NHF White Papers

This update revisits NHF’s original 2016 study on productivity and prefabrication for HVAC and sheet metal contractors, this time focusing on the return on investment from committing to prefabrication. A task force of SMACNA contractors worked with Dr. Federle through site visits and a survey of SMACNA contractors to assess where firms stand on prefab …

Continue reading “An Update to the Impact of Prefabrication on Productivity”

Across SMACNA shops and job sites, most mentoring still happens the way it always has: organic, informal, and dependent on whoever happens to take a new worker under their wing. This New Horizons Foundation report makes the case that contractors are leaving real money on the table by stopping there. Drawing on practical examples from …

Continue reading “Mentoring: Developing Trade Workers’ Talent and Engagement”

“I received better onboarding at Jack in the Box than I did as a union employee.” That comment from an HVAC contractor president frames the problem this report sets out to fix. With 60 percent of construction injuries happening in a worker’s first year and effective onboarding linked to 52 percent better retention and 60 …

Continue reading “Onboarding Trade Workers for Accelerated Engagement and Productivity”