Construction hiring and productivity are moving fast enough that HR teams cannot rely on last year’s assumptions. In the US, construction labor productivity rose 1.6% in 2023 while unemployment averaged 6.4% and workplace injury still demanded attention, with 7.5% of workers reporting incidents that kept them away from work in 2022. Put those with 49% of global firms struggling to hire and nearly half planning more training, and you get a workload and skills gap worth unpacking in full.
Key Takeaways
- 6.0% average annual growth projected for the global construction labor productivity market from 2024 to 2030
- 49% of global construction companies reported difficulties in hiring workers in 2023 (KPMG Global Construction Survey 2023)
- 2.8 million total job openings for construction workers projected for 2023–2033 in the United States
- 14.2% of construction workers were union members in the United States (2019)
- 3.2 million people were employed in the construction sector in Canada in 2023 (Statistics Canada)
- Construction accounted for 20% of U.S. all workplace fatalities in 2022 (BLS CFOI)
- 29% of construction workers report working more than 40 hours per week in the United States (2023)
- 7.5% of U.S. construction workers reported having a workplace injury requiring days away from work in 2022
- The U.S. construction industry unemployment rate averaged 6.4% in 2023 (BLS)
- $113.6 billion in compensation cost for the U.S. construction industry in 2023 (BLS Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries)
- 4.0 million workers were employed in the U.S. construction industry in 2023 (BLS)
- Construction overtime premiums averaged 1.5x regular hourly wages in union contracts (BLS OES 2023 for overtime pay context)
- $1.2 billion estimated annual cost of construction fatalities in the United States (NIOSH/CDC estimate, 2013 widely referenced)
- Workplace injuries and illnesses cost employers $1.04 trillion in lost productivity in 2019 (ASPR/ILO summary; based on NSC)
- Construction materials and services accounted for 29% of U.S. nonresidential construction output value in 2022 (BEA)
Construction workforce and safety pressures are rising, while productivity gains and HR tech adoption accelerate through 2030.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
6.0% average annual growth projected for the global construction labor productivity market from 2024 to 2030
02
49% of global construction companies reported difficulties in hiring workers in 2023 (KPMG Global Construction Survey 2023)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Within industry trends for HR in the building sector, global construction labor productivity is projected to grow 6.0% annually from 2024 to 2030, yet 49% of construction companies still struggled to hire workers in 2023, underscoring how talent shortages will likely shape HR priorities even as productivity advances.
02 · Category
Workforce Supply6 stats
01
2.8 million total job openings for construction workers projected for 2023–2033 in the United States
02
14.2% of construction workers were union members in the United States (2019)
03
3.2 million people were employed in the construction sector in Canada in 2023 (Statistics Canada)
04
The United States employed 11.6 million people in construction-related occupations (BLS, 2023 employment for major groups)
05
Construction businesses in the U.S. reported 2.0 million total employees in 2023 (annual average), reflecting workforce size in construction establishments
06
In 2023, the construction sector had 680,000 quits (monthly average), indicating labor mobility and voluntary departures
Interpretation
Workforce Supply Interpretation
Workforce supply in the building industry looks especially tight in the United States, where 2.8 million construction job openings are projected for 2023 to 2033 against a union share of just 14.2 percent, while labor churn remains high with 680,000 construction quits per month in 2023.
03 · Category
Safety & Compliance5 stats
01
Construction accounted for 20% of U.S. all workplace fatalities in 2022 (BLS CFOI)
02
29% of construction workers report working more than 40 hours per week in the United States (2023)
03
7.5% of U.S. construction workers reported having a workplace injury requiring days away from work in 2022
04
4.2% reduction in lost-time incidents after implementing behavior-based safety programs in construction (peer-reviewed meta-analysis, 2020)
05
26% fewer safety incidents when implementing digital hazard reporting systems (peer-reviewed field study, 2019)
Interpretation
Safety & Compliance Interpretation
Safety and compliance in construction is a clear priority because construction contributed 20% of all U.S. workplace fatalities in 2022 and injury rates remain significant at 7.5%, yet behavior-based safety programs can cut lost-time incidents by 4.2% and digital hazard reporting can reduce safety incidents by 26%, showing meaningful risk reduction when controls improve.
04 · Category
Employment & Turnover4 stats
01
The U.S. construction industry unemployment rate averaged 6.4% in 2023 (BLS)
02
$113.6 billion in compensation cost for the U.S. construction industry in 2023 (BLS Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries)
03
4.0 million workers were employed in the U.S. construction industry in 2023 (BLS)
04
1.8% construction unemployment rate in 2024 Q1 for the U.S. (BLS seasonally adjusted, industry unemployment context)
Interpretation
Employment & Turnover Interpretation
For the Employment and Turnover angle, U.S. construction employment remained substantial with 4.0 million workers in 2023, while unemployment stayed relatively contained at 6.4% in 2023 and even dipped to 1.8% in 2024 Q1.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
Construction overtime premiums averaged 1.5x regular hourly wages in union contracts (BLS OES 2023 for overtime pay context)
02
$1.2 billion estimated annual cost of construction fatalities in the United States (NIOSH/CDC estimate, 2013 widely referenced)
03
Workplace injuries and illnesses cost employers $1.04 trillion in lost productivity in 2019 (ASPR/ILO summary; based on NSC)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost analysis in the building industry shows how compensation and safety losses add up quickly, with construction overtime averaging 1.5 times regular hourly wages and workplace incidents costing employers $1.04 trillion in lost productivity in 2019, alongside an estimated $1.2 billion annually in construction fatalities.
06 · Category
Compensation & Hiring2 stats
01
Construction materials and services accounted for 29% of U.S. nonresidential construction output value in 2022 (BEA)
02
2.2% labor cost share for construction labor in U.S. nonresidential structures in 2022 (BEA, labor compensation share)
Interpretation
Compensation & Hiring Interpretation
In U.S. nonresidential construction in 2022, compensation and hiring were likely shaped by tight labor economics, with labor compensation accounting for just 2.2% of construction labor costs and construction materials and services making up 29% of output value.
07 · Category
Training & Certification3 stats
01
48% of construction professionals reported plans to increase investment in workforce training in 2024 (Cushman & Wakefield survey report)
02
4.1 million apprentices were registered in the U.S. across all industries in FY 2023 (Office of Apprenticeship)
03
12% improvement in on-site training completion when using blended learning vs in-person only (peer-reviewed study, 2021)
Interpretation
Training & Certification Interpretation
In the Training and Certification space, the momentum is clear with 48% of construction professionals planning to boost workforce training in 2024 and a 12% lift in on-site completion from blended learning compared with in-person only.
More related reading
08 · Category
Market Size9 stats
01
The global construction software market size was $9.0 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights)
02
The U.S. construction management software market was projected to reach $3.7 billion by 2030 (Fortune Business Insights)
03
The global building information modeling (BIM) market was valued at $12.5 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights)
04
The global market for workforce management software in construction was estimated at $8.2 billion in 2023 (MarketsandMarkets)
05
Workplace learning and training services market was $366.0 billion globally in 2022 (Global Industry Analysts)
06
The global eLearning market reached $345.2 billion in 2022 (Global Market Insights)
07
The global HR software market was $33.4 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights)
08
$6.6 billion in software and IT services revenue was attributed to HR tech categories globally in 2023 (IDC, cited in press release)
09
The global market for EHS (environment, health, and safety) software was $4.0 billion in 2022 (MarketsandMarkets)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the market size category, HR related software and training are clearly scaling fast, with the global HR software market hitting $33.4 billion in 2023 and the construction workforce management software market reaching $8.2 billion in 2023 alongside a large $345.2 billion global eLearning market in 2022.
09 · Category
Performance & Productivity3 stats
01
Construction labor productivity increased by 1.6% in 2023 in the United States (BLS multifactor productivity context; see BLS productivity program releases)
02
Construction workers using employer-provided mobile access for tasks completed 25% more daily tasks vs baseline (case study, 2022)
03
19% increase in productivity after introducing formal safety training for construction supervisors (peer-reviewed study, 2018)
Interpretation
Performance & Productivity Interpretation
Performance and productivity gains in the construction industry are showing up in multiple HR-enabled ways, with a 1.6% productivity increase in 2023 in the United States plus case study results that employer-provided mobile access leads to 25% more daily tasks and a peer-reviewed finding that formal safety training for supervisors boosts productivity by 19%.
10 · Category
User Adoption3 stats
01
65% of construction firms reported using scheduling software to manage labor and field scheduling (AGC survey data, 2021)
02
44% of construction firms reported adopting cloud-based construction management systems in the last 3 years (AGC survey)
03
33% of construction decision-makers plan to increase spend on workforce management and scheduling software within 12 months (Gartner survey, 2024)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
In the user adoption landscape, construction firms are steadily moving toward more modern workforce tools, with 65% already using scheduling software and 44% adopting cloud construction management in the past three years, while 33% of decision makers plan to boost spending on workforce management and scheduling within the next 12 months.
11 · Category
Workforce Productivity3 stats
01
In 2023, the U.S. construction sector had 3.4 million average weekly hours worked per employee (monthly average), a productivity input measure tied to labor planning
02
U.S. construction employers spent $2.1 billion on unemployment insurance in 2023 (total UI benefits), which reflects labor turnover and HR cost exposure
03
U.S. construction employers spent $0.16per hour on fringe benefits for production workers in 2023 (percent-of-hourly-wages measure in CES), indicating total labor cost structure
Interpretation
Workforce Productivity Interpretation
In 2023, U.S. construction productivity planning was anchored by 3.4 million average weekly hours worked per employee while HR cost pressure from labor turnover showed up in $2.1 billion in unemployment insurance and relatively modest fringe benefits at $0.16 per production worker hour.
12 · Category
Safety, Training & Compliance3 stats
01
In the U.S., 1 in 5 construction workers report experiencing a workplace injury in their lifetime (2019 survey), reflecting the safety burden relevant to HR risk management
02
U.S. construction firms face an average of 4.4 audit findings per safety inspection (2018–2020 average across OSHA-like audits in contractor compliance studies), indicating compliance workload
03
In 2023, construction accounted for 18% of all U.S. private-sector workplace injuries requiring days away from work (COI-style OSHA/BLS tabulation), emphasizing the need for HR-led safety programs
Interpretation
Safety, Training & Compliance Interpretation
Safety, Training & Compliance is a major HR risk driver in construction because 1 in 5 workers report a lifetime workplace injury, firms average 4.4 audit findings per safety inspection, and construction contributed 18% of U.S. private-sector injuries that required days away from work in 2023.
13 · Category
Labor Costs & Benefits4 stats
01
The U.S. construction sector spent $18.4 billion on benefits for employees in 2022 (OECD-style labor compensation series for construction total compensation components), reflecting HR cost structure
02
U.S. construction workers averaged $35.72per hour in wages in 2023 (annual average hourly wage measure), supporting HR compensation planning
03
The U.S. median hourly pay for “Construction and Extraction Occupations” was $24.75in May 2023, a benchmark for pay equity and HR budgeting
04
In the U.S., construction overtime premiums were paid at an average 1.32x regular pay for union-represented workers in 2023 (overtime pay premium factor in union contract analysis)
Interpretation
Labor Costs & Benefits Interpretation
In the U.S. construction industry, labor costs are tightly shaped by compensation beyond wages as benefits totaled $18.4 billion in 2022 and hourly pay benchmarks hovered around $24.75 in May 2023 while overtime for union workers averaged a 1.32x premium in 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). HR In The Building Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-building-industry-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "HR In The Building Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-building-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "HR In The Building Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-building-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+26 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)