Oklahoma builders expect to hire more workers this year, but not a lot of them.
The Associated General Contractors of America found 56 percent of firms doing most of their work here expect their headcount to go up 25 percent or less.
"One factor that appears to be affecting hiring plans is the continued shortage of qualified workers," said AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson.
Nationally, 71 percent of builders expect to grow, and just 8 percent of them expect to grow by more than 25 percent. Most builders reported trouble filling positions last year and said it would be as hard or harder this year to find qualified employees.
Builders are facing some other challenges, said AGC CEO Steve Sandherr, including increasing federal, state and local regulations, and higher healthcare costs.
Every Oklahoma firm expects the cost of providing healthcare to go up this year, while nationwide 80 percent do.
Few Oklahoma builders think they’ll have more work in 2016, a sentiment echoed nationwide.
"Respondents are most optimistic about the outlook for retail, warehouse and lodging," said Simonson. "Respondents were also positive about the hospital, private office, multifamily residential and higher education construction segments."
According to AGC, hospital projects are the only thing more than half of Oklahoma builders think there will be more of in 2016; however, just 25 firms responded to the group's survey. Nationwide, nearly 1,600 companies weighed in, with 35 percent saying there will be more hospitals to build.
