The COVID-19 outbreak continues to cause mayhem as it rapidly infects countries around the world. This pandemic does not discriminate; everyone is at risk – including the 7.6 million construction workers and 12.8 million Americans working in the manufacturing sector.

So, how is the pandemic affecting construction, and what should be done?

 According to a chief U.S. economist, the reasons for holding back on constructions and manufacturing lay-offs include:

  • The inability to find experienced workers.
  • The exorbitant costs of rehiring and training new employees.
  • We are living in the fourth industrial revolution, which has brought many specialized technological advances into the manufacturing industry, which makes it hard to find workers with specialized skills
    • Systems engineering
    • Project management
    • Software development

Those reasons, however, apply to many industries who are having to close their doors.

It’s time to dig deeper. The most important thing to remember during this crisis is to put safety first and stay up to date with the latest safety precautions.

Construction

Steve Sandherr of the AGC (the construction association) and other national staff have produced a video, AGC COVIDID-19 WebED – The Latest Developments and its Impact on the Construction Industry. The 60-minute video includes an update on the coronavirus, latest information on the federal response, an updated economic analysis of its impacts, and an overview of the latest legal, HR, safety, and risk measures, which are being put in place.

Manufacturing

According to a post by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Manufacturers across the country are working to keep their teams and communities safe and healthy and also contending with the full range of effects—to the economy, to their supply chains, to their operations and more—of the COVID-19 outbreak. A newly released survey of manufacturing leaders conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers reveals the state of the industry as the situation unfolds.”

It’s challenging to navigate through the multitude of individual states’ mandates that relate to the construction and manufacturing industries – knowing whether to stay open or close, which safety measures to implement, and more. In the end, gather accurate information, consider your options, and make decisions, accordingly. The ways and means of operations, procedures, policies, etc. may be different right now, but we all can continue to connect with coworkers, clients, families, and as a nation.

The team at GSI is striving to help our clients and associates to continue working in safe environments. If you need additional workers, we are here to help. Contact us today.