How Shelby Erectors is Combating the Construction Labor Shortage Through Technology

Shelby Erectors is an industry-leading bridge rebar contractor that connects communities throughout Florida, that recently received the 2022 Project of the Year for Miscellaneous Metals, Class II, Craft Training Excellence, and Safety Excellence Award from the Steel Erectors Association of America.

A growth-minded company, this award-winning firm focuses on adopting new technology and enhancing company culture to help this innovative construction firm overcome industry challenges.

Adopting New Technologies

To help fill in the labor shortage gaps that many contractors are facing in the construction industry, Shelby Erectors is thinking outside the box—levering robotics on their projects—and using technology created specifically for bridge projects. While they don’t see this new technology as something that will replace their workforce, they do believe it will enhance their workforce by taking away some of the back-breaking parts of the job that may have initially deterred applicants.

In addition, the company is incorporating innovative technology to help replace some of their hard manual labor, to decrease man-hours and worker liability—resulting in a safer work environment for its employees.

Further incorporating time and labor-saving technology, Shelby Erectors has used Deltek ComputerEase for more than 15 years for their construction accounting software. This industry-specific solution keeps everything in one location, reducing the use of multiple spreadsheets and the number of human error inputs while also allowing the company to manage its paperless journey through crucial aspects of the business, such as:

• Implementing the Time Entry app to track labor hours
• Upgrading their superintendents to FieldEase for additional oversight with payroll balancing and project management
• Adding ExpenseEase to their daily management and tracking of credit card expenses
• Using the Employee Hub to digitally distribute payroll stubs and W-2s

Focus on Company Culture

Family-owned and operated, Shelby Erectors stays true to its core values: hard-working, responsibility to each other, better because we can, and GIVE A DAMN. They don’t shy away from shedding light on the hot conditions, heavy materials, and sometimes dangerous work, so their core values and company culture remain at the forefront regarding hiring and retaining employees. The thought and time put into the rigorous hiring process, which includes an integrity test, helps ensure they hire people that align with their core values, establishing a solid cultural fit.

Diversity and inclusion are other aspects Shelby Erectors focuses on, with 70% of their employees identifying as minorities. They are a champion in hiring veterans through their apprenticeship program, approved by Florida’s State Approving Agency, and aim to attract new talent by working with people coming out of corrections and going to job fairs targeting high school students.

It’s a Dirty Job

The construction labor shortage, coupled with rod busting being one of the hardest jobs in the industry, has forced Shelby Erectors to put growing, hiring, and retaining employees at the forefront of their minds. But don’t just take our word for it! Check out this clip from a recent episode of Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe or watch the entire episode on Discovery+.