From your perspective, what are the most pressing people challenges facing Construction firms right now?
The construction industry is experiencing significant growth, and with that comes the very real pressure of scaling our workforce at pace. One of our most pressing challenges is upskilling and training the rapid influx of new team members joining our organizations, ensuring they're not just onboarded, but genuinely equipped to contribute and grow. When you're bringing people on quickly, the risk is that development becomes reactive rather than intentional, and that has downstream effects on quality, culture, and retention.
What decisions or trade‑offs do you see HR leaders needing to make over the next 12–24 months that will have the biggest long‑term impact?
The central tension Talent Development leaders are navigating right now is balancing speed with substance. We need to get people productive quickly, but if we sacrifice meaningful development in the process, we lose them to competitors who offer clearer growth trajectories. The decisions that will matter most long-term are around how we integrate development into onboarding from day one — not as an afterthought — and how we create transparent, compelling career pathways that give people a reason to stay. In a market where talent is scarce and competition for skilled workers is fierce, clarity and investment in people's futures is becoming a real differentiator.
What would make time spent at LEAP TD: Construction genuinely valuable for a peer in your role?
Honestly, the greatest value comes from the people in the room. The opportunity to connect with industry peers across different experience levels, company sizes, and geographies creates a kind of learning you simply can't replicate internally. Hearing what others are trying, what's working, and what isn't. That cross-pollination of ideas brings fresh energy and perspective. My hope is always to leave with at least a few concrete ideas or approaches I can bring back and put into practice, because when we collectively raise the bar, the whole industry benefits.
Learn more about Mary Berriman and her upcoming session here.
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