The construction industry is dealing with labor shortages (and has been for a while), but those shortages are also leaving a leadership void. As experienced foremen, superintendents and project managers retire en masse, 76 million US workers will retire in the coming years, construction companies are scrambling to fill critical leadership roles with workers who simply haven’t had enough time to develop the necessary skills and jobsite intuition.
According to recent Arcoro research, 53% of construction HR teams are struggling with a lack or worker specialized skills and lack of available talent to fill open positions. A skills gap compounded with a lack of leadership experience can threaten project quality, safety outcomes and long-term business viability.
A structured mentorship program can serve double duty: developing the next generation of leaders while capturing institutional knowledge before it walks out the door.
January is National Mentorship Month, making it the ideal time to implement mentorship as a strategic succession planning tool.
Many companies think mentorships involve an older, seasoned worker taking a younger worker under his or her wing. While this traditional model has value, it really only benefits the younger worker, making it difficult to get experienced workers on board, especially when they’re already stretched thin managing projects and crews.
Instead, consider a bi-directional mentorship program that creates a compelling value exchange for both parties.
Unlike traditional mentor programs where knowledge flows in one direction, from experienced professionals to younger or inexperienced workers, a bi-directional approach encourages learning and collaboration between all levels of employees. While the inexperienced or junior worker receives training, leadership guidance and decades of job site wisdom, the senior worker gains insights into new technologies, fresh problem-solving approaches and digital tools, like AI, that can make their job easier.
A bi-directional mentorship program helps create buy-in from your most experienced workers, who often resist mentorship programs because they see them as “one more thing” on their plate rather than something that benefits them directly.
Follow these tips for launching your own bi-directional mentorship program with succession planning as a core objective.
Identify the specific objectives of your mentor program. For succession planning purposes, focus on:
Consider how both senior employees and newer team members can benefit. For example, senior employees can learn about new construction management software, AI-powered scheduling tools or digital collaboration platforms that younger workers use instinctively.
And junior employees gain access to decades of practical experience, crisis management skills and the kind of seasoned judgment that only comes from making mistakes and learning from them.
Conduct a succession planning audit that identifies:
Pair individuals strategically based on succession needs and complementary skills. A retiring superintendent might mentor a promising foreman on project oversight and client management while learning modern project management software. An experienced estimator nearing retirement could guide a junior estimator on client relationships and bid strategy while gaining insights on AI-powered takeoff tools and data analytics.
Make sure to emphasize mutual respect and a willingness to learn on both sides. Frame this as a knowledge exchange, not just knowledge transfer.
Create a clear framework for the mentorship that includes succession planning elements.
Construction leadership is learned on the job site, so ensure the program includes practical, real-world mentoring.
Recognize and celebrate the growth and contributions of participants. This is especially important for senior workers who are investing time in developing the next generation.
Track key metrics to evaluate the program’s impact on succession planning, like:
By taking these steps, you can create a thriving bi-directional mentor program that doesn’t just build skills, it builds your leadership bench strength and ensures your company’s institutional knowledge survives the retirement wave.
Good workforce management solutions, like Arcoro’s all-in-one platform, can give construction companies the data and insights needed to identify succession gaps and manage leadership development.
Tools like Arcoro Grow provide reports that track employee skills, training completion, performance goals and career progression – essential for identifying high-potential employees and pairing them with the right mentors based on complementary strengths and succession needs.
Arcoro Grow offers advanced analytics that give managers an at-a-glance view of where people are on their development path, which leadership competencies they’ve mastered and what skills gaps exist that could be addressed through mentorship. You can track certifications, document institutional knowledge, and ensure that critical skills are being transferred before experienced workers retire.
Ready to strengthen your workforce and protect your company’s future? Contact us today to see how our solutions can help you build the next generation of construction leaders.