work. As specialists in construction recruitment across the South West our goal is to ensure that we are the go-to recruiter for our clients and candidates. By offering our candidates the best opportunities in the region we can ensure that our clients have the very best choice of staff and talent working within their business and on-site. We're delighted to announce that we qualified for two categories; employers and suppliers and services.  EMPLOYER 'This Award recognises the best employers in the sector – tell us about your staff retention, incentives, development, and anything else that makes your company the best in Bristol when it comes to employment.' How did we qualify? The average tenure of over 9 years, all bar one of the team live in Bristol All of the staff have worked their way up including our Director, we like to develop people into their roles Three internal promotions in the last 12 months with two more on the horizon in 2021 Moving to bigger bespoke fitted premises on Victoria Street in January 2021 to accommodate a bigger team and give them a better working environment Regular competitions & rewards revolving around hitting targets, demonstrating our values, and passing milestones – prizes in the last 12 months have included holidays, surfboards + lessons, high street vouchers, and many more Three members of staff currently taking part in a 12-month recruitment apprenticeship Monthly training sessions in recruitment hosted by either our leadership team or external providers Katie Smith ‘I started at Thorn Baker fresh to recruitment and construction, the success I’m currently enjoying comes from the support and development I’ve received. Recruitment can be tough but it’s incredibly rewarding, I love nothing more than going out on-site and seeing the exciting projects that are happening in the area. Seeing a completed building or housing project knowing that I’ve played a part in supporting that build is a great feeling. My career has been supported continuously throughout from both Jack and Rob. From learning the ropes to becoming a Managing Consultant it’s been great. Our internal training plan covers every aspect of what we do. I’m currently working on an external Level 3 Management qualification – knowing that I’m working for a company that cares about my development as much as I do means a lot to me.’ Rhian Newman ‘Thorn Baker have given me the freedom and trust to really put my own ideas into practice and it’s been an incredibly rewarding 12 months, and I feel very lucky to work for a company whose goals are so aligned to my own. We’ve been really busy over the last year launching a new team within Thorn Baker Construction and will be working on a more refined look for our White Collar offering across the South West – There are some great things to come and we can’t wait to share them with you. Thorn Bakers’ entrepreneurial approach, their continued ability to remain true to their core values of been People-Driven, Positive-Minded, and Solution-Focused make this such a great place to work. Staff are rewarded and recognised for their efforts and each member of the team really cares about the business. It’s not about individuals here it’s about ‘team’ and that’s rare to find in a recruitment environment.’ SUPPLIERS AND SERVICES 'This category showcases suppliers to the industry and key support from a professional service to property in the Bristol area. Although the service may be broad, the judges are looking for examples specifically relating to work within the local property sector. The Judges are looking for customer service, customer satisfaction and an efficient service.' How did we qualify? Jobs Filled Locally: 574 Number of People Working over the Year: 1620 Supporting Candidates: Supplied CSCS funding for over 100 candidates Training Candidates: Supplied various other training courses including asbestos awareness, working at heights and manual handling – most of the time free of charge. Worked Closely with Local Job Centres: worked closely with 3 job centres in Bristol helping people get back to work + get reskilled to be able to work in the construction market Weekly Customer Service Calls: Conducted with an average score of 4.45 out of 5 across the office 92% of our customers would recommend us to a colleague or friend 93% retention rate, we track our returning clients and over 9 out of 10 return to us with their recruitment needs Unique Proven Process: Ensures both high retention and delivery rates Jack Parfitt ‘The last 12 months at Thorn Baker Construction have been by far the best in my career. Myself and the Bristol trades team have smashed two internal records; generating the most amount of GP in a single month and hitting our highest number of workers out at any one time.  Not only are we supporting more, now than ever, local contractors we’ve implemented and rolled out our Proven Process which is at the heart of everything we do. It ensures that we deliver a quality service to our clients and candidates alike.' If you'd like to pass on your congratulations or maybe you'd like to learn more about the awards you can contact them here. 

I'm delighted to announce the launch of our specialist offsite construction team, helping our clients to source the very best talent to meet the ever-increasing demand in the offsite construction sector.    Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction As Construction industry recruitment specialists launching our new service focussed on sourcing talented professionals for the Offsite construction industry only seemed natural. When you’re looking to work with recruiters that specialise in Offsite, Design & Technical, Sales, Manufacturing & Operations and Professional - we’re proud to be your go-to recruiter. Thorn Baker Construction’s Offsite team are working with companies across the UK to fill positions currently available within the thriving modular building industry. The team draw on their collective experience of over 50 years in recruiting people across the whole construction sector to support those in traditional onsite roles to obtain new jobs within the offsite industry. Spearheading the team is Offsite specialist Rhian Newman who is building on her considerable experience in the offsite construction sector. Rhian comments: 'I have specialised in the offsite construction industry for almost 10 years and I am always impressed by the innovation and talent within the sector. With the Government’s aim to boost production levels within the construction industry, particularly housebuilding, and as society looks for more sustainable designs for improved environmental impact, we are seeing a greater demand from clients for the supply of a range of trades and professionals to meet the growth of the modular sector.' 'Drawing upon Thorn Baker Construction’s excellent candidate relationships within the industry, we are well placed to identify people with the transferrable skills required for off-site and therefore enable our construction industry clients to fill the large number of vacancies currently available across the UK.' In addition to helping our clients to fill current vacancies, the Offsite team is also liaising with colleges and employers to create courses providing training in the skills required to have a successful career in offsite construction. Based in Bristol, Rhian and her team are liaising with Bridgewater College to develop a new modular construction skills course. In addition, the team are also working closely with the Bristol Housing Festival, advising on the role of offsite construction, using modern methods of construction, can play in providing affordable housing in Bristol and the South West. Rhian adds: 'Modular construction can accelerate the delivery of more affordable houses and social housing across the UK. Our vision is that Thorn Baker’s Offsite team will play a valuable role in plugging the skills gap between the types of job vacancies and skilled workforce available to fill positions created by the growth of the sector. We also want to build awareness that the opportunities in the sector as a whole have increased and of their appeal to talented people within the industry or those considering a career in construction. I’m looking forward to working with construction companies, local authorities and talented people looking to develop their offsite careers and thereby assisting with the delivery of exciting projects across the UK.' When you’re looking to work with recruiters that specialise in Offsite, Design & Technical, Sales, Manufacturing & Operations and Professional - we’re proud to be your go-to recruiter. Contact your Offsite team today to discuss how we can support your business needs.

HOW DID WE GET FEEDBACK TO ENSURE OUR CLIENT WAS HAPPY AND SERVICE LEVELS WERE EXCELLENT? Our client is a nationwide fit-out company who are primarily working on projects for a well-known national high street. As a business they rely on agency labour to deliver cost-effective jobs across the UK, ensuring that they complete, fast-track jobs on time every time. Simon Jones: Business Manager, Leeds WHAT WAS THE ISSUE?      There had been a couple of concerns with our operatives and their client needed reassurance that these were isolated occurrences that wouldn’t occur again. Our client needed to know and understand that our process would limit any further quality issues. WHAT WOULD THE IMPACT BE IF THE ISSUE WASN’T SOLVED? They could lose work from their client if they didn’t reassure them that the vetting procedures were as strong as they could be. ​HOW DID OUR PROVEN PROCESS SOLVE THE ISSUE? Issues Identified and Long Term Solutions Created I met with the Director and Senior Contracts Manager to explain our tried and tested proven process, how it can identify not only supply issues but solve them as well. Aftercare and Service Levels We discussed our Green and Red worker system and how it will ensure future service levels.  Green workers have represented Thorn Baker Construction in the past, have very strong client feedback and attendance records (we always aim to fill jobs with these workers). Red workers have not worked for us before. If we have to use Red workers, the worker has to provide two references from their most recent, relevant jobs or they will not be sent to the job. Feedback and Build a Great Relationship Our client agreed to give plenty of notice of when their jobs were due to start, this allowed the team plenty of time to source the very best local workers. I would provide the relevant Contracts Manager with daily updates on the current levels of availability for both Green and Red workers in the run-up to the project starting. This gave our client the option of managing their own pool of labour, ensuring that they hit the ground running on every new project.

Working from home as a Recruiter didn't seem possible pre-COVID-19. Businesses have embraced the change and are now finding that they can work this way - but is it best business and employees? In this blog, I’d like to share with you what we've found both positive and challenging working remotely and how our future way of working is looking. Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction As a team we're all starting to head back into the office - this is a mix of full-time, part-time and even one day a week, all combined with remote working. Are you finding your staff don't want to go back to office life? Have they taken the opportunity to work more from home, or perhaps for your business it's key for them to be in the office? (COVID-19 safely of course). We recently conducted a survey of our own staff to find out how they were doing during lockdown. How were they coping with working from home, did they prefer it? What had they found challenging, what did they like? Of course, these conversations can be had with someone’s Manager at any time but a survey does allow time to reflect before commenting. Our results were interesting and have definitely given us a lot to think about regarding what our ‘new normal’ will look like. Some highlights from the survey include; 91% of people said that they had minimal interruptions that didn’t materially affect their ability to work from home 90% of people said that whilst lockdown remains as it is they would like the option to continue working from home as much as possible 84% of people said that post lockdown they would still like the flexibility to work from home regularly Positives they had found working from home: No commute/travel time to and from work Better work/life balance More productive at home Less distractions/interruptions Flexibility to deal with childcare issues But is remote working bad for business? Three of the main issues to come from remote working are: Communication issues Distractions Loneliness/ Isolation A recent article from Executive Grapevine has said that communication between colleagues has suffered in some business as people are now working different schedules to accommodate their new working from home life. These distractions come from simply answering the door, moving cats from their laptops to dealing with a lack of childcare. And the other aspect is 'cabin fever' - feeling like you need to get out and see something other than your own home is a very real feeling for some people and can be a big distraction when working from home. Has COVID-19 has really only expedited what was already on the horizon? It’s important to look at how we work currently in terms of offices and remember that ‘cubicle style’ offices have only been around since the ’80s. And even before Covid-19, this style of work was already being questioned and its future wasn’t too bright. In September 2019 The HR Director wrote an article stating that ‘According to the 1999 Labour Force Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the percentage of people working flexible hours in the UK was 9.5% at that time. Recent statistics from CIPD, however, show that this number has drastically increased, with 54% of workers currently having the option to operate outside of typical nine-to-five office hours.’ We'd like to get your feedback and to share ideas, best practices, and general feedback on how you're finding the 'new normal'. What did you as a business see as scary but you’re now embracing? Do you have positives that you can share? Contact the team today, we'd love to get your feedback.

As an employer, you’ve probably already considered the benefits of using a recruitment agency to handle your staffing needs. You need to choose the best-suited agency for your business - but how do you know that you’re partnering with the right one? In this blog we’ll look at how choosing the right agency is the key to finding and recruiting the best talent for your sites. Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction While it’s true that all recruitment agencies perform all of these basic functions, it doesn’t mean that every agency is created equally. Here are our top tips to help you choose the best recruitment partner for you: 1. Specialist VS. Generalist Working with a generalist recruiter can help you to cover a range of job roles – but working with a specialist will ensure that you have the very best workers right at your fingertips. By working with our specialist teams you’ll be working with not only sector specialists but geographical as well. This means that not only will you benefit from our team’s knowledge of the hiring market; you’ll be working with skilled staffing professionals who understand what you’re looking for regarding skills, experience and team fit. Working with us is simple; we are passionate about Construction Recruitment. For 30 years, we’ve been finding the best Trades & Labour for our clients' sites. 2. Recruitment Process Most agencies use pre-screening and candidate verification steps to ensure that their candidates are as skilled as they say they are, and asking to review these steps and strategies can give you great insight into how well a potential recruitment partner will work with you. If you feel that these strategies aren’t up to your standards, it’s time to move on. This Is where our Proven Process shines. We understand that finding the right talent is the biggest issue our clients face, while our candidates may have so far struggled to secure the perfect role. Taking the legwork out of matching the candidate with the client, you can be sure we always have your best interests in mind and the results speak for themselves. 3. Reputation Matters Like any business, reputation in the recruitment industry is essential and it’s something we take pride in. It’s easy for an agency to boast about its hiring skills, but what matters to us is what our clients think. 'We have dealt with the Leeds office for the last 14 years to supply us with our temporary requirements. We have found the quality of labour supplied to be of an excellent standard and extremely reliable; this has been backed by the efficiency and very high standard of support given by the administration team.' Fit-out Client 4. Customer Service As a client of a recruitment agency, the quality of customer service that you receive should be high. You shouldn’t feel abandoned or confused during any part of the hiring process, and the communications stream should always be open. We’re people-driven, positive-minded and solution-focused – from the moment you start working with us, you'll benefit from how we approach everything we do with a positive mindset. These core values provide an ideal foundation for the Thorn Baker Construction team to successfully link people with jobs. Our passion for the industry is clear from the moment you begin working with us. We don't just find and fill temporary jobs; we help our candidates into rewarding and long-lasting careers. It means that you can rely on us to make things happen; turning candidates into trusted employees and jobs into careers. 5. Our Candidates Recruitment should come without compromise, shouldn’t it? It’s why our team's recruit candidates for a host of jobs across the country. With our positive and passionate approach to your business, you can be sure we’ll meet your requirements. We’ve been connecting companies to the right candidates for over 30 years, our database is bursting with qualified people. Our extensive knowledge of the local labour market ensures you can trust us to find the best people for your jobs – quickly. Ready to talk to us about how we can help take a load off your mind when it comes to recruitment? When you’re looking to work with recruiters that specialise in Build, Fit-out, Demolition, Mechanical & Electrical, Civil Engineering, Housing & Residential and Professional - we’re proud to be your go-to recruiter. Contact your local team today to discuss how we can support your temporary worker needs.

HOW DID WE USE OUR SELECTION PROCESS TO ENSURE THEY HAD THE BEST PEOPLE WORKING FOR THEM? My client is a high-end residential house builder that focuses on new build, refurb and heritage. Their traditional ethos and expert craftsmanship have built a reputation for delivering high standard refurbishments and renovations of country homes, period townhouses and listed properties. Jack Parfitt: Business Manager, Bristol WHAT WAS THE ISSUE?      Getting local, reliable labourers to carry out the work in hand. The nature of their projects means that the work they carry out is specialist and they need Labourers to take care and not rush things. WHAT WOULD THE IMPACT BE IF THE ISSUE WASN’T SOLVED? High turnover of staff. A lot of the Labourers weren’t the right fit, unreliable and had not worked on heritage projects before. This had a knock-on effect with project deadlines, it was costly in terms of time having to keep inducting workers. Workers often began performing well but would stay the full week, or they would rush through the work and sometimes causing damage to areas of the house. HOW DID OUR PROVEN PROCESS SOLVE THE ISSUE? Apply Our Tried and Trusted Selection Process Talking through what a Red worker and Green worker was, agreeing with the client that they would be happy to wait for a suitable Green temp rather than rushing to get boots on-site by using a Red worker. Honesty and communication were key so we agreed on expectations in terms of timescales and keeping them to up to date on Green worker availability. If a Red worker was being used, our referencing procedure would have focused asked and the feedback gained was relevant to the role. Match Job Criteria to Candidate Using our collective experience within the office we know the questions to ask to ensure a good match. We work extensively within the sector so as a team we know the exact questions to ask, this streamlines the selection process. All areas covered including transport, legal to work, tickets, qualifications (CITB checked). We look at previous assignments that the worker has completed for us and how each client could use their relevant skillset. Reliability Ratings Evaluated I explained how we assess each reason a worker has given for not going to work and the criteria used.  Our turn up rate of 97% combined with the 30 years’ worth of data built upon our database helps to inform our decisions.   Do you want to discuss how we can help you on your site? Contact us today

HOW DID WE ENGAGE WITH OUR CLIENT TO ENSURE THEY HAD THE BEST PEOPLE WORKING FOR THEM? Our client is a specialist environment contractor that performs ecology mitigation works within the construction sector. This could be anything from a small wetlands restoration for an environment nature charity, through to major infrastructure works such as HS2. Rhian Newman: Business Manager, Professional & Offsite WHAT WAS THE ISSUE? Their issue was finding suitably qualified, experienced staff who we’re also passionate about the environment. Particularly within site-based roles requiring practical construction skills. WHAT WOULD THE IMPACT BE IF THE ISSUE WASN’T SOLVED? Time wasted by their recruitment team and site staff interviewing applicants who ‘look good on paper’ but did not demonstrate the right motivation in person. This, in turn, meant delays in the recruitment process, resulting in potential project delays causing stress to the operations team and on-site staff. HOW DID OUR PROVEN PROCESS SOLVE THE ISSUE? Meet & Discover I undertook detailed telephone conversations with several key project members, including the HR representative, and also Site Managers and the Operations Manager. This enabled me to understand the clients’ needs and ‘pain points’ from several angles. Agree What Good Looks Like They told me about the problems they were experiencing and I discussed with them the solutions that we could offer. I demonstrated how our Proven Process can engage with candidates on a very detailed level, taking into account candidate motivations and personal fit in addition to hard skills. By managing the key recruitment decision expectations, they understood the pros and cons of possible solutions from different angles within the business - including the HR and operations side as well as the sit-based ‘pain points’. Plan & Communicate I explained to them the steps that I would take to meet their recruitment needs. The expected time frames to secure suitable candidates, and the schedule they would receive updates from me. We also agreed what good looks like to them so I could be sure of who their ideal candidate/s might be and they could provide ongoing and specific feedback to help me tweak and improve my search.    Do you want to discuss how we can help you on your site? Contact us today

PM Boris Johnson has announced the most radical reforms to our planning system since the Second World War. So if you’re looking for a new project to get stuck into now could be the perfect time to spruce up your CV and we’ve got 5 top tips on what all construction professionals should be including in their CV’s. Rhian Newman: Business Manager Professional & Offsite The construction sector is one of the largest in the UK economy – employing 3.1 million people or over 9% of the workforce. And with Boris Johnson’s recent announcement it looks like the ‘play’ button is about to be pushed, if you haven’t already you can read the announcement right here. There’s no shortage of CV writing tutorials, we understand that as a busy construction professional you just don’t have time to wade through all of the advice. So we’ve put together a quick top 5 tips on what to include in your CV. 1. Profile: simple and to the point It is important to keep this section brief and to focus on your experience and personality. Using generalised comments such as “I am a hardworking, pro-active, honest person” won’t make you stand out - everybody says that (but you’re not everyone!) This section is your chance to demonstrate what makes you uniquely suitable for the roles you’re applying for. Try turning the tables, if you were hiring what would you be looking for in that person? You should always include: Skills that are significant to the role you are applying for Personality traits that would benefit the job and the company Areas or sectors you’ve worked in previously that are similar to the project Remember the person hiring may have to read a lot of CV’s. Simple, clear, and to the point. Avoid CV cliché’s and you’ll help yourself to stand out in the crowd. 2. Skills/Expertise: expand but keep it relevant Do you feel like you have more skills to talk about but you couldn’t get them into your profile? This is the perfect place to put them. Bullet points are your friend here, list out all of your skills that would perfect for the role. Again keep it relevant and bear in mind the person reading this, it’s a great area to make their life easier. 3. Education/Qualifications – keep it simple This might feel more significant if you’re looking to get your foot on the career ladder, but it’s important to include this information whatever your level. Reference as a simple, chronological list: what you studied, where, and when. You don’t need to include all of your GCSE/ O Levels. Keep it concise, for example, Eight GCSE’s inclusive of Maths and English. Those are the two main things people are looking for so make reading your CV simpler where you can. 4. Experience: consistent and mind the gaps This should be brief and chronological. You don’t need to go in-depth on every project you’ve been involved in or the company you’ve worked for. A good idea is to focus on your last five projects or the last three companies, include your other work history but expand on these. Again make use of bullet points rather than lengthy descriptions. Highlight the major achievements of your job. Did you complete the project on time/ early? Was it on budget? What kind of budgets are you used to working with? A simple format that will hit all of the bases is: Dates Company name (if you used an agency ensure you use the company name, not the agency) Job title Key duties and projects Be sure to include any promotions, they’re achievements and companies want to know what you have done successfully. 5. References: show that you’re confident Don’t be afraid to name people on your CV. Add their job title as well, if you’re not comfortable adding phone numbers just say that you can supply contact details on request

Video interviews have been on the rise for a while, video tech is now being used by 60% of hiring managers, it's become essential during COVID-19. Just because people are working from home doesn’t mean you have to miss out on talent or jobs. In this blog, we share our top tips for video interviews as well some tech tips for Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp. Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction Setting the Stage Ahead of the interview, you need to think about and decide where you’re going to get set-up for the interview. Choose a space that is quiet, tidy and will be free from interruptions. This could be a space that is away from where you normally work from at home, does it need a quick tidy? What’s on the walls? Does the space look professional? Does it have good lighting? We would recommend thinking about the direction your camera will face and take a look at the room from that person’s perspective and make any changes you think are needed. This will help you to focus and what you’re doing and serve as a reminder that you’re taking part in a formal interview. You can show your personality for sure but if you have a secret, under the stairs Harry Potter-themed space it might be best to pick another room. The aim is to create a professional and distraction-free environment for both you and the person you are speaking with. P.S don’t forget to prepare what you’re going to wear as well! Find out the Format You need to start your preparation by knowing whether this will be a live interview or a pre-recorded interview. For both types of interview, you need to prepare yourself to get a feel for personality fit, look a little further into your experience and to get to know each other a little more. Live: Pro’s and Con’s A great benefit is that you can build a rapport together – it’s always a good idea have a look at both your interviewers LinkedIn and the businesses social media platforms. What kind of news have they been sharing recently? Make some notes on recent articles or blogs that they have written and you can bring these up within the interview. The flip side to the above is babbling. Being prepared can help to limit this, remember the person conducting the interview may have several people to speak with and running overtime with anecdotes could force an interview to be stopped short and you could miss out on highlighting your great work experience. Pre-recorded: Pro’s and Con’s A plus side to a pre-recorded interview is that you can really have a think about your answers and practice them as more often than not each answer will have a time limit. Why not ask ahead if you can have a copy of the questions? If you get a copy of the questions practice just enough so that you’re confident but not that your answers sound rehearsed. The downside is that you lose the personal experience. Meaning you won’t have the opportunity to ask direct questions or bounce off of each other’s responses. But perhaps you could turn this to your advantage and send the interviewer a follow-up email with any questions that you’d like to ask. Test the Tech It may seem obvious but this is a crucial step whether your interview is live or pre-recorded. Here is our top test the tech tips: Do you need to set up an account? Whichever platform is being used you’ll need to set up an account, make sure to do this well ahead of the interview. Login and have a look around the interface and get familiar with the features Test your audio and webcam – again do this before the interview. Could you test this with a friend or family member? Make sure everything is working so that on the day you are calm and maintain professionalism. Internet connection issues. This is something that everyone has experienced and unless you have a superfast connection you could run into problems. If you know your internet speed is not always the best make sure that no-one in the house is adding to that. Is anyone online gaming? Are downloads happening?   There are several options available these days for video interviewing and we have a top tip for the four that we have experienced the most. Zoom Did you know there’s a ‘touch up your appearance’ feature? Click on one of the icons in the top-right corner to access your settings menu then click ​Video​​. Alternatively, you can start or join a meeting, then click the arrow next to the video icon and choose ​​video settings​​. When you’re in the video settings click ​​‘touch up my appearance’​​. Skype Struggling to get a background you’re happy with? When you start or join a meeting in the bottom right you’ll see a ‘blur my background’ button, turn this on. WhatsApp Using voice notes during pre-interview or even for the interview? Instead of pressing and holding the microphone icon press and swipe up, this will lock the function ensuring nothing you say will be lost if you take your finger off. Did you know there's a desktop version? It's really simple to set up and It mirrors your account perfectly. You can read about how to set it up here.

Following up from our blog last week The Top 3 Ways Construction Companies Want to Be Supported during COVID-19 I’d like to share with you some practical examples of how they can be applied to ‘real-life’ construction. What it means to us as a team, our clients, and our candidates. Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction Since we shared our survey findings last week I’ve spoken with even more of our clients to get their opinions on our new normal and how we can support them. It’s great, it’s exactly the kind of feedback and relationship we strive for. What’s also been interesting is hearing the examples from the team about how they’re already supporting their clients and candidates. I’ve had a lot of feedback over the past week and I thought I’d share some of my favourite examples with you. Supporting Our Candidates with the Furlough Scheme The scheme has allowed our candidates to remain secure in their jobs. Money worries can be the worst kind. Using furlough has allowed our workers to feel secure, and happy to know that as soon as businesses start to increase their productivity levels that their job is there waiting for them. What more could we ask for right now? Some stats I’d like to share regarding what furlough has meant for our clients and candidates are: 197 temporary workers have been furloughed Nearly £50,000 being paid per week by either ourselves or our partnered payroll providers This is supporting 132 different clients All of our staff have been trained on how to handle questions from our candidates and clients and give advice All of our candidates are receiving excellent communication throughout The Power of a Specialist Recruiters Network… At the start of lockdown (and probably a bit beforehand), there was a fair amount of panic buying – being able to source hand santiser seemed like an impossible task. Some companies worked on alternative ways to produce and supply. Rhian saw some of these techniques being used, and by sharing this information with her manufacturing connections she was able to put her construction clients in touch with the manufacturers directly. Rhian’s extensive network has helped several of her clients to find many items that they had been struggling to source directly themselves, these have included a specialist type of plasterboard as well as masks for PPE. A well-connected recruiter can be a huge asset to your business, not only when you need the very best staff but for when you need solution-focused action to help solve your issues. Relationship building isn’t always about sales. Helping people and supporting businesses within your network and industry at a time like this the key to everyone making it through to the other side. ​The Other Side of the Recruitment Coin… As a business, our passion is to find the best workers for our clients and the best jobs for our candidates. But whilst it may seem simple, it’s worth remembering that whilst in one call we might be telling you about a fantastic Joiner that we’re working with, we’re also here for you should things go wrong. An update I received this week was about a client who had been working for a single business for 15 years and unfortunately due to the current coronavirus situation had been made redundant. Not only is this devastating news when you really enjoy your job, but the added financial pressures and/or stress can absolutely take their toll. This particular client did not have a CV - when you’ve been a job role for a long time updating your CV can be the very last thing on your mind. So, facing the daunting task of creating an up-to-date version that covered all of their experience, this particular client happened to be discussing this with a member of my team. I’m proud to say that my team member took the time to go through all of their experience, created a CV for them, and with a little back and forth discussion they reached an end result that their client was thrilled with. This isn’t a standard service offered, simply something that my team member felt compelled to do. I’m not sure if you could find a better example of someone being people-driven. Those are just three great examples I’ve heard this past week and wanted to share. Other great examples include; Taking PPE out to sites Collating COVID-19 policies for all of the sites we’re supplying, so all workers are fully informed and updated. This takes some pressure away from our clients Being a sounding board for our clients and candidates Continuous training and development for both our retained and furloughed staff I'd like to reiterate my closing message from last week: our goal is to support you when you need it most. Are you a candidate who's not sure how furlough could work for you and you need help? Are you facing redundancy? We’re here to support you. The service we provide is built upon our core values: Solution-focused, Positive-minded, and People-driven. Each week I’m seeing these values shine throughout my team – if you need help contact us.

The last few weeks have been a huge learning curve for us all - when will construction sites open again? How can we all stay safe in a construction working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic? We've been asking our clients these questions and in this blog, we'll look at what support you need and want from your recruiter. Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction Over the last 10 weeks, I've learnt more (in some cases) about my colleagues, candidates and clients than I have in the last 16 years - I'm sure this is the case for a lot of you as well. The team and I at Thorn Baker Construction have also developed our industry knowledge about everything from PPE to risk assessments, well-being to resilience. Some key stats from what we've been doing over the last 10 weeks include; Organised and delivered over 300 hours of training to our staff on a variety of subjects: mental resilience, recruitment compliance, team building and the best ways to manage teams remotely to name a few. We will continue adding to our training program on a weekly basis. We've furloughed over 600 of our temporary candidates: this has ensured that those without money or work have not gone without. Now working with over 50 candidates, brand new to Thorn Baker, who were seeking advice and direction on the furlough system due to not receiving help or direction from their previous employers. Working closely with over 100 of our regular clients to take on board all of their individual risk assessments, the changes being put in place and messages that needed to be cascaded down to the workforce. Our Managers have attended weekly meetings/webinars with the REC, HMRC and APSCO to ensure our knowledge base is up to date, and we're confident with the latest changes as they happen. We have purchased a stock of FFP2 masks and latex gloves: developed a system to get them to our clients and candidates anywhere in the country in less than 24 hours if required. Adjusted all of our procedures and vetting questions when taking on job requirements for our clients and candidates alike to match the government guidance as well as what our customers need to know. My mission as we headed into lockdown was that I wished for us to come back stronger, smarter and easier to work with when we came out, we still have work to be done we are getting there. Our values could not have been more relevant in the last 10 testing weeks; Solution-focused: You can see from the above that our focus is to make our clients and candidates lives easier where we possibly can. Positive-minded: When the world is reasonably full of negative news right now and this value has been preached from the rooftops, we’ve tried to keep the smiles on our faces at all times. People-driven: We're holding daily meetings since this started and grown closer to our colleagues, candidates and clients. Hopefully, our strengthened bonds are a sign of what is to come. A lot of our learning over the last 10 weeks has come from having quality conversations with those in the construction industry. We feel that good quality communication and collaboration in the coming months will be the key to make the coming challenges easier and more efficient for all involved. Over the last two weeks we have asked our clients two questions in order for us to continue to improve our services; What can recruiters do to improve service post-COVID-19? The top 3 responses given by our clients were: But what were the other responses? We actually received quite a few ideas from this question but the top 3 we're definitely clear. The other responses we received were: What is the one thing recruiters can do to improve efficiency for you? The most recent report from Glenigans has said that: across England and Wales, only around 16% of sites are still suspended, and with Northern Ireland starting to reopen sites and Scotland gearing up gearing for a planned easing of the lockdown from 15 June, activity is picking up pace across the UK. Also, a spike in the number of planning decisions on large projects suggests that the industry has a potentially growing pipeline of planned projects as the lockdown is eased further over the weeks ahead. You can view the full report on their YouTube channel right here. From our survey results and the positives coming from governing bodies alike it feels like we're slowly creeping into a sense of normality (well the new normal!). And the overall message I'd like to give to our clients and candidates is that simply when you are ready we're here to support you. Whether you need staff on-site, advice and support on supplying PPE or if you're a candidate who's not sure how furlough could work for you - contact us.  The service we provide is built upon our core values: Solution-focused, Positive-minded and People-driven. That's what we do and who we are. If you need support don't hesitate to contact us right here.

In these unprecedented times, the spread of Covid-19 has prompted the Government to postpone the reforms to the Off-Payroll Rules (IR35) which were due to come into effect from April. Paul Jackman: Thorn Baker Group CEO Speaking last night in the Commons Budget debate, Chief treasury secretary Steve Barclay announced the reforms which effectively clamp down on disguised employment would be pushed back by one year.to April 2021 Whilst the majority of our clients and impacted workers had already prepared for the changes, they have proved unpopular and onerous for many to implement. The IR35 rules came into effect back in 2000 and the key part of the reform was that clients would now decide if a role was inside or outside IR35. HMRC estimated that as many as 9 out of 10 roles were incorrectly determined to be outside IR35.  That decision will now remain with the worker (contractor) for another 12 months. Thorn Baker welcome this decision as we have several other legislative changes to comply with from April including the provision of Key Information Documents and Written Statements of particulars to our workers. We’re very much operating as usual at the moment in our desire to keep workers working so please do get in touch if you want to discuss how we can help you. If you’d like to know more about IR35 check out the previous blog here. 

It’s generally well known that changes to the governments ‘off-payroll’ rules (known as IR35) for the private sector come into force in April 2020. If your organisation engages or hires contractors/self-employed workers then you’ll probably find this blog a useful read. Paul Jackman: Thorn Baker Group CEO As you’d expect with any change in employment legislation we’re well prepared to keep our clients fully compliant.  This blog will give our perspective on the challenges ahead and will be updated from time to time as we approach the deadline – it’s not legal advice and we’d strongly recommend you check out the suggested links for further reading at the end of this blog. What is IR35? Introduced back in 2000, IR35 is a set of tax rules that was introduced for workers (who typically refer to themselves as contractors) who provide their services via an intermediary, typically their own limited company. The aim of IR35 is to tackle tax and National Insurance avoidance by individuals who are effectively known as what is termed a ‘disguised employee’. Workers are either ‘Inside IR35’ where PAYE deductions must be made or ‘Outside IR35 where PAYE deductions do not need to be made Simply put, if the workers' relationship looks like one of an employer/employee relationship, there is a good chance they are inside IR35 and PAYE and National Insurance deductions must be made. What Changes will happen in April 2020? The responsibility moves to the end client for deciding if an engagement is inside or outside IR35. Currently, this decision is for the worker to make.  If however the end client is deemed to be a ‘Small Company’ then the responsibility stays with the worker Is My Business a Small Company and Therefore Exempt From These Changes? If your business meets at least two of these requirements you don’t need to be too concerned about the changes to IR35 Annual Turnover less than £10.2m Balance Sheet total less than £5.1m No more than 50 employees We’ll be using Companies House to verify the status of our clients accordingly. If you are a small company then you don’t need to read any further. How Do I Know Where These Types of Workers Are in My Business? Only by carrying out a thorough audit of everyone in your business that is not a direct employee and who may be in your business next April. We have discovered that many of our clients have limited knowledge of the methods that non-direct employees are engaged. For example, your recruitment agencies may be using a wide variety of vehicles to provide the people who fill your vacancies, be that through PAYE, CIS intermediaries, Umbrella Companies or Personal Service Companies.  Many clients have a significant number of ‘direct hires’ that IR35 impacts such as IT consultants, part-time FD’s or those individuals that are brought in on a project-specific basis. Things to consider: Who in your company is best placed to do this audit? Who may be joining you between now and April 2020 and what is their employment status? Deciding If a Role is Inside of Outside IR35? Making this determination runs to a level of complexity way beyond a mere website blog but a good starting point is to use the online tool CEST (Check Employment Status for Tax). HMRC will stand by the outcome providing you have used reasonable care to use it. The latest version came out as recently as the end of November 2019. There are other methods, most commonly being the use of IR35 consultants – or your own professional advisors. You’ll need to decide who is responsible and accountable within your business for making the decision (s) and how you will maintain appropriate records. If you have a HR department they should be well underway with IR35 preparations. Anecdotal evidence for the roles that we specifically recruit for in the Construction and Facilities Management Sectors suggests that they will virtually all fall within IR35 Cascading the IR35 Decision If a client makes a decision on a role, the decision and the reasons for that decision need to be passed down to all parties in the supply chain including the worker. This is usually done via a ‘Status Determination Statement’ (SDS) which the end client has to prepare and issue. We’ll have to assume that all our roles are within IR35 unless we receive an SDS to the contrary. Who Makes Deductions if Inside IR35 The Fee Payer (i.e. the organisation last in line who makes payment to the worker’s intermediary) is liable for making the correct deductions for deemed employment so clients can rest assured that Thorn Baker can operate this compliantly and make the necessary quarterly reports to HMRC. Liability If an incorrect decision is made and a worker is treated as outside IR35 when they should be inside IR35 then liability will rest with the party that has failed to fulfil its obligations – so if the wrong decision is made then the end client will be liable for unpaid PAYE and National Insurance. Ok, I’m Starting to Get This. What’s This Likely to Mean in Commercial Terms? So this is the really interesting thing – let’s examine this from two perspectives, the cost to hirer and the cost to the worker. Workers/contractors are very vocal online about how these changes are going to significantly impact their take-home pay. These are the workers who 1) currently deem themselves to be outside IR35 and thus benefit from let’s say ‘beneficial’ arrangements and 2) believe they will be deemed to be inside IR35 once the end client makes the decision. (One could argue that in this case perhaps the workers have made an incorrect determination – but nevertheless they currently are liable and responsible for that decision) We’ve done the sums and they are quite startling. For a hirer that may have a worker via a PSC outside IR35 on £25 hour x 40-hour week = headline pay of £1000/week, a typical weekly ‘take-home’ pay will be £805. Moving this worker to full PAYE employee status with Income Tax, National Insurance and Holiday Pay Contributions will increase the cost to £34.22/hour to maintain the same take-home pay. And that’s before any agency, including Thorn Baker, adds on their desired mark up. How many people can afford to have a significant reduction in take-home pay? How many end-users can afford to pay 37% more for the same individual doing the same work as before? If the end-user cannot or will not pay any more, the take-home reduction will be of the order of 20% Quite simply, the costs of end users making ‘inside IR35’ decisions may be quite alarming for many clients, especially if tied into long term contracts where the cost of workers is a significant proportion of overheads. Solutions It’s not the scope of this blog to talk about workarounds or explore loopholes but with planning, the right advice and enough time it may be possible to redesign roles to fall outside of IR35. With our first-hand knowledge of our clients and the sector’s that they operate in we expect the vast majority will deem all their roles to fall within IR35. What will then happen may include Transition to Perm (We will happily discuss a sensible take on fee) Continue to pay as a PSC but make PAYE deductions Move workers to Umbrella solutions Move workers to agency PAYE With the exception of taking on permanently, it will cost a fair bit more. Small Companies may find themselves gaining a competitive advantage as their hiring costs are impacted less. The Thorn Baker Approach As Corporate Member of the REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) and APSCO (The Association of Professional Staffing Companies), we have frequent updates on IR35 and access to qualified legal support. You can be assured we’ll keep you, our clients, compliant. Because the scope of IR35 is so vast, across all of UK businesses and not just our specific sector knowledge, and carries significant liability issues we would remind you that this blog is simply our current perspective. What we are doing is talking to clients on a daily basis to ‘nudge’ them towards dealing with their IR35 challenges and our Directors and Senior Managers are putting IR35 on the agenda of every relevant client meeting to ensure we’re adding clarity and transparency to future arrangements. If you would like to discuss any of the points raised in this blog, or simply  arrange a conversation about IR35 then please contact the writer paul@thornbaker.co.uk 07970 075160 Useful Links gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax gov.uk/guidance/understanding-off-payroll-working-ir35 gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm11000

There are several major projects in progress in the Nottingham City area right now. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at my top 3 favourite projects - how they will help to improve the city and when they're due to be completed.  Demi Harman, Business Manager - Nottingham The Southern Gateway Nottingham City Council has estimated that the regeneration will directly create 532 full-time jobs as well as 2,300 indirect jobs and will result in a new library, 1,208-space car park, bus station and 75,347 sq ft of altered public space. This is fantastic news for the local community - but what is being built? The Southern Gateway project is due to be completed by mid-2021. It includes a revamp of the intu Broadmarsh centre, a new bus station, car park, library, retail spaces, and changes to the area’s road and tram links. Nottingham Castle Regeneration Work has started and is due to be completed in 2020. The whole Castle site is being restored and redesigned with Brewhouse Yard, the Caves, the Castle and grounds being brought together as a new visitor experience.  Nottingham Castle Trust commented: 'from the Caves to the Castle is a project to transform the entire Nottingham Castle site, re-establishing it as a focal point for civic pride and creating a world-class cultural destination at the heart of a regenerated Castle Quarter.' Nottingham College City Hub The Nottingham College City Hub project is the result of a successful merger between New College Nottingham and Central College Nottingham.  My favourite part of this project is that the college will be placing brickwork students on work experience and further on into the year, a similar number in plumbing and heating, electrics, plastering, painting and decorating and carpentry and joinery opportunities will be offered.  Of course, we're all different and people like different things - what's your favourite Nottingham project? It would be great to know what you think. If you're currently supplying these projects (or any other in the area) and need helping to get the best Trades and Labour or White Collar staff on your site get in touch with me today. 

Are you a Construction Professional who can’t hire enough skilled Trades & Labour and White Collar staff to ensure your sites are completed on schedule and within budget? You will find this blog useful.  Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction The skills shortage within construction and infrastructure is a much-discussed subject across the industry. As specialist recruiters, the team and I can definitely lend an outside view as to why there is a shortage of skilled Trades & Labour and White Collar staff. Over the last month, the team and I have been conducting a survey to get an insight from those at the coalface of the subject – you! We’ve been speaking with Construction, Commercial and Project Managers who are struggling to hire the very best Site Managers, Technical staff or Trades for their sites. With Brexit still being a heavily discussed issue, we expected a lot of answers to focus on this but the results were surprising… Survey Results: The Top 3 Causes of the Skills Shortage in Construction Apprenticeships ‘I believe one reason for skills shortages in the UK construction industry is due to the lack of apprenticeships for school leavers. Schools should also encourage pupils to undertake work experience with construction companies to promote an early interest in the numerous trades within the construction industry and the route to site, contract & project management.’ Brendan Alexander, Project Manager  Like Brendan, many others that we spoke with agreed that apprenticeship availability was a major issue – especially when the Construction industry remains a large contributor to the UK economy. The ONS recently stated that It generates almost £90 billion annually (6.7% of GDP) and employs in excess of 2.93 million people, the equivalent of about 10% of UK employment. However, only 1% of employers have looked to take on an apprentice or inexperienced staff member for training to ease the skills shortfall. The government has invested over £1 billion into training and apprenticeship schemes; however, the schemes alone do not guarantee employment. Earlier this year we wrote a blog about an apprenticeship scheme that was being developed specifically for people seeking a career in health & safety – you can read it here. Poor Image ‘For whatever reason, I believe some people tend to look down at tradesman and choose the university route as they believe taking an apprenticeship is a step-down. I believe in a not so distant future there will be a massive shortage unless this is bottomed out.’ Ben Hebden, Junior Contracts Manager  The current poor image of the Construction Industry has a detrimental impact on construction businesses’ ability to recruit and retain people with the right type of skills.  The CITB Report Changing Perceptions: The Growing Appeal of a Career in Construction has shown that the overall appeal of the construction industry as a career option for young people is low, scoring 4.2 out of 10 among 14 to 19-year-olds. It is perceived to be about 'being outdoors and getting dirty' and most suited to 'young people who do not get into college or university'. Wage Related This response whilst being our third most popular opinion was split across the North, Midlands and the South. ​ So, what is the average salary for Construction jobs? The average salary for Construction jobs according to Total Jobs is £42,500. How much Construction jobs pay varies across UK locations and industries – when you break down their cross-section (sample size of 14, 456 people) the breakdown of the average is: The North: £57,059 The Midlands: £47,500 The South: £59,122 When you take into account the difference in average living costs across the country it’s easy to see why the Midlands and the South are more vocal about wage issues in these areas. It’s been a valuable exercise to conduct this survey to not only get our clients viewpoints but also for us to sit back, take stock and reassess how we source our candidates. Also, it raises the point of how we might be able to help the construction industry to fill the ever-growing skills gap that Construction Professionals now face on a daily basis. Supplying both white and blue-collar workers across the UK I would like to think we have our finger on the pulse when it comes to staffing availability. If you’d like to discuss the results of our survey, maybe you have a different point of view – contact the team today.

Originally due to be introduced on 1st October 2019, the introduction of the VAT Reverse Charge for the Construction Industry has been delayed until 1st October 2010. This blog has been written to help improve understanding of this new measure whilst clarifying that the scope of the legislation does not include supplies of staff or workers by employment businesses such as Thorn Baker. Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction and Group Director What is the VAT Reverse Charge? The reverse charge is a major change to the way VAT is collected in the building and construction industry and means that in most cases, the customer receiving the service will have to pay the VAT due to HMRC instead of paying the supplier. It applies to individuals or businesses registered for VAT in the UK who supply or receive specified services that are reported under the Construction Industry CIS scheme. Why is the VAT Reverse Charge being introduced? To combat VAT fraud in the Construction Supply Chain. The rationale behind this move is to attempt to reduce ‘missing trader fraud’ – that being where VAT is charged by the supplier but not paid over to HMRC. Where do HMRC confirm Employment Businesses are not in scope? Here, on page 6 of their August Bulletin Recruitment Companies are considered an employment business under these new VAT measures and therefore the charge of VAT, and the payment of VAT should continue unchanged. What steps can contractors take to prepare for Reverse Charge VAT* Ensure your software is updated Ensure you or your accounts team are prepared for a 17% reduction in cash flow You will need to Pro-forma reverse charge invoices and applications You will need to warn your own VAT registered subcontractors You will need to check if your customers are VAT registered, and CIS registered and if they are, check whether they are end-users *Courtesy of the Federation of Master Builders Where can I read more? Check out the Governments own website here

I'm delighted to announce our specialist construction team in Nottingham have welcomed back Demi to support the industry in finding the best construction jobs and Trades across the Midlands. Rob Ford, Head of Thorn Baker Construction  We recently announced the reopening of our specialist construction team in Nottingham and welcomed back build and fit-out sector specialist Demi Harman, following a 10-year hiatus.  Due to a UK-wide shortage of construction skills, many businesses are increasingly looking for specialist support in finding the right talent for a range of construction projects, including commercial development, residential housing, shop fit-outs and office refurbishment, as well as demolition. With a heritage in Nottingham and it being centrally located in the UK, it makes sense for us to build our latest construction team here. Plus, we’re really excited to have Demi back with us to drive the business forward. Demi is a familiar face on Nottingham’s building and construction scene and has re-joined us to head up the new team and will be joined by colleague Khial Farrow, an experienced fit-out Recruitment Consultant, who will be relocating to Nottingham from London to build up the team. Two further new jobs will be created from August onwards and the team has plans for rapid expansion into 2020 and beyond. Our construction team will be operating out of the Groups Nottingham head office and its set to be officially open from August 2019. Initially, we will focus on all trades including carpenters, joiners, bricklayers, electricians and plumbers, as well as general labouring jobs. The move is the latest from Thorn Baker Group to ensure Thorn Baker Construction is the market leader in recruitment for the construction sector. Demi commented: 'It’s great to be back in the Thorn Baker team after over a decade away. A lot has happened in that time and it’s fantastic to see the growth and enthusiasm in the Group for its staff, clients and candidates. I love Nottingham and there are some really exciting construction projects underway across the East Midlands that we hope to support, providing high quality, site-fit, ready-to-start candidates.' Here at Thorn Baker Construction, we’re absolutely committed to finding our clients the very best Trades, Labour and Professional Construction staff. We work with businesses who struggle to hire every day, understanding what a business needs is what makes us great at what we do. If you'd like to discuss your current recruitment needs you can contact Demi here. Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

Looking for the latest construction news and trends? This blog is great for busy Civil Engineering, Housing and Build professionals who need a quick roundup of the latest construction community news.    It’s been another busy month in the construction community - there's still uncertainty and plenty of talk around Brexit. Gender equality is a hot topic as well as a new licensing scheme designed to clean up constructions (at times) dodgy image. Below is a quick round-up of the hottest topics that Civil Engineering, Build and Housing Professionals like you (and our team) have been talking about this month. Rhian Newman, Construction Professional Business Manager     Tender prices to rise faster once Brexit dust clears. Construction consultant Arcadis have said that any hope of a rebound in the UK construction market after the UK finally leaves the EU is looking increasingly unlikely. Although growth in construction output was flat in 2018, activity remains close to record levels, Arcadis notes. However, political uncertainty has resulted in delays in converting pipeline work into turnover. This is adding competitive pressure to the market. In a previous blog (Brexit and Construction: What is The Latest News?) we looked at how Arcadis had said that a 'soft Brexit' could boost UK construction Read about Arcadis’ forecast of 4% tender price inflation by 2022 here    Construction Licensing Task Force to develop a mandatory licencing scheme.  The UK construction industry could be missing out on £10bn-worth of business due to its poor image, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). A new Construction Licensing Task Force, headed by former British Property Federation boss Liz Peace, will map out the licensing scheme. The FMB said the perception of build quality was a major factor in its research around a proposed licensing scheme. It said it had found nearly a third (32%) of homeowners were reluctant to undertake major home improvement work for fear of recruiting someone dodgy. You can read about the scheme by clicking here   Gender equality in UK construction is still a distant dream. Construction trade union GMB has estimated that it will take almost 200 years to achieve gender equality in the UK construction industry. There are an estimated 60,972 more women in the construction industry than there were in 2009, but as a proportion of the overall workforce, women increased by just 2.1%, from 10.4% in 2009 to 12.5% in 2018. Jude Brimble, GMB’s national secretary, said: “Our analysis is a sobering reminder of the scale of the challenge facing the industry. As a union, we are committed to advancing the cause of gender equality in all industries.​'' Want to know more about the Hinckley Point summit? Click here We all know a lot can happen in a month - especially in the construction community. The above is just a small range of topics we've been discussing this month with our clients and candidates. We work with businesses like yours who struggle to hire every day, understanding what a business needs is what makes us great at what we do. If you'd like to discuss your current recruitment needs you can contact your local team here Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

As a busy Civil Engineering, Build and Housing professional, we know you don’t always have time to check what is happening in the world of Construction. Here is a roundup of the hot topics that the Construction community are talking about right now. It’s definitely been a busy month in the world of Construction. Below is a quick round-up of the hottest topics that Civil Engineering, Build and Housing Professionals like you (and our team) have been talking about this month. ​Contractors Warn That Stalled Projects Are Jeopardising the Economy. The latest survey of civil engineering contractors’ workload indicates that UK infrastructure construction has gone into reverse.  Across the country, projects are being delayed, from large projects including HS2, rail electrifications and motorway upgrades to smaller local regeneration schemes. CECA’s workload trends surveys have reported a balance decline of 17% of firms in the first quarter of this year. Have you seen a difference in your project pipeline?  You can read more about what the Civil Engineering Contractors' survey has found by clicking here. ​ Bid Race Has Started for £240m Housing Upgrade Framework. Bids are being invited for places on a framework run by the procurement arm of regional social housing Efficiency North. EN:Procure is looking for contractors of all sizes to provide a range of installation and repair works for planned and responsive maintenance for member landlords across Yorkshire and Humber. The new framework will build on the success of EN:Procure’s existing framework, which has delivered more than £120m of works.  The framework is going to be divided into 17 Lots - read what they are here.   ​Government Funds Japanese Prefab Builder to Enter UK Market. Japan’s biggest house-builder is entering the UK market – with financial support from UK taxpayers. Sekisui House is considered to be a pioneer of modern prefabrication methods, building houses in factories and delivering finished units to site for assembly. They have set up in the UK with £22m of its own money and £30m from the government’s Home Building Fund, administered through Homes England. Will this affect your future projects or could this be a good move to help solve the UK's housing shortage problem? Read about how they plan to help create outstanding communities in the UK here. If you'd like to discuss your current recruitment or career needs you can contact your specialist recruiter here. Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

We are delighted to announce the promotion of our long serving Regional Director Rob Ford to the position of Head of Construction, as well as formally appointing him as a Group Director of Thorn Baker Group. Rob Ford, originally from Gloucestershire, joined the business 14 years ago as a recruitment consultant and has risen through its ranks, becoming a team manager, then regional director for Thorn Baker Group’s specialist construction recruitment brand.  Having played a pivotal role in setting up the firm’s Bristol and London offices and then running the Birmingham and Leeds sites, Rob has also been instrumental in the recent restructure and rebrand of Thorn Baker Group, helping to shape it into three distinct brands; Thorn Baker Construction, Thorn Baker Industrial Recruitment and Thorn Baker Estates, Facilities  & Maintenance. Four of the recruiter’s seven locations now report directly to Rob - Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds and London – and, with his new Head of Construction title, he will continue to run the Construction brand. Rob plans to build on his significant experience with Thorn Baker Group to ensure Thorn Baker Construction is the market leader in recruitment for the construction sector. Commenting on his appointment Rob Ford said: “This is a great privilege for me. I love what I do and there is no bigger buzz than when we bring new staff into our teams and seeing them grow into their role and start their journeys, just like I did many years ago.  I'm very proud of what my teams deliver every day and I thoroughly enjoy every minute I spend in each office.” “My recruitment background is quite rare. I've only ever worked for one company, in one industry and with mostly the same team. I hope that with our recent recognition in the Sunday Times 100 as a Best Company to work for and our specialist sector focus providing opportunities for employees to develop their career along a specific route, we can encourage more people to stay with Thorn Baker long term.”  Paul Jackman, CEO of Thorn Baker Group added: “Rob is a fantastic asset to the Thorn Baker team contributing so much, not just for construction but across the group. He brings his expertise into the Group as a whole and has a positive input into the other Estate and Facilities  & Maintenance and Industrial brands as well.” “Given all his experience, loyalty and enthusiasm to make Thorn Baker the best it can be for both our employees, clients and candidates, he is a welcome addition as a Group Director and his Head of Construction title recognises his efforts building the Thorn Baker Construction business to date. We hope he inspires other people to progress within the business and are looking forward to what else he will bring to the team in the future.” When he is not recruiting candidates into construction related roles, Rob is a keen fundraiser, supporting charities including Mind with activities such as “Race to the tower” in the Cotswolds and the annual Dragon Boat Race in Nottingham.  Here at Thorn Baker Construction, we’re absolutely committed to finding our clients the very best Trades, Labour and Professional Construction staff. We work with businesses who struggle to hire every day, understanding what a business needs is what makes us great at what we do. If you'd like to discuss your current recruitment needs you can contact your local team here Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

I know that as a busy Construction, Commercial and Project Manager you don’t always have time to check the latest Brexit Construction news. With the clock ticking this blog provides a summary of three articles discussing the latest Brexit and Construction news. Rob Ford, Regional Director Thorn Baker Construction A lot has been in discussion over the past few months - do you have contingency plans in place for Trades, Labour and Professional staff on your sites? Could there be a positive in leaving the EU? Below is a quick round-up of the latest news that Construction Professionals like you (and my team) should know about this month.   Arcadis has suggested that a ‘soft Brexit’ could boost UK Construction.  Will Waller, Arcadis’ Head of Market Intelligence, said “Readiness is key. By now many organisations will have post-Brexit contingency plans in place and these should continue to be reviewed and honed.’’. With a ‘Brexit bounce’ being predicted the Construction sector could see output reach 5% this year. Click here to read about how Arcadis predicted the Construction output hike.   Andy Mitchell has written to Construction Minister Richard Harrington asking for him to fight for Construction as the deadline approaches. If you haven’t read about the letter, which Mitchell sent, looking at how the industry could cope with a no-deal Brexit click here now.   Laing O’Rourke Group Finance Director Stewart McIntyre has said that Brexit has ‘no impact’ on UK construction. He has said that ‘Laing O’Rourke has analysed its current order book and pipeline and this review supports an assessment that, to date, a ‘no-deal Brexit’ would present minimal, if any, risk.’ Click here to read about his findings from the company’s 2018 financial review.   Here at Thorn Baker Construction, we’re absolutely committed to finding our clients the very best Trades, Labour and Professional Construction staff. We work with businesses who struggle to hire every day, understanding what a business needs is what makes us great at what we do. If you'd like to discuss your current recruitment needs you can contact your local team here Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

We’re delighted to have been awarded a three-star accreditation by Best Companies recognising our extraordinary levels of staff engagement. This is the highest level of accreditation that can be achieved and is the outcome of staff surveys that saw over 85% of our staff complete. Paul Jackman, Thorn Baker Group Chief Executive Officer I’m delighted to be able to share the news that we’ve been awarded the highest possible accreditation with Best Companies which demonstrates that our people have ‘Extraordinary’ levels of engagement within our business. What makes the award especially pleasing is that when our staff filled the survey it was towards the end of the largest programme of change that we’ve ever undertaken. The result is 100% derived from these staff surveys and builds on our 2-star rating from the previous year. So what does this mean? To give you some context with the Best Companies methodology and structure, the scoring covers 8 key areas which are Leadership, My Company, My Manager, Personal Growth, My Team, Wellbeing, Fair Deal and Giving Something Back. We improved our scores in 7 out of 8 areas. So what have we actually done that allows me to boldly say ‘the largest programme of change ever undertaken’ – here’s just a sample of what we’ve achieved in the last 12 months. Evolved to become one Group with three distinct Brands, Thorn Baker Construction, Thorn Baker Industrial Recruitment and Thorn Baker Estates, Facilities & Maintenance. It’s been a big structural and mental shift from what was previously Thorn Baker Recruitment with separate Divisions. Re-branded using the fantastic team at Yellowstep to support the evolution Launched four new websites thanks to Volcanic and their marvellous tech We also squeezed in our 30th anniversary in July with a week-long celebration that involved lots of cake, and more cake, and beer and more beer. Launched new core values – Positive-minded, Solution-Focused and People-Driven Changed how we run our company – our Operating System, by adopting Traction. This really is the closest you can get to a secret sauce for a complex UK wide recruitment firm and until now I didn’t want any competitors to know how this can transform your business, it’s the best takeaway anyone business owner will get from this blog. Making a plan for the future The planning for 2018 goes further back, to roughly May 2017, and we can pinpoint our Annual Managers meeting when Kevin Green made a guest speaker appearance with impact – it really got us thinking about moving to this new structure and realigning what we do. Not everything went to plan – It was particularly painful to have to close a branch in Manchester. Our High Flyers trip to Milan in June 2018 didn’t take off thanks to the Italian air traffic control strike, so we rearranged for September and all was good. As for GDPR, what joy; thanks to our Chairman John Robinson for the diligent project management and training that keeps us (and our clients and candidates) incredibly compliant. So back to engagement, If you’re still reading you're possibly wondering if a more engaged workforce has actually increased sales? Increased the bottom line? It’s a big tick in the box for both. With the same headcount as the previous year, our sales are up around 10%, GP up around 8% and this is starting to wash through on the bottom line. Our Brands are at your service… Fundamentally I believe if our people are happy in their work then our clients and candidates directly feel the benefit. Engagement without capability isn’t much use, and our capability led to the adoption of the ‘know-how you need’ to help better communicate our offering in an incredibly competitive sector. If you’re interested in working for us then please contact Matthew Dann (Thorn Baker Industrial Recruitment) Rob Ford (Thorn Baker Construction) or Joanne Crampton (Thorn Baker Estates Facilities & Maintenance) Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

Construction, Commercial and Project Managers are you struggling to hire the very best Site Managers, Technical staff or Trades to ensure your programme of works keeps on schedule and to budget ahead of the peak season? This blog provides helpful steps on hiring ahead of the traditional busy season combined with our top tips on avoiding bottlenecks with difficult to fill roles. Winter can be a time when some Construction companies ‘shut up shop’ when it comes to making both temporary and permanent hiring decisions. This can be due to workload changes, budget pressures or simply that there are fewer days on site because of the weather and Christmas. However, it can be overlooked that this is a great time to hire the very best Site Managers and Tradesmen. You’ve heard the saying New Year, New Job we see exactly that with a lot of candidates and in over the years we have seen some of the best Surveyors, Tradesman and Site Management look for a move in January. In a fair few cases these candidates were not available in the busier months from March to October due to the candidate’s workload and commitments.   With many contractor workloads slowing down in the run-up to Christmas it gives them chance to reflect on the year and look forward to any changes that would like to make to make 2019 better than the previous year.   Thorn Baker Construction's Technical Manager, Jamie Risdale, has some top tips for how you can make the most of this time of year: 'I’m working with companies in order to avoid the inevitable New Year bottleneck of hiring the very best talent in a skills-short market. My team and I are having some real wins with key clients by working closely with them to buck the trend on hiring permanent staff and turning this on its head to their advantage. By interviewing and offering now we are finding some traditionally hard to fill roles are becoming fillable.'   Hiring the Best Construction Staff Ahead of the Peak Season 1. Most companies are waiting until January to start recruiting despite having needs. Hiring now means a less competitive market, greater choice and you will avoid salary wars. 2. Tie up your candidate now and they can see out their notice period over December, or even better start them prior to Christmas to limit mind changing and counteroffers. 3. Starting someone prior to Christmas allows you to onboard them during a traditionally quieter period ready for the New Year and enables them to go to the Christmas party and feel a part of the business. 4. January is often manic and if you wait to start the process realistically with notice periods you are looking at March before you will have someone in the business If you’re looking to take advantage of the time of year and secure the very best Construction staff for your site call me today on 0117 2033 444 or by email Jamie@thornbaker.co.uk. As specialist Construction recruiters, we know exactly who to contact – and when – to ensure your requirements are met smoothly and swiftly.  Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

Andy Marr, Tender and Bid Manager at Thorn Baker Construction attended this year's Autumn conference and he rounds up the day for you below. In 1919 The National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) successfully began representing and promoting Shopfitting and Interior contracting sectors. 2019 is the centenary of this excellent trade association so it was with much anticipation my colleague Sid Choudhury and I arrived at the historic County Hall overlooking the Thames to hear on plans to celebrate 100 excellent years.   The morning started with an excellent breakfast and the chance to network, which with so many familiar and friendly faces from contractors and other associated members in the room was a pleasure sharing news from across the sector combined with how good or not our respective football teams where performing. Proceeding to a brilliant mixture of guest speakers, an unexpected movement of people between tables to mix everyone up and encourage conversation with people you would not perhaps get the chance to talk with and an announcement on planned activities to celebrate the associations 100th birthday. This included two fantastic initiatives in helping charities and local communities and recognising young talent. The centenary marks a significant anniversary and a turning point in the history of the association, with exciting news of a new Director joining in January 2019.           #NAS100 Charity Challenge: Target 100 companies to raise £100k in cash or in kind NAS are asking members and associates if they can you make a difference in there local communities or for a charity that individual teams would be willing to support? From 10th to 22nd June 2019 members are being asked to take part the NAS Charity Challenge by either raising some funds, volunteering some time or do something to help a good cause or community project. A large number of members in the room immediately pledged to participate in the challenge creating a solid base on which to build in hitting the magical 100 companies target. #NAS100 Nationwide Apprentice Competition: Nurturing the best emerging talent in the Shopfitting and Interiors sectors. The 2019 National Association of Shopfitters Skills Excellence Expo will take place from 19th to 21st June 2019 and is open to all apprentices, of any age who have recently completed or are nearing completion of their training in the craft of Bench joinery or its related activities. The competition will challenge Apprentices from member organisations of the NAS as well as the British Woodworking Federation (BWF). Taking place at Leeds College of Building, competitors will be sent a design brief prior to the competition and will be challenged to make the piece at the college on Thursday 20th June. More details on these two fantastic events can be found here  Lunch was again another excellent opportunity to mix among the members and with a large number opting to enjoy the strong autumn sun glowing across the capital city. The morning had been positive, upbeat and the welcome sunshine added to the occasion. Lunch was excellent and I’ve got to compliment the County Hall caterers on a superb selection of choice. It may have been Friday afternoon but the spirit and energy in the room from the morning flowed into the post-lunch segment with several more announcements and a very enlightening presentation on technology. I’m amazed by how the industry has changed and made huge steps forward since I came into it back in the 1980s. The day rounded off with a final chance to talk to other attendees and as the event came to an end Sid and I departed having had a brilliant day meeting people we knew, striking up new friendships and plenty of business cards shared. Roll on 2019 and let the association 100 years celebrations begin. If you would like to know more about the National Association of Shopfitters they can be found here  Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

Earlier today The Construction Index reported that the Government has confirmed that there will be no changes to the environmental assessments required under the planning laws. Although much of the legislation originally derives from pan European Union authorities, Britain is keeping it after Brexit. The government has now published statutory instruments in relation to environmental assessments and the planning regime, ensuring nothing changes. Developers will still be required to undertake an environmental impact assessment, to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account at the development consent stage of the planning process. They will still be required to undertake a strategic environmental assessment, to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account at the strategic plan-making stage of the planning process And they will still be required to take into account hazardous substances regulations in land-use planning. The government said that it was “committed to maintaining the highest environmental standards after we leave the EU, and will continue to uphold international obligations through multilateral environmental agreements”. ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

The Construction Index reported today about an analysis of the accounts of more than 1700 construction companies has shown that average annual profit before tax has grown from 11.5% to 17.1% over the last three years. The construction firms delivered a 40% increase in dividends and a 38.5% increase in retained profits since 2015. Gross profit margins have grown by a steady 0.5% a year, while annual turnover growth has slowed from 7.6% to 6.7%. The study was conducted by accountancy firm MHA using company accounts information from 2015 to 2018 published by credit reporting agency Experian, for 1,708 construction firms in England, Scotland and Wales with an annual turnover of between £5m and £230m. Despite the slowdown in turnover growth, incomes rose 14.8% over the three-year period across all sizes of construction firms in the report. Average gross profit margins grew a total of 1% over the same period across all sizes of firms; smaller firms seeing a marginally higher rate of gross profit margin growth.       ​ Most companies saw declining turnover growth over the three-year period. The only two groups bucking this trend were companies with turnovers of £5m-£10m and £100m-£150m. However, given inflationary pressures on labour and construction material costs, any real-term growth from comparatively low turnover increases will be limited, the authors said. MHA’s analysis of the Experian company data showed either very modest growth or slight reductions in executive salaries in the sector, with firms in the £10m-£150m turnover brackets showing a slight decline in senior pay in the most recent year of accounts. The largest salary rises were recorded in the £150m-£200m turnover bracket; the smallest and largest groups (turnover of £5m-£10m and over £200m) recorded only small increases in directors’ remuneration. Average employee numbers of the firms analysed has dipped from 125 to 123 over the past three years. MHA seemed reluctant to attribute this to improved efficiency, instead describing it as “one of the potentially more concerning indicators in the data”. Robert Dowling, head of construction and real estate at MHA, said: “Britain’s construction industry has traditionally been seen as a bell-weather for the wider economy, and there are some worrying trends in this report. Falling turnover growth coupled with flat or declining employment levels may well slow or even reverse the upward trend in profitability in the coming months. “Whilst there remain some positive markers for the sector in the report, the prevailing sense is that the continuing uncertainty in the UK economy is affecting business confidence in the construction industry.” ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

Are you looking for a job in Construction? Did you know that people looking for work use an average of 16 resources in their job search..?  Would you like a fast and easy way of getting all of the latest Construction jobs sent straight to you?  We've listed out below our top 5 tips of how you can make your job search easier on our new website:       1. Register on the website: This will give you access to your own personal dashboard, it only takes a few minutes and it gives you access to all of the great features... You can do that here 2.  Upload your CV to your profile:  Make your job application super easy and make sure that we know all of your latest experience.  3. Sign up for job alerts:  Let us do the work for you! You can set the alert to go to you as much or as little as you'd like.  4. Suggested jobs: This feature will suggest live jobs that are suited to you, another great feature that will make your job search quicker and easier.  5. View your applications: Sometimes it's easy to lose track of which jobs you've applied for... we can solve that problem for you! In your personal dashboard you'll be able to see all of the jobs that you've applied for saving you time. Creating your own personal dashboard is super quick and easier. Create your Construction job alert here You can rely on Thorn Baker Construction to make things happen. Taking a hands-on approach to your job search, we can link you to a host of exciting opportunities in the Build, Fit-out, Civil Engineering, Professional, Demolition, Mechanical & Electrical sectors. Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

Key findings from this months IHS Markit / CIPS UK Construction PMI  are showing that all three sub-sectors recorded a loss of momentum since August.           UK construction companies indicated a sustained increase in business activity during September, but the rate of expansion slowed for the second month running. At 52.1 in September, down from 52.9 in August, the seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI® ) signalled the weakest upturn in output for six months. Civil engineering was the worst performing subcategory of construction work, with activity declining at a slightly quicker rate in September. House building and commercial construction continued to increase at a solid pace, although the latest survey indicated weaker growth than in August. A number of firms suggested that subdued economic conditions so far in 2018 remained a factor holding back business activity growth. In contrast to the trend seen for construction output, latest data pointed to a faster rise in new business volumes. The rate of new order growth picked up to its strongest since December 2016, which firms attributed to resilient demand and an upturn in new invitations to tender. A robust rise in staffing numbers was reported in September, helped by another improvement in new order books. The latest increase in employment was the fastest since December 2015. Sub-contractor usage also increased at the fastest pace for over two-and-a-half years. Survey respondents noted that their own payrolls had been boosted by a larger than usual intake of trainees and apprentices in September. There were also some reports that tight labour market conditions had led to a strategic focus on long-term hiring policies. Delivery times for construction products and materials continued to lengthen in September. Intense supply chain pressures were attributed to stock shortages at vendors and stretched transportation capacity. That said, the latest downturn in vendor performance was slightly less marked than the three-and-a-half year low seen during August.   Tim Moore, Associate Director at IHS Markit and author of the IHS Markit/CIPS Construction PMI®  commented: “UK construction firms experienced softer output growth during September, with house building, commercial and civil engineering all losing momentum. A lack of new work to replace completed projects meant that civil engineering saw an overall decline in activity for the second month running and remained the main laggard.  “There were mixed signals in terms of the near-term outlook. New order books strengthened to the greatest extent since December 2016, which indicates that construction workloads remain on an upward trajectory. Rising demand and tight labour market conditions led to robust job creation, with survey respondents commenting on a larger-than usual uptake of apprentices in September.  “However, latest data showed that overall confidence about the year-ahead business outlook was among the lowest seen since the start of 2013. Construction companies continued to note that political uncertainty acted a key drag on decisionmaking, with Brexit worries encouraging a wait-andsee approach to spending among clients. The main areas reported as likely to see a boost in the coming year were construction work related to large-scale energy and transport projects.”    Duncan Brock, Group Director at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said: “Despite the biggest rise in new orders since December 2016, the sector remained in a downbeat mood with business optimism at its second lowest level since the beginning of 2013. “A cause of this malaise pointed to increased cost burdens with both fuel prices on the rise, and acute shortages in raw materials, as supplier delivery times have lengthened to an extent not seen since 2015. The Brexit blot on the landscape was still in evidence as housing activity slowed to a pre-April growth rate and clients hesitated to place orders. Civil engineering was hit the hardest however and under 50 for the second month in a row, which points towards another contraction.  “Workforce planning was not held back however, as the sector kept an eye on the future and increased operating capacity with the biggest rise in job creation since December 2015. Though the struggle for talent remained and many of the opportunities were for entry-level apprentices.  “This tale of feast and famine offers little in the way of reassurance and is more about holding on to stable growth than a sprint to the finish. The weakest overall activity in six months shows that caution and Brexit concern remain roadblocks to strong growth.” ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

The latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI report has show that commercial building was the best performing area of construction output in August 2018, followed closely by residential work, the latest monthly survey of industry purchasing managers reveals. The latest expansion of housing activity was the weakest since March, though, and civil engineering workload decreased for the first time in five months. A number of survey respondents cited a lack of new work on infrastructure projects. Overall, August data pointed to a renewed slowdown in output growth across the UK construction sector but positive signs included an increase in new business and employment growth maintaining the recent peak level seen in July. At 52.9 in August, the seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) eased from July’s 14-month high of 55.8, but remained above the crucial 50.0 no-change mark. The latest reading signalled a moderate overall rise in construction output, with the rate of expansion the weakest since May. Anecdotal evidence cited resilient client demand and supportive economic conditions, but there were also reports that Brexit-related uncertainty continued to hold back investment spending. Higher overall workloads encouraged additional staff recruitment across the construction sector in August. Survey respondents noted tight labour market conditions and shortages of suitably skilled candidates to fill vacancies. Purchasing activity increased for the eleventh consecutive month in August, although the latest upturn was the weakest since March. Low stock and labour shortages among suppliers continued to impact on delivery times for construction products and materials. The latest deterioration in supplier performance was the greatest seen for almost three-and-a-half years. Despite stretched supply chains and rising energy-related costs, latest data indicated that input price inflation edged down to its lowest since July 2016. UK construction companies are optimistic that business activity will expand over the coming 12 months, but the degree of confidence eased to its weakest since May. Survey respondents cited confidence about achieving organic growth through new project wins and geographical diversification, while Brexit uncertainty remained the main factor cited as holding back sentiment. Tim Moore, associate director at IHS Markit and author of the IHS Markit/CIPS Construction PMI, said: “The construction sector slipped back into a slower growth phase in August, with this summer’s catch-up effect starting to unwind after projects were delayed by adverse weather at the start of 2018. “Civil engineering was the worst performing area of the construction sector, with output in this category falling for the first time since March amid reports citing a lack of new work on infrastructure projects. House building saw a particularly sharp slowdown since July, meaning that commercial construction was the fastest growing sub-sector in August. “There are some encouraging takeaways from the latest survey, especially the resilient degree of new business growth in August and a strong upturn in staff recruitment. Survey respondents noted that they are confident about achieving organic growth at their businesses in the coming 12 months. The degree of optimism reported in August remained constrained by external factors, including domestic political uncertainty, stretched supply chains and shortages of suitably skilled labour.” Duncan Brock, group director at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said: “Cracks in the construction sector’s masonry were beginning to show again this month, and the house building sub-sector was hit the hardest as it reported the poorest performance since March this year. “Civil engineering saw a drop off in larger infrastructure projects and found itself in contraction territory. Levels of new work held moderately steady overall, but with any significant growth held back by Brexit uncertainty. It was also the logjams in supply routes that hampered work in hand where material and skills shortages meant vendor performance deteriorated to its worst level since March 2015. “If there is anything positive to note from this month, it would be that the rate of hiring remained strong. However, persistent pressures from skills shortages and slow rates of new orders will continue to hit business optimism still trailing below the survey’s average. “The sector is hovering too close for comfort to the no change mark, which makes it a contender for more disappointment next month. Though the path to Brexit is paved with good intentions, without significant progress the sector will soon be building castles in the air rather than on solid ground.” Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

A recent article from the Construction Enquirer discussed how Barclays has teamed up with Homes England to offer smaller house builders access to a £1bn pot of loan finance to tackle England’s housing shortage. This is great news for the Housing and Residential sector, is your project pipeline be growing? Competitively-priced loans ranging from £5m to a maximum ceiling of potentially £100m, will be on offer to house builders with the necessary experience and track records. They will be made available to existing and new customers and are designed to cover up to 80 % of costs or 70% of the value of the project. Under the new arrangement, Barclays is putting up £875m, while Homes England will release £125m. A key priority of The Housing Delivery Fund is to support small and medium-sized businesses to develop homes for rent or sale including social housing, retirement living and the private rented sector, while also supporting innovation in the model of delivery such as brownfield land and urban regeneration projects. Launching the fund, John McFarlane, Barclays’ Chairman, said: “There is a vital need to build more good quality homes across the country. “This £1bn fund is about helping to do exactly that by showing firms in the business of house building that the right finance is available for projects that help meet this urgent need. ‘We are very pleased to be working with the government to get the country building more homes, more quickly.” Housing Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire, added: “My priority as Housing Secretary is to get Britain building the homes our country needs. This new fund – partnering Homes England with Barclays – is a further important step by giving smaller builders access to the finance they need to get housing developments off the ground. ‘This is a fantastic opportunity to not only get more homes built but also promote new and innovative approaches to construction and design that exist across the housing market.” If you need any additional support on your Housing and Residential sites contact your specialist recruiter today Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

An article by Building last week discussed how the construction industry feels sidelined by the government in its vision for Brexit, complaining that ministers just aren’t listening. But is the sector itself partly to blame for failing to present a clear and unified voice? You can read a summary of the article below. In less than seven months the UK will sever its formal ties with the EU after more than four decades of close co‑operation – some would say too close – in order to “go it alone”.  Ever since Article 50 was triggered 18 months ago, UK government negotiators have been in locked in talks with their opposite numbers in Brussels over what will be the terms of the country’s relationship with Europe come Brexit Day on 29 March next year. But these discussions have been tortuously slow and seem to have yielded little. With the clock ticking, there urgently needs to be more meaningful progress towards a deal on which all sides agree. Have you discussed of Brexit will affect your sites, do you have a plan in place? While there have been calls in certain political circles for a “no-deal” exit, the construction industry is clear that leaving the EU without a deal would be disastrous for the sector – with a worsening of skills shortages just one of the likely negative effects. “While we’ve had some good conversations, there isn’t much coming out the other side” Alan Vallance, Riba  So with only months to go before the UK economy steps into the unknown, the charge is that ministers have not acted adequately to enable construction firms to plan for the outcome of Brexit and reassure them that leaving the EU – deal or no deal – won’t leave them out of pocket, bereft of the investment, staff and the materials they need in order to build the homes the country needs and the infrastructure to go with it.   ​A sense of abandonment  The results of Building’s survey of more than 600 individuals suggest many feel abandoned by ministers, with 65% believing the government is not interested in getting the construction sector a good deal. Just one in 10 thought it was. Depleted workforce Don O’Sullivan, Galliard Homes’ chief executive, agrees, not least because of fears of a depleted industry workforce from next March. “Brexit will trigger an employee shortage in the construction sector as European workers won’t be replaced and others may leave as we exit the EU. No one in government is advising us,” he says. Government engagement The government says that while freedom of movement will end, the UK will still welcome the brightest and best to its shores. This may cater for university-educated high-flyers or those with a few million pounds to invest in the UK, but it’s less clear where this leaves site workers from eastern Europe coming here to help us build the new homes, schools, hospitals and infrastructure the country needs. Unclear position Suzannah Nichol, Build UK’s chief executive, says: “Every meeting and discussion we have with government is framed by Brexit. My team at Build UK works closely with the CBI and the heads of the other major sectors, as while there are some sector specific issues the majority of concerns are shared across the business community. We are pushing ministers and officials hard for certainty and clear policy that will help our members keep Britain building.” Ann Bentley, global board director of Rider Levett Bucknall and a CLC member, agrees that the CBI – Common sense Others take a less proactive, but perhaps more pragmatic view. Redrow chief executive John Tutte says he and others “would like to see some clarity as to where we are at, and while you have uncertainty, you always have caution. “We don’t want a really bad deal, but you have to have a point where you need to be in a position to get up and walk away. You would hope common sense will prevail. The EU needs a deal as well.” And Colin Lewis, chief executive of Chesterfield-based housebuilder Avant Homes, acknowledges the level of detail from government has been inadequate, but wonders what ministers are supposed to do. “Yes, I want to see more clarity but I also appreciate that the government doesn’t want to give too much away when negotiating.”   Lewis thinks the House Builders Federation has done a “cracking job” of representing the sector’s interests when dealing with Whitehall, but he also believes ministers might have more on their plate than worrying about what housebuilders think. “That said, I share the concern around the level of uncertainty and I’m very supportive of a drive for greater clarity about what’s going on. But honestly, I don’t think the government knows either.”   You can read the full article here ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

UK Construction Online recently featured an article speaking to Simon Crowther, Founder and MD of Flood Protection Solutions, about housing infrastructure in the UK and whether it can cope with another million homes within the next few years. Population change over the last decade has called for a greater number of homes to be built every year, but the UK is already one of the most densely populated countries in Europe, so where do we put everyone?  To make matters worse, we have been subject to more flooding than ever in recent history, and planners must understand that an increase in impermeable surfaces will only exacerbate this further by increasing overland flow and reducing infiltration into the ground. To solve one problem may only create another, so both need to be addressed in harmony. Do you agree with this? The Government set a target in 2015 to build 200,000 houses a year, so that by 2020 one million new homes would have been built. Incredibly, this target was deemed too small and in 2017 it was increased to 250,000 homes a year with the suggestion that the target should rise to 300,000 a year. The problem being seen in the UK is where to put all these houses. Recently, councils have seen increased pressure from government to stop avoiding targets or adopting ‘not in my back yard’ approaches to housebuilding. In fact, Sajid Javid, the former Communities Secretary, told councils that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government would be ‘breathing down their neck’ to make sure targets were met (Khan, 2018). This pressure, and sense of building quickly to meet targets, poses a real problem to flood risk. According to Know Your Flood Risk, one in six homes in the UK at present is at risk of flooding. There is no doubt that the UK has seen a rise in flooding issues in recent history, with climate change and land management practices driving an increase in events. One factor that has contributed to the rise in flooding is the increase in impermeable surfaces with rapid urbanisation. Higher impermeable cover leads to increased surface runoff, a driver of flooding. More and more houses being built will only increase the percentage of impermeable cover, which will continue to exacerbate the issue. The land can no longer absorb rainfall if it is built over; instead, water runs off impermeable surfaces into drains which can become overwhelmed, and into rivers, increasing the flood risk in multiple areas. It is unlikely that old drainage systems will be able to cope with the increased burden, and thus sewer and surface water flooding will be more prevalent. Floodplains continue to be built on despite understanding the associated risks, a trend that is set to continue. Floodplains are viewed as attractive by developers due to their flat topography, but the nature of them, and their natural function, means any homes are very likely to be hit by flooding in their lifetime. Building more homes will naturally put greater pressure on our infrastructure networks.  You can read the full article here Andy Marr, Construction Key Account Manager, shares his thoughts on this with you; “The government’s current £2.5 billion investment programme aiming to improve defences against all types of flooding is well underway. Any innovation would be welcomed which not only helps sustain the current levels of new homes being built across the UK but protects existing property and infrastructure.” ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

A recent article from the Construction Index has spoken about an apprenticeship scheme has been developed by construction contractors specifically for those seeking a career in health & safety management. The safety, health and environment apprenticeship scheme (or SHE) has been developed to provide a pipeline of trained staff to manage the risks in the workplace. It is designed to address the impact that changes in technology and innovation are having on business working practices. Have you thought about having apprentices within your business? The creation of the new qualification was spearheaded by a working group comprising contractors including Costain, Skanska, Balfour Beatty, Mitie, Morrison Utilities and Sisk, along with client organisations such as HS2 and Thames Water. Their work was supported by the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, the Unite trades union and others. The first 20 apprentices have started their apprenticeships in a range of companies, including those in the working group. A further 160 are due to start in the coming months. Two will be working with Costain on its A-one+ Joint Venture in Kent starting in September. The SHE apprenticeship is a level three qualification which is the equivalent of two A Levels and allows apprentices to learn while they earn – 20% of their time will be spent on additional off the job training. Ian Nixon, Costain’s highway and nuclear sector SHE manager, said: “Technological innovation is transforming the workplace across every industry. Every business is placing a premium on those employees who have the expertise and abilities to assess the operational risks of these new technologies and implement steps to ensure that staff can manage them safely and securely. That is why, in partnership with colleagues from across many different sectors, we have developed England’s first SHE apprenticeship. “This new scheme will equip trainees with the knowledge, expertise and skills needed to mitigate safety risks and help businesses manage any areas of potential harm to employees.” Andy Marr, Construction Key Account Manager, shares his thoughts on this with you;  “This is a fantastic new vocation for those seeking a career in health, safety and environmental management. The challenges remain the same and industry is constantly evolving, therefore, having apprentices working with contractors in achieving this qualification to meet 21st-century technology and innovation is an excellent scheme.” ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

The Construction Enquirer reported last week that the Confederation of British Industry is calling on Theresa May to drop post Brexit immigration targets or risk construction sites grinding to a halt. The CBI wants an “honest and open debate” about a new migration system which doesn’t wrap workers up in red tape over non EU visa rules. How could this affect your future projects? Its report Open and Controlled calls for “shifting away from controlling numbers to assessing contribution and by investing in local public services where demand has been increased by migration.” The CBI also wants to “replace free movement with an open and controlled immigration system for EU workers.” Josh Hardie, CBI Deputy Director-General, said: “The needs are more complex than only ensuring that the UK can attract the ‘brightest and best’. “Housebuilding needs architects for design, labourers to dig foundations and electricians to help finish the job.” The report highlights how overseas workers fill roles across the full range of skill levels within the construction industry – from general labourers (40%), to technical and vocational skilled tradespeople like carpenters (11%), plant and machine operatives (7%) and bricklayers (8%), through to graduate level roles including architects (16%) and civil engineers. It added: “As migrants progress within the industry many move into management positions, with almost 5% now being directors, managers or supervisors. “Workers within the construction industry at all skill levels are often independent contractors or self-employed. “The new migration system must enable European workers to move swiftly and easily between working on different projects, often for different clients. “Replicating a sponsorship model linked to an individual employer, or having to carry out a new resident labour market test each time a worker from the EU moves to work on a new project, will not meet the needs of the construction industry.” Suzannah Nichol, Chief Executive of Build UK, said: “UK construction must have access to skilled people to create the infrastructure and homes that build communities. “The industry has committed to recruit, train and retain home-grown talent but a clear and sustainable migration approach that focuses on key occupations is urgently needed so we can bridge the gap.” Andy Marr, Construction Key Account Manager, shares his thoughts on this with you; “The National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline report, published in December 2017, estimates there will be around £600bn of public and private investment in infrastructure over the next decade. To deliver this will require a large and capable workforce which needs to be transient and able to move from project to project as required. A sensible approach to having these skills readily available could be the difference between world-class projects being delivered on time, massively delayed or postponed ”   Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

The latest REC/Markit Report on Jobs showed that permanent placement growth had softened to a nine-month low, while temp billings increased at a faster pace. In addition, it highlighted that staff vacancies expanded at the quickest rate since last November, there was a decline in candidate availability but there was a rise in permanent staff appointments. Have your recruitment needs been affected by the candidate shortage? Permanent placements continued to rise sharply in July, though the rate of expansion was the softest recorded since last October. Temp billings also increased strongly, with the rate of growth picking up from June’s recent low. ...as supply of candidates continues to drop markedly Recruitment agencies indicated that candidate shortages weighed on permanent staff appointments. Notably, the supply of both permanent and temporary candidates fell sharply in July, despite rates of decline easing to the weakest in three months in both cases. Staff vacancies rise at quicker pace... Demand for staff strengthened further in July, with overall job vacancies expanding at the quickest rate for eight months. Growth was led by the private sector, with demand for both permanent and temporary workers continuing to rise at rates that comfortably outstripped those seen in the public sector. ..maintaining upward pressure on pay Low candidate availability and robust demand for staff led to a further steep increase in salaries awarded to permanent starters. At the same time, temp pay rates rose at a marked and accelerated rate that was close to April’s two-year record. Regional variation Permanent placements rose at faster rates in the Midlands and the South of England, but growth softened in the North of England. In contrast, permanent staff appointments fell slightly in London. Growth of temp billings was broad-based across the four monitored English regions during July, with the sharpest rate of increase seen in the North of England.   Sector variation July data indicated that demand for staff continued to increase at a considerably stronger pace in the private sector than in the public sector. The strongest increase in staff vacancies was seen for permanent private sector workers, while the weakest rise was signalled for public sector permanent roles.   IT & Computing was the most in-demand category for permanent staff in July. Nonetheless, steep increases in vacancies were also registered in the remaining nine job categories. The slowest rise in demand was reported for Retail workers. Temporary staff vacancies rose across all of the ten monitored job categories in July, with the sharpest increases seen across Blue Collar and Nursing/Medical/Care. The slowest, but still marked, rise in short-term roles was signalled for Executive/Professional. Sophie Wingfield, REC Head of Policy says: “The rise in interest rates for only the second time in a decade may leave some people feeling the pinch. But a new job is one way people can ease the burden on their finances. With our data showing starting salaries continuing to rise, the latest official government figures suggest that we are finally seeing the effects of a tighter labour market feed through to pay. “Following a period of turbulence and big name closures, the World Cup and heatwave had retailers enjoying a ‘summer bounce’ and basking in the sun with demand for temporary staff on the up with many businesses positively revising their hiring plans. Right now students on their summer break can make the most of these opportunities and cash-in while gaining valuable experience and new skills.” Paul Jackman, Thorn Baker Group CEO comments: “There’s nothing in this report that would come as a surprise to any forward-thinking business who are recruiting, it’s a basic supply and demand issue that’s exacerbated by the rate of change in some of the more advanced industries. If clients want to grow in the near future they’ve got a battle on two fronts. Firstly, retain your good people – and that’s not just about remuneration, they’ll need to be engaged, developed and treated well, with sufficient opportunities for progression; if you can’t retain them you’ll do well to maintain headcount. Secondly, when looking to expand your workforce you need to be able to communicate a compelling reason why someone should join you and be able to back it up with a substance that goes beyond even the most powerful brand. Our client’s benefit from what we call recruitment ‘Know-how’ – our ability to effectively give employers access to the type of individuals that will give them a competitive advantage if you’d like to discuss further contact your local team today.” ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

The Dragon Boat Challenge took place on Sunday 5th August 2018 and the Thorn Boaters were among the 50 crews battling it out over the 200m race course on the River Trent at the Victoria Embankment watched by thousands of spectators. Dragon boat racing is an ancient Chinese tradition and the fastest growing water activity in Britain today – as well as the most fun! We had 10 people paddling our 30’ boat with a drummer (Samie) at the front beating time and our helm at the tail steering a straight course. The day is always a popular event for our staff and this year was no exception, with lots of food (Aqsa our IT Systems manager has the best chicken recipe!) lots of sunshine and team building we might not have won but we definitely all had a fantastic day! Managing the day Gable Events joined with Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People for the 10th dragon boat challenge to be staged as part of the Nottingham Riverside Festival, this year we helped to ise over £11,000 which is amazing. Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People Rainbows is the only hospice in the East Midlands that provides vital care and support to children with life-limiting illnesses from across the region. They also look after the wider families – mums and dads, brothers, sisters and grandparents – because life-shortening illnesses affect everyone. The money raised will help allow these families to make the most of the time they have together, making precious happy memories they can treasure forever. ​Tom Stanyard, Corporate Partnership Fundraiser at Rainbows said; “The Dragon Boat Challenge is an amazing event. With up to 50 companies competing for a number of prizes the day has a great atmosphere. More amazing than the event however is what Rainbows is able to do with the fundraising support we receive from the crews taking part. With only a small amount of guaranteed funding, your support at events like this makes it possible for us to help and care for those families who need it most.”​

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has announced the cost of CSCS skills cards is to rise from £30 to £36 from 1st September 2018. Have you experienced any problems with SKILLcards on your sites? Managers of the engineering services SKILLcard scheme were alerted to the fact that a number of people working in the thermal insulation industry had managed to secure heating and ventilating (H&V) installer cards to gain access to construction sites. As a result, site managers were in danger of being duped into allowing workers without the right qualifications onto their projects. SKILLcard and the Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) have now removed scope for abuse and confusion, they say. The SKILLcard and TICA programmes are both affiliated to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) that help clients check whether workers have the right qualifications and suitable health & safety training. For thermal insulators, this means holding qualifications that lead to competency as defined by the Sector Skills Council (SSC). More than 60,000 people working in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration industry hold an engineering services SKILLcard, which also covers building engineering services supervisors and managers. The TICA skill card competence is different to the SKILLcard scheme but, as things stood, thermal insulation operatives were able secure an engineering services card on completing an NVQ Level 2 course as a standalone qualification, getting on site through the back door. This was described as “a blatant abuse of the competence system” by Rachel Davidson, director of certification schemes at the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), which manages SKILLcard. “As soon as we were alerted, we closed this loophole in line with our responsibility to uphold professional standards and provide quality assurance to construction clients.” She said it was clear this loophole was being exploited knowingly because the applicants felt they would not immediately qualify for a TICA skill card. Read the rest of the article by The Construction Index here The cost of CSCS skills cards is to rise from £30 to £36 from 1st September 2018 The Construction Index posted this week about the 20% price rise increase applies to all cards administered directly by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS). The last price increase was in 2010 but costs associated with running the scheme have increased significantly since then, CSCS said. Chief executive Graham Wren said: “We have managed to maintain the current card price for the last eight years however inflationary pressure, together with increased costs associated with combatting fraudulent activity, have pushed our costs up to the point where the current price is not sustainable. In addition, with our current contact centre provider CITB having served notice to exit the service contract the CSCS board have agreed to invest in new technology and systems to ensure the application process is modernised.” CSCS is a not-for-profit organisation owned by three employer organisations and two trades unions. Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

The Builders Merchants Federation is warning that its members face a £1bn Brexit bombshell if they are forced to pay 20% VAT upfront on European building materials. Has this been a debate in your business yet, how will this affect your projects' budgets? The Construction Index has reported about Parliaments vote this week to ban the UK from raising taxes bound for the EU unless the EU also collects tax for the UK. If the UK exits the EU without reciprocal customs arrangements, UK businesses face having to pay 20% more for imports from the EU and will have to do this upfront before goods can leave EU ports.  Building supplies will be particularly impacted, the BMF says, with a knock on effect on costs of construction and, potentially, the UK housing market. Cashflow, costs and prices will all take a hit, given that the UK is heavily reliant on imports for materials such as timber, bricks and paint.   60% of timber used in UK building comes from the EU, mainly Sweden, Finland and Latvia, and the added costs are £1bn.  For bricks, imported mainly from Belgium and Holland, the post Brexit changes would add costs of £160m, while for paint, which comes from across the EU, added costs are estimated to be around £80m.  BMF chief executive John Newcomb said: “Merchants already face significant cost increases due to rising world prices and currency fluctuations involving Sterling. Paying 20% more due to VAT rules will hit builders’ merchants hard.”   Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

A report from the House of Lords’ recently has said that a radical overhaul of the construction sector is needed or the UK will struggle to meet its housing and infrastructure needs. With many of you working within the Housing sector do you agree with this? An FM World article this week reports that the construction sector as it currently operates cannot meet the UK’s need for housing and may struggle to meet the need for infrastructure. And given that the UK already lags behind other countries in construction productivity, and is facing a labour shortage, the government and the construction sector must urgently find solutions. Are you facing these problems within your own business? In Off-site Manufacture for Construction: Building for Change, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee says that off-site manufacture (OSM) can help to increase productivity in the construction sector while reducing labour demands, improving the quality and efficiency of buildings, and reducing the environmental impacts associated with traditional construction. However, take-up of OSM is varied and somewhat limited across the sector because it is working with “outdated and unsustainable business models that are not conducive to OSM for construction”. OSM requires collaboration between clients, designers and contractors from an early stage, but much of the evidence the committee received painted a picture of a construction sector that is fragmented and lacking in trust. These barriers must be addressed by the sector itself and strong leadership is needed from the Construction Leadership Council. While OSM could lessen the labour shortage, the different skills required for manufacturing are currently lacking in the UK labour market and must be developed. OSM will require a combination of skills involving site implementation, digital and procurement. The government must therefore ensure that young people entering the workplace are equipped with the digital skills needed for modern methods of construction, including off-site manufacture. The government’s Construction Sector Deal and its stated “presumption in favour” of OSM, have shown a strong commitment to investing in this area and the committee welcomes many of the initiatives. It recommends that the government should develop and publish a series of key performance indicators against which the success of the ‘presumption in favour’ can be assessed. Where the presumption in favour is set aside and a project goes ahead that does not use off-site manufacture, the government should publish a statement explaining why it has not been used and justifying that decision. In many cases, OSM is suitable for the construction of important social infrastructure such as hospitals and houses.  The committee heard evidence that if the government is to achieve its aim of building 300,000 houses a year by 2020, OSM would be the only way to meet this target because traditional construction methods do not have the capacity to build enough homes.  The government must set out what conditions it will attach to the extra financial support for housing to drive the uptake of off-site manufacture and other innovative technologies. Committee chairman Lord Patel said: “The construction sector’s business models are no longer appropriate and are not supporting the UK’s urgent need for new homes and infrastructure. The construction sector needs to build more trust and create partnerships so that companies can work together to improve the uptake of off-site manufacture, and the Construction Leadership Council should provide the necessary leadership. “The role of the government and the wider public sector is pivotal in a move to greater use of off-site manufacture. The report sets out actions that the committee thinks the government should take including implementation of the Construction Sector Deal, committed execution of the ‘presumption in favour’ of off-site manufacture and a greater move to procuring for whole life value rather than lowest cost.” The Construction Sector Deal would be “bringing together the construction, manufacturing, energy and digital sectors to deliver innovative approaches that improve productivity in construction and accelerate a shift to building safer, healthier and more affordable places to live and learn that use less energy”. The report is available here.  Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

This week we have been celebrating our 30th Birthday, and it’s been a great one… From Monday's office decorations to Tuesday's breakfast and day-long raffle, 'Cake' Wednesday, Thursdays lunch and TB Quiz through to today's afternoon drinks and extra day’s holidays - it's been a great week.   We’re rounding up the week with a big thank you to all of our staff for all of their hard work in helping us to reach this important milestone. Celebrating success has always been important in our business and this week has shown just that.      Our Group Chairman, John Robinson shares his thoughts with us about reaching this important milestone; ‘I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone for their efforts this week in helping to celebrate our 30th birthday and of course for playing a hugely important part in our journey as a business. All businesses are only as good as their people and I'd like to say thanks again to everyone for your contribution to our success. We have always tried to 'do the right thing' by our people and to create an enjoyable environment and culture and I am immensely proud that a good many of you have been here a long time - indeed many shared our 20th anniversary too!  I've seen many changes in recruitment over 30 years of course but despite of the transformation in how we do business and the 'speed to market' we all now enjoy, the fundamentals of what we do continue to be the same - understand the needs of candidate and client, treat them all with honesty and respect and deliver a great service to meet the need.  Whatever comes our way in the future, I'm sure that these will still be the foundations of our business for the next 30 years too.  Thanks once again and I hope you’ve had a great week.’​   Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

Tarmac’s Ultigrip anti-skid road surfacing material, said to last three times longer than traditional asphalt, has been laid on the A64 in York. Is your business already looking to use Ultigrip for your clients? A recent article from The Construction Index has reported that Ultigrip resurfacing was used by Highways England contracting joint venture A-one+ on a section close to Bramham roundabout on the A64 where additional grip was required. It formed part of a £2.3m scheme to resurface a total of 97,610 m2 of the road between Bramham roundabout and Askham Bryan. It is anticipated that the material will reduce future maintenance needs as well as improve road safety. According to Tarmac’s 2016 brochure: “Bauxite aggregate and a durable clear binder combine to give a tough, textured finish and long term skid resistance, even on heavily trafficked sites.” Tarmac Contracting commercial director Nick Shires said: “Working collaboratively with A-one+ and Highways England the use of Ultigrip helped to drive improved productivity on the A64 project. In addition to lasting typically three times longer than similar surfaces, Ultigrip can be laid in a single pass. This means that teams do not need to spend as long on site, making the works more efficient and minimising disruption to the public.” Tarmac Contracting has also used its Ultigrip previously on: the A628 Woodhead Pass project (also for A-one+), a section of the A52 between Nottingham and Grantham, and on the M876 junction one sliproad at Bonnybridge, for Amey. A-one+ Area 12 general manager Brian Statham said: “We were looking for ways to improve safety for drivers especially at busy junctions and on slip roads. Working with our supply partner Tarmac we developed the innovative Ultigrip as a design solution to give tough textured finish and long-term skid resistance. “Ultigrip requires less maintenance which means fewer closures, it is good for our road workers and our customers as well as creating savings for the taxpayer by reducing whole life costs. And, the improved surface grip makes for a better, safer journey.” Andy Marr, Construction Key Account Manager, shares his thoughts on this with you; "The A64 is a very busy road and the Bramham Roundabout junction a critical artery in the North Yorkshire traffic network. Any product that can help improve road safety is going to benefit all users whilst reducing future maintenance and being laid in a single pass could ease financial budgets. As a regular user of the A628 Woodhead Pass, I know that Ultrigrip is certainly tested for durability during the harsh winter months." For the science behind Ultigrip, see The Construction Indexes previous article Get a grip. Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here

The Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI report is showing that Construction output growth reached a seven-month high in June – our clients are definitely representing this with all of our teams flat out to ensure that you have the very best workers on your sites. A summary of the report for you below but you can read the full report here The key findings from the report are: House building remains the best performing area of activity. New orders rise at the fastest pace since May 2017. Input cost inflation accelerated in June. The report summary tells us that: June data revealed a solid expansion of overall construction activity, underpinned by greater residential work and a faster upturn in commercial building. There were also positive signs regarding the near-term outlook for growth, as signalled by the strongest rise in new orders since May 2017 and the largest upturn in input buying for two-and-a-half years. Improved demand for construction materials resulted in longer lead times from suppliers and the most marked increase in input prices since September 2017. How has this affected your business? Have you seen an increase in tender enquiries? The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) posted 53.1 in June, up from 52.5 in May and above the 50.0 no-change value for the third month running. The latest reading pointed to the sharpest overall rise in construction output since November 2017. Residential work remained the best performing area of activity. Commercial building also contributed to the stronger overall rise in construction output, with this category of work expanding at the fastest pace since February. At the other end of the scale, civil engineering activity rose only slightly in June, with the rate of growth easing to a three-month low. Survey respondents noted that a general improvement in client demand had helped to boost construction workloads in June. Reflecting this, latest data indicated a solid rebound in new order volumes following the decline seen during the previous month. The rate of new business growth was the strongest for just over one year in June. Higher levels of new work contributed to faster increases in employment numbers and purchasing activity during June. The pace of job creation accelerated to its strongest for one year, while the latest rise in input buying was the steepest since December 2015. Construction companies noted that greater purchasing activity reflected new projects starts and, in some cases, forward purchasing of inputs to mitigate forthcoming price rises from suppliers. Average cost burdens increased at a sharp and accelerated pace in June. The latest increase in input prices was the steepest for nine months, which construction companies attributed to greater transportation costs and higher prices for metals (especially steel). Meanwhile, vendor lead times lengthened again in June, driven by low stocks and capacity constraints among suppliers. UK construction companies indicated a rebound in business optimism from May’s seven-month low, although the degree of positive sentiment remained much weaker than the long-run survey average. Survey respondents cited infrastructure work as a key source of growth in the coming 12 months. ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

The Construction Awards Season 2018 is upon us, across the summer we will see the very best projects from across the country be honoured for their achievements. Have any of your projects been nominated for an award? Michelle Smith, Regional Manager rounds up the Construction Awards for you… The awards recognise the highest performing companies and suppliers which have demonstrated excellence within their fields, and it’s a privilege to know that we have supplied staff to many of you on these sites.   So far we have seen: Celebrating Construction Awards East Midlands FIS Awards Lunch 2018 Constructing Excellence North East Constructing Excellence South West Click the links to see which fantastic projects being delivered across the construction spectrum won, were you amongst the winners? Still to come we have: North West Construction Awards – 6th July Constructing Excellence Yorkshire and Humber – 12th July British Demolition Awards – 20th July NAS Design Partnership Awards 2018 – 13th September Construction Enquirer Awards – 9th October British Construction Industry Awards – 10th October The awards are rounded off with UK Construction Week 2018 – it’s the UK’s largest built environment event which this year will feature nine shows: Timber Expo, Build Show, Civils Expo, Plant and Machinery Live, Energy 2018, Building Tech Live, Surface and Materials Show and HVAC 2018. From all of the team at Thorn Baker Construction I’d like to say big congratulations to all of the winners so far and the very best of luck to everyone who has entered the upcoming awards. We’re all looking forward to seeing who the winners will be.   Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

The Construction Enquirer reported last week that Crossrail contractors are struggling to find M&E workers for the last-minute push to get the project completed because so many sparks have moved to the Spurs stadium site. Will the shortage of Mechanical and Electrical workers affect your projects completing on time? The Enquirer revealed that electricians on the new Tottenham stadium job are being paid up to £400 a day. And that is hitting sites across London which are facing a shortage of skilled workers. How will competing with these rates affect your project budget? The Enquirer understands that the Costain/Skanska joint venture is currently trying to recruit more M&E workers at its Bond Street Crossrail site. But it is struggling to find sparks because of a glut of work in the capital. One project source said: “There are still hundreds of electricians working on Crossrail and they are looking for more on some sites. “You always need more M&E resources at the end of big infrastructure jobs like this but loads of workers have upped and gone to Spurs where they are paying big money.” Crossrail said the total number of M&E workers across the whole project is winding-down as the scheme approaches completion by the end of this year. But a spokesperson confirmed that recruitment was underway at Bond Street for fit-out work. The new central London Crossrail stations are due to open in December. Andy Marr, Construction Key Account Manager, shares his thoughts on this with you; ''Available Mechanical and Electrical candidates are at a premium and understandably so in a bull market and this, of course, brings huge challenges across the industry, which is another blog entirely. My biggest concern is how we get the younger generation more interested, engaged and wanting to work in the construction industry? This was brought home to me by a family member who decided to pursue a career in construction and spent two years learning a Plastering trade. To cut a long story short, towards the end of his second year he started to lose interest in the industry and ultimately completed the course but decided to work in a different industry. Fair play to the lad, he found and secured a role in the food industry where training, development and progression have begun. I started in Construction recruitment back in 1985 and as I’ve gone through the years the number of good tradesmen that worked with me back in the 1980s and 1990s have started to decrease as those excellent skills and experience retire. My biggest worry is how those trades are replaced and the next generation of construction workers begin their career journey and keep the industry progressing well into the future. Construction is a fabulous industry to be in and those young people who decide to take this particular journey will learn so many great skills and have the opportunity to work on some of the iconic projects of the future.'' ​Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here  

Your latest Construction newsletter is out now. It's been a busy month for the Construction sector with the peak season starting, weather causing lots of problems on sites and a Housing growth boost - have these had an impact on your business? Rob Ford, Construction South Director rounds up the last month for you... ''Construction is always the same this time of year for everyone - steady, steady, steady! Then Bang! You're looking for more trades and labour. Whilst there has and will be changes to embrace before the peak season gets fully in the swing (like the minimum wage increase and GDPR), one of the biggest challenges that seems to have hit you all is the unseasonable weather! Thankfully this seems to be on the turn at last and I'm sure that everyone is keen to get their works schedules back on track and make the most of the great weather.'' ​Read your news in full by clicking here What else has been happening in the Construction sector? Outlook brightens for civils contractors.  Civil engineering contractors say that their workload was marginally down in the first quarter of 2018, overall, but orders were up. Was this the same for you? CECA chief executive Alasdair Reisner said: “While the first quarter of 2018 has proved a challenging period for many of our members, we believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that industry will act as a platform for secure growth in the coming years.” Concrete sales figures reveal softening markets.  First-quarter sales of mineral products were down this year, with the weather being cited as the cause. Has the weather affected works on your sites? The Mineral Products Association (MPA), which collates the data, said that weak sales volumes in the first quarter of the year could be partly explained by the impact of the unusually severe weather in the UK in late February and early March. Housing drives construction activity recovery in April.  Construction buyers reportedly saw a modest recovery in construction output following the weather-related disruptions seen during March. House building experienced robust growth in April while underlying demand across the construction sector remained subdued, with total new work rising only marginally last month. The increase in new business was the first recorded by the survey so far in 2018. Read your news in full by clicking here Want the latest Construction industry news, jobs and updates? Subscribe here