Construction Industry Survey Hammers Home Skills Shortages
Teletrac Navman announces results of comprehensive survey into NZ’s construction industry
Dunedin, New Zealand, 4 August 2017 – As demand for construction surges, the industry is constrained by capacity, compliance and sluggish contract
turnaround times.
Results from the first New Zealand Construction Industry Survey reveal a staggering 84 percent of those in construction
industry management roles (General, Project and Fleet Managers) identify labour and skills shortages as a major issue
facing the industry, with 69 percent of all respondents agreeing. Almost two thirds of respondents (64 percent)
anticipate that they will be needing more staff in the upcoming year. So severe is the shortage that 84 percent of
respondents say they would hire immediately, if labour with the right skills were available. That’s a big ‘if’ - finding
skilled, motivated workers who can pass workplace drug testing is proving to be a real challenge.
Presented at the Civil Contractors New Zealand (CCNZ) annual conference in Dunedin, the Survey is a joint research
project between Teletrac Navman, CCNZ and Contractor magazine. The Survey gauges the attitudes of people in the
construction industry on a wide range of issues regarding productivity, training, staffing, safety, measurement and the
use of technology.
“We want a strong, successful and productive industry, but need change. Focus should be on reducing approval and
turnaround times for projects, and improving collaboration between the public and private sectors. We can’t do it alone.
We need local councils and central government to work with us to complete projects efficiently and to a high standard,”
says Peter Silcock, Chief Executive at CCNZ.
A significant three quarters (74 percent) of Owners and Directors identify compliance costs as the most important area
requiring change in the NZ construction industry, as do 57 percent of all Survey respondents. The need for better, not
more, regulations is the prevalent view held by 80 percent of the respondents. Other key areas requiring change are, the
approval and turnaround time on construction projects (34 percent), and collaborative private-public partnerships to
enable future planning and sensible operating environments (33 percent).
Despite the challenges, the Survey indicates positive attitudes towards industry growth, a dedication to workplace
health and safety, and smart thinking around improving productivity.
“Overall, there’s a strong feeling of optimism, and plenty of forward thinking from the Survey respondents. Building a
strong reputation, being customer focused, developing skillsets, and investing in technology are key opportunities
identified for businesses,” says Jim French, Construction Industry Specialist at Teletrac Navman. “We are very proud to
be leading this research project which provides a good insight into the industry. I hope it encourages industry leaders,
the wider construction community and government to tackle the issues together.”
The New Zealand Construction Industry Survey is available to download at http://www.teletracnavman.co.nz/construction-industry-survey
ENDS
Construction Industry Survey Methodology
The 2017 Construction Industry Survey is an online survey that sampled 159 adults within the New Zealand construction
industry. The Survey was commissioned by CCNZ and Teletrac Navman, and produced by research firm Colmar Brunton. Margin
of error for the total sample is + or - 7.8 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. Data was collected from 24th May
to 15th June 2017 by Colmar Brunton.
About Teletrac Navman
Teletrac Navman is a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider leveraging location-based technology and services for
managing mobile assets. With specialized solutions that deliver greater visibility into real-time insights and
analytics, Teletrac Navman helps companies make better business decisions that enhance productivity and profitability.
Its fleet and asset management technology uncovers information that would otherwise go unseen, helping customers reduce
risk and confidently move their business forward with certainty. It tracks and manages more than 500,000 vehicles and
assets for more than 40,000 companies around the world. The company is headquartered in Glenview, IL, with additional
offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. For more information visit www.teletracnavman.co.nz.