Fortunately, in recent years, pool and construction companies have had plenty of work. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to keep enough employees and laborers to get the job done as quickly as they would like. This labor shortage has become a major point of discussion in the pool industry.
An article from the June 2019 issue of Aqua magazine discussed this labor shortage in-depth. Aqua’s annual “State of the Industry” survey for 2019 revealed that most in the pool industry cite “lack of labor, and particularly skilled labor…as their biggest hurdle.”[i] This labor shortage is not just limited to swimming pool construction and remodeling, in fact, it is a widespread issue across the construction industry. The Aqua article went on to discuss a recent Association of General Contractors of America report which stated nearly 80% of those construction companies surveyed want to hire new employees, yet the construction industry workforce is only expected to grow a meager 0.5% each year for the next decade.[ii] Many pool and construction companies are in a prime position to grow their businesses but are unable to do so because there is not enough help to take on more work.
Most believe there are three major factors that are exacerbating the shortage: 1) many of those currently in the pool (and construction) industries are beginning to retire; 2) the new workforce (millennials) are not seeking out jobs in these industries; and 3) the healthy economy is fueling demand. While finding labor is difficult, finding skilled labor is an even greater challenge.
It seems that many millennials are unaware of job opportunities in the trades. Over the last several decades there has been little to no emphasis on skilled labor or the trades in education. The work is difficult and in hot climates like Florida, it is even more difficult to find and keep good employees. This problem seems to be impacting many businesses large and small.
Here at Advanced Pool & Spa, Inc., our employees are our most valuable assets! We strive to provide top-quality work for our customers in a timely fashion. We always try to exceed our customer’s expectations and deliver the best job as quickly as possible, but we hope our customers understand the reality in this current work climate and that this is a problem many in our industry are facing. We are so fortunate to have some incredible, hard-working employees who truly take pride in their work. If you are looking to remodel or resurface your swimming pool and/or spa, please contact Advanced Pool & Spa, Inc. We would love to assist you with your project!
Please visit our website https://www.advancedpool-spa.com/gallery and take a look at some of our beautiful work and follow us on Instagram (@advancedpools.fl) and on Facebook (@advancedpoolspa)!
————————————————————————————————-
[i] Herman, Eric, “Missing Workers: The Industry Needs to Fill Positions to Fill Pools” Aqua (June, 2019).
[ii] Id.
