This question seems to be the topic of the year for work orders and projects. From construction to retail and beyond, delays have been affecting service-related businesses throughout the country, across every state and sector. With signs on restaurants and in stores stating, “Please be patient, we are short-staffed” as the norm, it is no surprise that staff shortages are the biggest cause.
The building, trades, and maintenance industries are no exception. We have seen companies close after decades in business due to either shortages in or cost for labor. As client needs and expectations increase—and consumer patience decreases—we have seen contractors walking off jobs and refusing to return due to what they describe as “unrealistic expectations and abuse by residents.” As demand truly exceeds supply, they can now choose for whom they wish to work.
Simply put, the ongoing labor shortage and the worldwide economic impact of the pandemic has affected the timing of routine maintenance of your property and our ability to complete even the simplest of work orders. BRIGS, as well as your association, are feeling the impact of inflated prices alongside skilled labor shortages. This has led to delayed timelines and frustration for owners, residents, and BRIGS alike. Thankfully, we have long-term relationships with many service providers, but even these trusted partners are not always able to accommodate our requests in the current environment.
With skilled workers demanding higher pay and benefits, employers are now in bidding wars for all types of employees. Maintenance workers that are typically on-call nights and weekends are leaving the industry for less demanding jobs. We at BRIGS are doing everything we can to ensure that our internal staff and our properties’ site staffs are happy within their current roles; however, as work demands increase, it is more difficult to reduce turnover as employees receive competing offers.
I share these details not as an excuse but as an explanation for the ongoing uncertainties surrounding outstanding work and projects. Now we, too, are asking our clients to please be patient with everyone you speak with in the service industry. They truly want to help and have shown up to do so—it may just take a little longer than before.
We appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we face these challenges. We’re all in this together.
– Scott Wolf, CEO
