Industry news

How Grafter can help with workforce supply

Digital disruption in the construction industry is escalating rapidly, with new tech adoption changing fields such as BIM, advanced project management and even robotics. But one area which digitisation is transforming most notably, and with immediate effects, is in the construction workforce supply.

Rates of pay for labourers in London

It’s important that your jobs are listed with a wage that reflects the appropriate rate of pay for the profession in question. You should also take into account other factors such as location, experience and any further qualifications that the desired applicant needs to have.

Mental health in the construction industry

You may be aware of the current drive to support those who suffer from mental illness across the UK but the reality about how common it is, is shocking.

Every two hours, someone in England and Wales takes their own life. Mind, a mental health charity operating across England and Wales, have revealed this upsetting statistic as part of their Christmas appeal.

Overtake the rest: advanced driving courses

Congratulations! You’ve passed your driving test. Unfortunately for you though – in this day and age, professional drivers need a bit more than their test certificate to stand out amongst the crowd. Passing your test certainly isn’t going to make you a driving expert (as we know by some of the poor practice encountered on the roads!). 

Getting women into construction

It’s no secret that construction is not the most female-friendly industry. According to statistics, only 11% of the entire construction workforce are women. Furthermore, a mere 1% of onsite construction workers are women. These numbers are really shocking, and we want to get to the bottom of why there are so few women in our grafter community and in the construction industry as a whole. This gender imbalance in the sector really stands out, and needs to be addressed. How can we get more women in construction?

Temporary staff for Black Friday

If you run a retail business the growing trend for Black Friday temporary staff top handle the extra load will be an important part of your annual business cycle.  Just like pumpkin spiced lattes, Black Friday is another of the USA’s imports onto this fair isle.

The 2018 shortage of construction workers in the UK

Labour is a key component of the construction industry. Despite various government initiatives to stimulate the economy through greater investment in infrastructure and the housing market the success of these policies rests with the people that will bring them to life.

What's CSCS?

The Construction Industry Training Board or CITB is the body established for training and managing certifications for the construction industry. The CITB is funded by and works with industry to encourage training, which helps to build a safe, professional and qualified workforce.

How Brexit might impact the workforce

Employment law and Brexit - there is a lot of speculation around how UK laws will change if at all - following the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU). There are two areas of British law that could impact the workforce - employment and immigration. In terms of immigration laws, we only discuss these briefly in this article. And before we do, it’s good to note that there will be no change to the rights and status of EU citizens living in the UK until 2021.

Can my employer keep my tips?

This is a question that’s been voiced a lot recently. There’s been an increase in public outcry ever since it was revealed in 2015 that some employers take up to 10% of the tips their employees are earning. In this post, we outline the government’s current discussions regarding the implementation of new laws to regulate this kind of exploitative practice within the hospitality industry.