“But we’ve always done it this way!” How can leaders ensure that they are building resilient companies and not falling victim to those seven fatal words? A look at three introductory strategies that can help executives set their companies up for success, no matter what challenges they may come to face.

Great companies and great employees understand that successful hires are made when effective daily habits are combined with strategic long-term plans. Optimism and resilience can be difficult during a challenging market, but every day is a new opportunity to make a great hire, no matter what the previous day looked like.

The “new normal” is an adjustment for everyone when it comes to the hiring process. The best tools anyone can utilize during this period are flexibility, patience, and understanding as both candidates and hiring managers do their best to move forward safely and efficiently.

Five years ago, we used the hard-earned wisdom of the past to look at recruitment strategies, ideal workforce target groups, and significant trends that would impact the future of the industry. We have seen many of our recommended strategies pay dividends to companies that utilized them. Looking forward to 2025, the most important piece of advice we can offer is this: expect the unexpected.

At Kimmel & Associates, we have a unique perspective on the construction industry. This perspective is informed in part by the thousands of conversations that our consultants engage in every year with construction professionals across the country. Our goal is to use the information we gather from these conversations to serve the industry.

During the hiring process, small details matter just as much as the big picture. A company might have all the “big” boxes checked off for a potential recruit, but if they don’t focus on the little things that make a recruit feel special, they might lose out on top talent.

Bad interviews can prevent even great companies from making key hires. But by putting in the effort and treating every interview as a top priority, managers can open up doors to top talent across the market.

Dismissing a candidate because they are unemployed is an easy way for construction companies to lose out on top talent. Hiring managers should meet with the candidate, and then trust their own experience and intuition to determine if that person is the right fit.

For roofing companies to compete at a high level for top talent, they need to have a clear strategy for how to recruit, hire, and retain those candidates.