How to Retain Building Company Staff

Let me ask you a blunt question…

If one of your best team members handed in their resignation tomorrow—what would you do?

Would you scramble to replace them? Take on more yourself? Blame the labour shortage?

Or would you shrug it off because your business is built to keep the right people and grow them from within?

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth:

You’re either building a company that attracts and retains top talent—or you’re training them for your competitors.

And in 2025, with skilled labour scarcer than ever, retention isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s your survival strategy.

Objection: “No one wants to work in construction anymore…”

We hear it all the time from frustrated builders.

“I’ve tried everything—bonuses, flexible hours, even Friday beers—and I still can’t keep good people.”

But what if the problem isn’t your team?

What if the real issue is your system?

Russ Stephens put it perfectly on a recent episode of Professional Builders Secrets:

“You don’t have a hiring problem. You have a business model problem.”

You’re not losing people because “kids these days” don’t want to work.

You’re losing them because your business isn’t set up to give them a future.

Let’s break this down…

Retention starts with structure (not perks)

Perks are great—but they’re not what keeps your best people from scrolling job listings on a Monday morning.

The real driver?

A clear path forward. A sense of progress. A culture that values growth.

That’s what Barb and Kris MacGregor tapped into when they launched My Home Renovations in New Zealand.

“We take a lot of satisfaction out of seeing our team grow professionally and personally,” Barb shared. “The fact we can help someone buy their first home—that makes it all worth it.”

They built career progression into their model. Apprentices became site leads. Labourers became leaders.

And because they hired employees, not subcontractors, they were able to invest deeply in training, mentorship, and team culture.

Real builders are winning with this approach

The MacGregors aren’t alone.

We have seen this pattern across hundreds of growing building companies:

Hire for attitude, train for skill
Give clear pathways to leadership
Build feedback loops from the site to the office
Make culture more than just a buzzword

And here’s the kicker…

These companies aren’t just keeping staff—they’re getting referrals.

From clients. From neighbours. Even from the team’s own friends.

Why?

Because a tight-knit team that takes pride in their work becomes your best marketing asset.

A team that stays is a business that scales

When your team stays:

You spend less time recruiting and training
You deliver better results for clients
You remove yourself from the day-to-day grind
You build a culture that others want to join

You stop being the firefighter and start being the leader.

You create consistency, control, and confidence—not chaos.

And that? That’s how you go from a $1M operator glued to the tools… to a $10M builder with time, freedom, and profit.

So, how do you start retaining staff today?

Here’s your 5-step action plan:

Audit your team structure. Are you relying too heavily on subcontractors? Shift to employed roles where possible.
Create clear career pathways. Map out what progress looks like for each individual team member.
Build a culture around pride and respect. Barb and Kris preach tidiness on site, politeness to neighbours, and clean work vehicles. Small things, big impact.
Invest in software that makes your team’s job easier. Use software that streamlines schedules, project tracking, and client updates so your team always knows what’s happening and what’s expected.
Talk to your team. Weekly site visits. Honest check-ins. Celebrate wins. Show them they matter.

Final thoughts

The best builders in our community don’t “hope” their team stays.

They build a culture that makes people want to stay.

So here’s the question:

Are you building a business that retains talent… or just crossing your fingers every payday?

If you’re ready to stop losing good people and start scaling with confidence, we can help.

Drop a comment. Book a call. Or just send this to your business partner and start the conversation.

Because your next million in revenue won’t come from more clients…

It’ll come from keeping the right team.