Many might consider the skills needed to work in the construction industry to be rather simple, requiring workers to prioritize physical strength and endurance over other skills. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth, as construction workers need to possess a wide range of skills and knowledge to ensure work is completed safely, on time, on budget, and to a high standard.

What skills are essential in construction?

Construction skills are the skills needed by professionals to work in the construction industry. These skills are generally required of all workers, from those just starting their career to senior level staff. These skills vary wildly, from undertaking manual labor through to communication and problem-solving.

Below are the skills construction workers need in order to start and progress their careers.

First and foremost, two of the major skill sets required for construction are building and engineering knowledge; after all, this is what many in the industry spend the majority of their time doing.

Without the correct training or knowledge, deadlines may be missed, work won’t be completed to a high standard, and may not be completed at all. Not understanding the correct processes and tools required to complete a job can also lead to safety risks.

While it is of course important that deadlines are met and budgets are not exceeded, the health and safety of everyone on a construction site, including any visitors, should be top priority. On top of being a moral requirement, it’s also required by law that every effort is made to keep people safe. Identifying risk, knowing safety processes, and basic first aid knowledge should be known by everyone who works in construction.

Without knowledge of codes and regulations, it’s impossible for construction workers to know what they can and can’t build. This includes safety codes, environmental regulations, and labor laws. A lack of knowledge in these areas could potentially lead to major problems down the line - including major expenses.

As the old saying goes, time is money. As a result, if deadlines are missed, it’s going to cost - and that will have a big impact on profits. For that reason, construction workers must have good time-management skills, as there are often numerous deadlines within an overall project, which if missed can have a knock-on effect.

In order to have strong time management, construction workers also need strict organization and planning skills. A worker may be efficient, but if they’re poor at planning then this will impact their time.

Communication is one of the most important skills needed by a construction worker. Without solid communication between colleagues, there is a higher risk of mistakes and misunderstandings, which can lead to delays and the need for reworks.

In a fast-paced industry such as construction, problems can arise on an almost daily basis, and range from major to minor inconveniences. Being proactive and knowing how to solve problems can ensure delays are kept to a minimum and the safety of everyone on the site is kept a priority.

Before any type of manual work can start, plans, documents, blueprints, and measurements must all be carefully considered. This requires reading and math skills: and not just at basic levels. Skills such as geometry and algebra are needed to ensure enough materials are ordered for even a simple construction job.

Very few construction projects require just one worker, with larger-scale projects requiring hundreds if not thousands of staff who may all be on-site at the same time. Because of this, collaboration is required from all members of the team, regardless of seniority.

On top of these skills, there are also many tech skills that are equally as important. For more information, check out our post on tech skills that are helping the construction industry.

What skills are essential for construction supervisory and management roles?

As well as possessing all of the above skills, senior construction workers such as supervisors and managers will require additional skills.

A key skill of a senior-level construction worker is project management. Project management requires strong leadership skills, which includes having to delegate, motivate, and inspire. On top of this, many other skills are necessary for good project management, including:

These responsibilities, and more, all contribute toward making sure that a project runs smoothly. Upskilling project managers is also a great way to further boost your teams.

Being able to confidently and competently make decisions is important so projects remain on time and on budget. It’s also important that some decisions are made quickly, however, will need to be done so based on clear rationale. Wrong or poorly-considered decisions can cost a project time, budget, quality, and even relationships.

Despite meticulous planning, there can sometimes be unforeseen delays. When changes do occur, the ability to adapt and be flexible will minimize the impact. As part of this flexibility, it may also be necessary to re-strategize and communicate these changes to various teams.

Construction is a stressful and often exhausting industry to work in, which means conflicts can sometimes occur. When they do, senior workers will need to oversee these conflicts to resolve them and make sure they don’t happen again.

Where can you learn more about construction skills?

As we’ve highlighted, the skills required to work in the construction industry are vast. It’s also important for workers to upskill and regularly refresh their knowledge so they can remain at the top of their field. One of the main causes of performance issues in the construction industry is inadequate training.

Go1 has a wide range of online courses available to access right now, from project management through to health hazards in construction.

For more insights, subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

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In this article from the Go1 experts, we’ll look at what skills are needed to work in the construction industry, and why they’re so important.

Skills needed for the construction industry | Go1

Skills needed for the construction industry

Working in hospitality is challenging at the best of times, but during this extended, post-pandemic period in which staff shortages and turnover are exceptionally high, working in a service role is harder than ever.

According to a report, an average of 6% of hospitality staff resign every month. As businesses struggle to find suitable replacements, this puts remaining staff under increased pressure.

But despite the industry adjusting to a post-pandemic world, what is currently driving these hospitality staff shortages?

What causes staff shortages in hospitality?

As we’ve already highlighted, the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic isn’t the only reason for staff shortages. While it has contributed, there are a number of other factors that are to blame. Of course, pay is one of them - it will always be a major consideration for employees - but there are many other reasons that the industry is struggling.

Due to many businesses in hospitality opening into the night and even the early hours of the morning, committing to these hours is a challenge. A survey found that 54% of staff shortages are caused by unsociable hours.

Hospitality is an “always on” industry, and as a result, there can be little room for flexibility. However, this also means that job seekers are turned off from applying for roles where flexibility isn’t a priority - particularly as many businesses in other industries have found ways to offer it more.

More specific to the UK (but still also applicable worldwide), since its exit from the European Union many foreign nationals left the country. As a result due to the drop in applicants from EU countries the applicants that do apply often lack the relevant skills and suitability. 

A major contributor to staff shortages in hospitality - and one that can be fixed relatively quickly - is the lack of recognition employees receive in their roles. This means even when hospitality businesses recruit staff, many leave again due to this oversight.

In the midst of a hospitality staff crisis, in which businesses are already struggling to recruit and retain employees, an already stressful job is being made more stressful. Understaffed businesses struggle to keep up with demand, which leads to irate customers, and creates stressful environments to work in. And employees will soon grow weary of working in a high-stress environment.

Many employees want to grow their careers, and one of the biggest reasons employees leave jobs is due to the lack of those opportunities. A report released by LinkedIn revealed that 94% of employees would stay with a company longer if there was room for progression. So if there is no room for growth, employees will seek a job where there is.

What are the effects of hospitality staff shortages?

We’ve explored why there are staff shortages in hospitality, but what effects do those shortages have not just on individual businesses, but the industry as a whole?

It’s estimated that in the UK, shortages and high staff turnover have cost the hospitality industry an estimated £21 billion. These numbers are staggering and come at a time when the industry is already struggling, following numerous lockdowns and restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

With fewer employees to serve customers to a high standard, or even none at all, shorter operating hours might be necessary, which costs your business money.

The smaller a team is, the harder it is to deliver consistent customer service, which is going to negatively impact the business’s reputation.

With an increase in unhappy customers and operational costs, there will be a significant impact on profits.

With a lack of downtime and added pressure, it leaves little room for training and can disrupt employees’ work-life balance, as they work harder to meet demands.

How to improve employee retention in hospitality

Paying employees more isn’t the only way to improve retention. Fair pay is of course a big draw for potential employees, but what are some other ways businesses can improve staff retention in the hospitality industry?

For many working in hospitality, it can be a stressful and high-pressure environment. That’s why creating a strong company culture that allows for downtime, the ability to recharge, and even a little fun from time to time, is important. With a better work environment comes more engagement and improved morale.

In order to alleviate unnecessary stress and work as efficiently and effectively as possible, teams need to work closely together. Organizing team building and bonding sessions will go a long way to improving collaboration

Working in hospitality can cost staff a lot of time and energy - not to mention the unsociable hours. Acknowledging the effort that goes into hospitality can go a long way, especially if it includes rewards or bonuses to truly show hard-working employees gratitude.

Without open and honest communication between senior employees and their teams, there will always be a certain level of disconnect and a lack of engagement. Regular and open communication will help build trust and allow employees to see that they’re valued members of the team.

Employees need time to rest and recharge their batteries. Having the opportunity to do so stops them from experiencing burnout, so they’re ready to show up to work re-energized.

The importance of training in hospitality cannot be understated. By creating a learning culture and giving employees opportunities to develop their careers, hospitality staff are more likely to engage and be motivated to stay in a role. Training also shows employees that they’re valued and cared about.

For more information, check out our blog post on ways to improve employee retention.

Where can you learn more about communication?

We’ve highlighted how better communication can go a long way toward improving employee retention in hospitality. By developing these skills throughout your workforce, you build better relationships among your teams and provide better customer service.

At Go1, we have a wide range of online communication training courses that can be accessed right now. With eLearning, training is flexible and self-directed, meaning employees can learn from the same course materials while not interrupting day-to-day operations.

In this article, we look at the current state of hospitality staff shortage and turnover, along with some great tips for employee retention.

Hospitality staff shortage and turnover | Go1

Everyone learns differently. Whether you’re a school student or an experienced employee, we all absorb information in our own way. This is why some appear to learn much faster or retain more information than others. When it comes to learning, teachers, trainers, and learning platforms need to consider the way everyone’s minds work in a completely unique way.

That’s where the cognitive learning theory comes in and helps students and teachers throughout the learning process.

Cognitive learning theory promotes “thinking about thinking” - also known as metacognition. The cognitive approach to learning encourages us to think more about our thought processes as we learn, so we can more effectively absorb and retain information.

Cognitive learning theories are often accompanied by behavioral learning theories, which look at external factors that influence learning.

When applied in a classroom or training environment, cognitive learning encourages students to look inward, and explain their reasoning so they can self-reflect. While traditional teaching methods rely on students memorizing information, cognitive learning has a different approach:

Comprehension - understand why students are learning what they’re learning, and how it will benefit them

Memory - cognitive learning isn’t about memorizing lots of information but is about associating new knowledge with past knowledge or experiences

Application - once learned, strategies allow students to practice their skills or knowledge in real-life scenarios

By using this approach, students boost their engagement by being far more motivated and excited to learn. This increases knowledge retention, and in the workplace it benefits both your employees and your business.

What are the benefits of cognitive learning?

There are plenty of advantages to cognitive learning theory beyond simply helping students figure out how they learn.

Improved comprehension, meaning all students benefit from training and learning

Better problem-solving skills by encouraging students to get involved with learning materials to get a deep understanding of the subject

It promotes a culture of learning within your organization

Students appreciate learning, especially when they’re not frustrated 

More confidence by encouraging students to associate learning with previously learned information

Faster learning by utilizing new learning methods in future

Creativity and innovative thinking by teaching employees how to interpret information quickly

To help with the concept, below are several cognitive learning theory examples.

This is when a student learns about a specific subject that is important to their work. Explicit learning requires the student to be committed and engaged. An example of this would be learning about Microsoft Excel in order to help with more accurate and thorough monthly reports.

This is the process of learning unintentionally, for example, if you watch a documentary on television. By watching the documentary for entertainment, you will likely retain some of the information despite that not being your intention. A good example of implicit learning in the workplace is how students and employees learn to touch type over time.

This is a trial and error approach - in that people learn from their prior experiences. In the workplace, experiential learning doesn’t have to involve learning from mistakes (however, this is important). It can involve work shadowing or learning from senior team members who have plenty of experience.

Similar to experiential learning, observational learning requires a student to learn by watching and imitating others. For example, a call center worker can learn how to deal with an irate customer by observing how a colleague successfully handles a similar situation.

Emotional learning is the way we develop relationships both within and outside the workplace and is generally something we learn over time. It allows employees to understand and take charge of their emotions.

Group projects are common within the workplace. In order to learn during a collaborative project, everyone needs to be an active participant.

Discovery learning is the process of learning through research and has a scientific approach. It involves identifying a problem, creating a hypothesis, testing that hypothesis, then using the results to see whether that hypothesis was correct. For example, fact-checking a report that an employee has never seen before.

This puts students in a lecture-style environment, where an industry expert will relay information to a group. However, it does mean the students must engage with the speaker and take notes.

This is the process of learning new information by relating it to previously learned knowledge. For example, before learning how to use a CRM system, employees would reflect on what they know about using other CRMs in the past.

This allows students to learn habitually, by being exposed to something on a regular basis. For example, employees who undertake manual work will initially do so much slower than those with years of experience. However, over time they will likely become just as fast - similar to the old saying “practice makes perfect”.

There are a number of cognitive learning strategies that can be applied to the workplace, to ensure all employees retain information and practice their new skills.

American psychologist David Ausubel said, “Meaningful learning occurs when the learner interprets, relates, and incorporates new information with existing knowledge and applies the new information to solve novel problems”. This means employees with prior knowledge will find it easier to learn new, relevant information.

Learning should focus on meaningfulness, with an emphasis on background information.

Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development suggested that there are three components of learning:

Accommodation, where we absorb new information by modifying information we already have

Assimilation, where we arrange new information beside existing knowledge

Equilibration, where we balance new and existing information

Because of this, companies that invest in their people can do the following strategy:

Introduce new information based on employees’ existing knowledge

Utilize analogies and connections to existing information

Encourage learning to be undertaken in stages

Use tasks that borrow from existing knowledge

Encourage openness and the asking of questions

Similar to Piaget’s theory, US psychologist Jerome Bruner’s theory focused on learning via discovery and self-direction. Bruner’s theory stated that there are three stages to learning:

Symbolic - words and symbols associated with experiences

In the workplace, employees should be allowed to learn independently by being encouraged to complete new tasks with little background knowledge. 

Everyone learns in their own, unique way, and everyone's existing knowledge, interpretation, and experience mean they all process new information differently. Along with cognitive learning, there are also eight learning styles to take into account.

Because of this, personalized strategies will always be the most effective for training employees. There is rarely an opportunity for a successful one-size-fits-all approach.

By creating a personalized learning experience, it enables your employees to learn and retain information, which can be put into practice so you deliver the very best service to your customers and clients.

As we’ve already covered in this post, cognitive learning theories are not just restricted to the classroom, but in the workplace too. Employee development plans need to be mindful that every employee learns differently, and that a personalized approach is key.

However, that doesn’t mean the process needs to be time-consuming and complex. Employees may already know which is their preferred learning style, which will make a development plan simpler to devise. Together with online training courses - which are completely self-directed - cognitive learning techniques are an effective way to encourage employees to learn.

Go1 has a range of courses to develop employees

Go1 has a wide range of courses available to help develop employees. For more information on what Go1 can offer your business, book a demo with a member of our team today.

What is cognitive learning and how does it benefit employees and your business? Discover more from the experts at Go1.

Cognitive learning: benefits and examples | Go1

Cognitive learning: benefits and examples

It seems like we blinked and 2022 was over. What a year! Let’s take a look at some of the biggest L&D trends we saw in 2022 and what those could look like heading into 2023 and beyond.

It pays to invest in Learning and Development

Unless you’ve spent most of 2022 living under a rock, you’ll no doubt have heard about the rising cost of living and the higher than usual degree of economic uncertainty facing both individuals and businesses.  

It’s been a scary time with many businesses looking to cut costs in whatever ways they can. Whether it be funding cuts to certain departments or even going as far as to lay off staff, many businesses have viewed these cuts as a necessary evil in order to keep afloat. 

Despite this, during 2022, 49% of businesses actually increased their L&D budgets. This is compared to 41% in 2021.  

This means that while times may feel financially uncertain, 2022 has made the value of L&D at work seem increasingly essential to the success of a business. 

It will certainly be exciting to see the benefits of this increased investment in L&D come to further fruition in 2023.

It hasn’t all been sunshine and daisies

While workplace leaders increasingly seeing the value in learning and development is certainly a win for the world of L&D and the workplace overall, employee motivation and attitudes towards learning have been their lowest in three years. 

That is one trend we definitely do not want to see continue in 2023! 

So what’s been happening to cause this and what can workplace leaders do to stop this trend in its tracks? 

It may sound obvious but in order for employees to want to participate in workplace L&D programs, they have to see real value in them. It’s not enough just to tell employees that the learning is important, they have to see evidence that it is. 

When pondering whether participation may be worth their while, employees may ask questions like: 

How will this learning help me to do my current job better? 

To what extent is taking time to complete learning going to take away from completing my actual job? 

Does this learning support growth in my career? 

Is the learning tool provided easy to use? 

What features does this learning have to make it enjoyable to complete? 

If workplace leaders are able to provide clear answers to these questions, they’ll likely alleviate a lot of the scepticism or uncertainty preventing employees from wanting to learn.  

For some, the word ‘convenience’ may be associated with laziness or a ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude. The world of L&D in 2022 has proved that that doesn’t have to be the case.  

While major changes to the world of work in 2020 like moving to working from home were initially made out of necessity, many of those changes have remained in 2022, to the benefit of employees. 

For instance, many companies have chosen to continue offering a hybrid work model, giving employees the option to work from home, an office or a combination of both. 

It sounds simple but allowing employees to work in a location where they feel comfortable can dramatically increase psychological safety in the workplace. As a knock-on effect, employees will be happier overall at work and therefore more likely to want to participate in activities like workplace learning. 

Going into 2023, another way workplaces can keep L&D convenient for employees is to make sure the learning tools and content are easy to access. If workplaces are unsure of the answer, they can ask themselves questions like: 

Are clear instructions for how to access the learning tools listed somewhere that everyone in the workplace can view them? 

How many clicks does it take from initially visiting the learning tool to actually begin participating in learning content? 

Can participants access the learning tools from home or only on a work specific network? 

How long will each learning component take to complete? Are there varying lengths? 

Adding convenience to workplace L&D not only makes it easier for employees to participate in that learning but also helps streamline business processes leading to increased efficiency overall.  

You’d be hard pressed to find a business that wouldn’t want more of that!  

Day to day, it may seem as though very little changes but when we look back at an entire year, the transformation is astounding. This is certainly true for the world of L&D in 2022. 

When workplaces take into account the knowledge of experience workers with the refreshing takes of those newer to the world of work, positive evolutions will no doubt continue into 2023 and beyond.  

For more insights, be sure to subscribe to the Go1 newsletter and stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.    

What a year! Let’s take a look at some of the biggest L&D trends we saw in 2022 and what those could look like heading into 2023 and beyond.

Looking back at the L&D world in 2022 - and ahead to 2023

A good manager isn’t a boss, but instead, they lead their team from one success to another. They’re not only great listeners and communicators, they’re also experts in their industry and somebody their colleagues can turn to.

But how do you ensure your managers develop their skills so they become the very best leaders? In this post, we’re going to take a look at how managers can develop their skills and how online leadership and management courses can help make that happen.

The importance of leadership development in the workplace

Some employees are naturally better at leadership than others. That’s not to say that others can’t learn the necessary skills to become strong leaders as their careers develop.

However, there’s one thing both experienced leaders and new leaders have in common: they can always learn more. Your managers may have a wealth of knowledge, skills, and experience in leading a team, but there are always advancements made which means the learning should never stop.

Leadership development shouldn’t be limited to current or trainee managers, as the skills taught in courses develop employees of all levels. These include:

By offering leadership development within your business, it allows your teams to work confidently together, and enables you to promote from within and retain top talent.

The importance of leadership development in the workplace cannot be understated. Without it, your competitors are likely to overtake you, you’ll operate outdated practices, and your teams simply won’t perform as well as they should.

The importance of leadership training for managers

A great manager has to be proficient in many skills, and have in-depth knowledge in a multitude of different areas. These include communication, delegation, decision-making, listening, HR skills, and many more. This is why leadership training is important, and managers should frequently learn to upskill and refresh.

Leadership training for managers doesn’t simply cover the basics. While there is a wide selection of training that covers the fundamentals, there are also many courses that cover specific topics so your managers can become even better at what they do. It’s likely that your managers already have basic leadership skills, but developing this will equip them with everything they need to inspire, motivate, engage, strategize and organize.

When you have a manager who has great leadership skills you ensure the success of your teams, which in turn means you deliver quality results for your clients and customers.

For more information check out our blog post on 12 essential leadership skills.

As we’ve already highlighted, your managers may already have many qualities that make them great leaders. Qualities that come naturally to some managers include confidence, listening skills, and resilience. However, while they may exceed in some areas, they may lack skills in others - that’s why improving leadership skills is imperative, regardless of seniority or experience.

The advantages of leadership training include:

Save costs and improve financial performance - when you develop existing employees not only do you save on expensive and lengthy recruitment, but investing in your people can have a significant ROI

How difficult is it to develop leadership skills?

Depending on the current knowledge and experience of your managers, learning leadership skills will take a varying amount of time and effort. More experienced managers may find that they can complete certain leadership courses relatively quickly, while newer or developing managers may find it more challenging.

There is also a range of leadership training topics, from basic to advanced, which will have varying degrees of difficulty.

However, leadership development training ensures that the necessary skills can be learned regardless of the student's prior experience.

For example, communication is a skill everyone has - it’s just that some employees have better communication skills than others. Most employees know the fundamentals of communication, but training allows them to get a deeper understanding and helps them to learn the hows, wheres, whys, whos, and whens involved with workplace communication.

But one major question is how can employees develop their leadership skills? This may be especially challenging for employees looking to upskill, while not currently being in a role that allows them to put those skills into practice. It can also be difficult to find time away from the business to dedicate to development.

There are three ways employees can develop their leadership skills:

Work shadowing or mentoring can be a highly effective way of learning the ins and outs of a specific role. However, this isn’t the best way to identify an individual employee's unique management style - what works for one manager may not work for another.

In-person training can be useful, however, it can be expensive and time-consuming, taking multiple employees away from the business which can disrupt their day-to-day responsibilities.

Among the best leadership training programs are those offered online. Online courses are cost-effective and completely self-directed, meaning they can be taken during periods of downtime, or at other convenient times.

Online training will allow employees to develop their leadership skills by:

Understanding their weaknesses and how to improve them

Showing them how to strategize and set ambitious yet attainable goals

Helping them to understand their own leadership style

Teaching them how to become a well-rounded communicator

Allowing them to make better, well-informed decisions

Knowing how to learn from their mistakes (and not repeat them)

How to improve leadership skills in the workplace

Online leadership courses can teach managers all the relevant skills needed to be great leaders, but there is also more the employee can do to develop these skills in the workplace.

Three ways to improve leadership skills outside of training include:

Set goals - a key leadership quality is being driven by goals, and setting goals for themselves - which they then stick to - can lead to goal setting for others

Offer to help out colleagues - when employees offer to help others it displays a positive, proactive attitude, and can help build relationships and respect

Learn more about the business - a leader isn’t someone who sticks to their own team or department and will have to work closely with others throughout the business. For this reason, learning more about the business and the way other teams work will help build a deeper understanding of the business and how it operates

When looking to develop, an action plan to improve leadership skills on top of online training courses is imperative for managers to become well-rounded leaders.

Leadership and management training will teach managers how to be good leaders, but it’s also important that employees know how to practice the leadership skills they have learned.

Be seen - a good leader doesn’t blend into the crowd, they make themselves available wherever possible

Feedback - a key leadership skill is offering constructive, well-articulated feedback

Listen - this is the one part of communication that some people forget

Motivate others - positivity and motivation are the qualities of a great leader

Accountability - everybody makes mistakes, so owning and learning from them is important

Learn - use every opportunity to learn more

Improve your managers' leadership skills with online training from Go1

Go1 offers a wide range of online leadership training courses which are perfect for new or seasoned managers. For more information on what Go1 can offer your business, schedule a demo with our experts today.

Leadership skills are critical to ensure your managers lead your teams effectively. Find out how to develop managers’ leadership skills with Go1