Time’s Up On Talk: Solving construction’s workforce crisis on the ground, now

Construction today is a paradox.

Rapid advances in technology, automation and AI promise to deliver the industry-wide transformation we’ve been chasing for decades – but we never quite get there. We recognise the barriers that stand in our way, and talk about them all the time.

And yet in many ways, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

On one level, unprecedented investment and innovation are moving us forward in ways we couldn’t have imagined even a decade ago. Globally, construction is a AUD$20 trillion industry, forecast to reach over AUD$33 trillion by 2040. In Australia and New Zealand, the confirmed pipeline already exceeds AUD$200 billion. Demand is strong. Investment is flowing. AI promises to unlock new levels of efficiency, reduce risk and enable teams to make smarter, faster, data-driven decisions.

But what refuses to shift?

On the ground, true and tangible transformation remains stalled, held back by structural challenges, cultural constraints and workforce pressures we're failing to confront.

Margins are still stuck at a wafer-thin 5% – the same as they were when I started out in construction over 30 years ago. That’s a stark indicator that new ways of working haven't yet translated into greater profitability.

There's a looming exodus of many of our best and brightest, with 41% of the global workforce expected to retire in the next five years. Compounding the problem, for every five people leaving, just one is joining. Retention rates? Equally grim. The average length of service for a new graduate is around two years.

Older generations are heading for the door, while younger ones are drawn to other industries offering clear career progression, flexibility and the lure of work-life balance – something we're nowhere near offering with our long hours and standard six-day working week.

And despite broad recognition that our workforce needs to grow and diversify, female participation in the industry still sits at a negligible 13%. Many would-be workers from diverse backgrounds still don't feel welcome.

This is a snapshot of an industry with a central problem: we keep falling back on custom, convention and what's most familiar — even when the record clearly shows it isn’t working.

We’ve talked about addressing these problems in theory for years, but practical, on-the-ground action has not been so widespread. Now, the pressures are mounting, the stakes are rising and the global consensus couldn't be clearer:

Labour concerns are cited as the number one challenge by construction companies worldwide.

How do I know?

Because you told us.

Global insight, local momentum

Procore's latest Future State of Construction report brings together insights from more than 1,200 construction decision-makers across the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Australia and New Zealand.

We’ve combined in-depth interviews and survey responses with the latest industry data to identify four critical areas shaping the future of construction: workforce, productivity, decision-making and design.

But that’s just the beginning.

In the months ahead, we’ll unpack what these findings mean specifically for the Australian and New Zealand construction sectors using these data-rich insights to inform ongoing industry-wide conversation and shape practical action on the ground.

We’ll be sharing fresh perspectives, original insights and ambitious ideas from builders, engineers, architects, tech leaders, project and site managers, grassroots organisers and decision-makers across the industry.

What are these change-makers doing – and pushing for – in their workplaces, businesses and communities to upskill, support and inspire today’s (and tomorrow’s) workforce?

These are more than conversations. They’re a collective call to action to get to work building an industry that’s more inclusive, agile and attractive for the generations to come. Because time’s up. 

Let’s get started.

Written by