Why Construction Leaders Can't Hire Their Way Out of the Labor Shortage

Construction and AEC leaders can't solve the construction labor shortage by hiring faster - employee retention is the leadership problem to solve. Every firm says it has a great culture, a clear career path, and a mission that matters. Yet the best architects and engineers still leave - and most leaders misdiagnose why. If your posting reads like ten other midsize firms, you don't have a pipeline problem. In this episode, Ryan Ware talks with Bryce Batts, Co-Founder of Career Collective and AEC recruiter with 20 years in architecture, engineering, and construction, about how the market flipped from employer-driven to candidate-driven, why great candidates disappear in about 10 days, and what construction leaders must change to keep the people they already have. In this episode: Why great candidates are on the market for ~10 days - and what slows firms down How the 2008 recession created today's missing middle in architecture and engineering Why compensation isn't the top reason architects and engineers leave - culture and career path are The "hit the ground running" myth and why small to midsize firms feel it most Where onboarding and mentorship break down - and how to stack wins before stacking work How reactive staffing keeps firms filling the same hole every year How AI is changing resumes, sourcing, and screening - and why human connection still wins This isn't just an AEC hiring conversation. Any leader managing skilled teams under schedule and budget pressure faces the same shift: from buying talent to building it. If you lead projects, people, or a practice in construction, this episode reframes retention as a construction leadership and construction change management challenge - how you create the conditions where people can grow, contribute, and see a future. If you lead a team, a studio, or a firm and you're tired of restarting the hiring cycle every 12 to 18 months, this conversation is for you. You'll leave with a clearer lens on why people join, why they stay, and why they leave - and what to change before the next posting goes live. Activating Curiosity is a construction podcast for leaders navigating change in the built environment. Subscribe for weekly conversations with AEC leaders on construction leadership, team development, and change leadership - and follow along wherever you listen to podcasts. Links: ActivatingCuriosity.com Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ryan-ware Learn more: ConnectiveConsultingGrp.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Why AEC Firms Struggle to Stand Out 01:07 – The Human Side of Staffing and Recruiting 05:44 – How AEC Recruiting Has Changed 09:41 – When Employers Stopped Holding All the Cards 11:55 – Great Candidates May Be Gone in 10 Days 12:32 – How 2008 Helped Create the Missing Middle 13:30 – Stop Staffing Projects and Start Thinking Strategically 16:25 – Why People Leave: It's Not Just About Compensation 17:30 – Your Firm Sounds Like Everyone Else 22:17 – From Filling Positions to Building Careers 24:18 – The Problem With “Hit the Ground Running” 28:51 – How AI Is Changing Recruiting 37:17 – Why Human Connection Still Matters 44:08 – Building an Industry People Want to Join