MRA Research’s Builders Merchant Monthly Omnibus Survey supplements The Pulse by providing informative feedback and commentary on several the key issues facing the sector. This month, the questions addressed skills shortages, young people and women in industry.
Everyone’s talking about sustainability, but is enough being done to sustain Construction? Short of skills, short of women and short of young people to replace those about to retire in the next ten years, construction has a lot of work to do…
Skills shortages
About one in six 6 (16%) of merchants say that skills shortages and finding the next generation of builders is the most important challenge for the industry — Chart 6. Independents (21%), Lightside Merchants (28%), Large outlets and merchants in the South (21%) are the most concerned.
Young people in the industry
One in three merchants say it’s easy to attract young people into the industry. But a similar proportion say it’s difficult — Chart 7.
Percentage of women in the industry
While still a minority, the number of women in the industry is growing. Nearly one in ten merchants now say women make up 31-50% of their workforce — Chart 8.
Recruiting women into the industry
Tying the two points together, builders’ merchants report that they find it easier now to recruit women into the industry than young people — Chart 9.
About the Builders Merchant Omnibus Survey
MRA Research’s new Builders’ Merchants Monthly Omnibus Survey offers companies marketing to builders’ merchants and their customers a cost-effective, fast-turnaround insight tool. Suppliers and others can buy as few or as many questions as required with a perfectly weighted national sample, and get results in as little as two weeks, to improve their marketing.
To add your questions on the market or an issue facing the sector to an upcoming Omnibus, contact Yvette Kirk at MRA via yvette@mra-research.co.uk or call 01453 521621.
