Labor has been top of mind for many folks in construction, and for good reason: finding skilled team members has been increasingly difficult over the past few years. Between labor shortages and the underrepresentation of diverse groups in construction, the industry is facing a serious challenge.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) estimates that around 1.2 million workers will leave the construction industry in 2022 and the number of professionals between the ages 25 to 54 decreased by 8% over the last decade. 

To overcome these hurdles, construction firms must get better at attracting and retaining top talent. This can be done by upskilling team members, promoting a more inclusive workplace, and adopting tools that streamline workforce planning and management.

Mallorie Brodie, the CEO Bridgit, is no stranger to these challenges and solutions. Mallorie and her co-founder, Lauren Lake, established the company in 2014 to help construction companies maximize profits and reduce risk by taking a people-first approach.

Their flagship product, Bridgit Bench, helps firms optimize construction workforce planning by equipping teams with advanced forecasting features and real-time updates, as well as integrations leading with leading software in construction and beyond.

As one of our Digital Builder Insiders, Mallorie will be writing about the future of work in construction and how the industry can use digital transformation to address the labor challenges of today—and tomorrow.

Get to know her better below. 

Tell me about yourself and what you specialize in? 

My name is Mallorie Brodie. I’m the CEO and Co-Founder at Bridgit, a construction technology company focused on helping general contractors with their workforce planning. While our software is definitely specific to workforce planning, I like to think that my team and I really specialize in problem-solving. Building a better mousetrap doesn’t mean much if mice aren’t a problem. We put our customers’ problems on a pedestal and then work backwards as a team to come up with meaningful solutions for them.

How did you get into the construction industry?

Construction runs in the family! My grandfather actually owned a demolition company back in Ottawa, Canada. It wasn’t uncommon for the dinner table conversations in my family to revolve around work, so I’ve been exposed to the construction industry for as long as I can remember. It felt natural to jump right back in. 

Why are you passionate about the future of work and digital transformation in construction?

I’m passionate about the future of work and the digital transformation of construction because of the lasting impact we can have at Bridgit. Construction is one of the biggest industries globally and often gets the least attention from a technology and software perspective because it’s so dynamic and complex. Building software that makes life easier for the people who are building the world around us? What more do you need?

Is there a project or person in the industry that inspires you to build better/differently?

Our customers inspire us to build the best workforce planning product each and every day. Our product development is inspired by the conversations we have with our customers, and it has been the driving force behind Bridgit since our inception. I’m not one to pick favourites, but some of our early adopters really helped validate the difference Bridgit can make and are a big reason Bridgit Bench has grown into the workforce planning solution it is today.

What can readers expect to learn from you?

In my role at Bridgit, I get to experience the digital transformation of the construction workforce planning process firsthand. I get to see where the gaps are, what new information can be used to drive decisions, and the impact those decisions can have on the larger team and a company’s bottom line. I’m excited to share the trends we see with Digital Builder and the industry at large.

Read Mallorie’s first article: Breaking Down Regional Silos to Gain Efficiencies and Increase Profitability

What’s one “tool” you can’t live without and why?

In an increasingly virtual work environment, Slack is the hub of all our company communications. We share new industry learnings, company updates, and leverage the platform to stay connected as a team. One of our team members recently said she gets more excited to scroll our company Slack conversations than Instagram!