Knowledge is Power

Mike Perry, Director at Donaldson Timber Systems explains how a higher skilled team leads to improved business success.

We’re facing a perfect storm in construction right now. The skills gap is widening at an alarming rate. Experienced tradespeople are retiring faster than we can replace them, and labour shortages are driving costs ever higher. But this crisis isn’t just about finding bodies to fill roles. It’s about having people who understand what they’re doing.

The companies that are achieving business results right now aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest teams. They’re the ones with the smartest teams – people who understand how to properly cost, design, and build with timber frame systems. Getting these elements correct is key to delivering financially successful projects.

The skills challenge

Rising material costs, tighter margins and increased competition are forcing housebuilders to find better ways to operate. Many are discovering that timber frame construction offers significant advantages, such as faster build times, better thermal performance, reduced waste, and improved quality control.

But, to realise the benefits of building in timber frame for your business, the team needs to be fully skilled and knowledgeable. The difference between success and failure lies in the quality of knowledge that teams have.

In this changing market, skills development is crucial. The challenge here, is that when ‘time is money’, taking days or months out to undertake college courses is unrealistic for core team members. Yet these are exactly the people you need to invest in. They understand your business, your customers, and your standards – they’re the ones who can drive real improvement when they’re equipped with the right knowledge.

Nurturing and developing the skills of your core workforce enhances their expertise, which, combined with their existing knowledge and relationships, can deliver real business improvement.

Alongside this, in a tight labour market, skilled workers can be selective about where they work. Companies that invest in their people’s development don’t just improve performance – they improve retention.

When you give someone the tools to upskill, you’re not just improving their value to your business, you’re improving their value in the market – and most people recognise and appreciate that investment. They’re more likely to stay, become more engaged in their work, and are often more committed to delivering results.

The DTS difference

We’ve worked with many housebuilders over the years, and we’ve seen firsthand how the right knowledge transforms project outcomes. To meet the challenge of upskilling time-poor teams, we’ve trained more than our share of our customers teams over the years.

The approach combines our 50 years of technical expertise with their desire to learn, to adopt new ways of working and get it right first time.  Working with us, teams can access detailed guidance on costing timber frame projects accurately, understanding the design principles that drive efficiency, and once on site, planning to maximise the true benefits of timber systems.

The bottom line

Your team’s timber frame expertise isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a competitive advantage that directly impacts your bottom line. The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in this development. The question is whether you can afford not to.

Ready to transform your team’s timber frame capabilities? Get in touch with DTS to learn how we can deliver measurable improvements to your project outcomes and financial performance.