2020 / 2021 has been a particularly strong year for housebuilding in Scotland, with many of the housebuilders pushing through ambitious growth plans, along with continued robust sales. This subsequently increased the demand for both site management and technical staff.

This demand, coupled with a larger number of people deciding to explore new opportunities, has meant that demand has, in many cases, outstripped supply. We have therefore seen a significant increase year on year in salaries.

Sourcing experienced site managers, who could manage complex sites, additional COVID regulations, materials and sub-contractor shortages, and an increased number of completion/handovers have been a key area for recruitment in the last 12 months. It’s reflected in the most significant salary increase we have seen to date (over 10% increase).

Looking ahead into 2022 / 2023, the pace of new house sales is widely expected to level out to a more realistic output. There is still the impact of inflation, cost of materials, and supplier availability, but there has been a closer emphasis on company culture and staff engagement to retain existing employees. Companies that have decided to offer a more flexible approach to working (where appropriate), should also see a better pool of available candidates as the sector adjusts to the new way of working.