The True Cost of an Undertrained Civil Construction Workforce
Walk through this assessment with your prospect. Rate their current situation, then show them what it's costing them — and how BuildWitt Improve addresses every line item.
1
Company Profile
Enter the company name and total employee count. Revenue is estimated from CFMA benchmark data ($357K revenue per FTE, Heavy & Highway segment).
Total employees
50
Est. annual revenue: $35.8M(CFMA 2022 benchmark)
Team size — drag to your pricing tier≤100 employees · $10.83/employee/month
503005001,0003,0005,00010,000
2
Rate Your Operations — 1 to 5
Ask the prospect to rate their company honestly on each factor. 1 = industry-leading performance. 3 = industry average. 5 = significant ongoing problem.
Rework3
Rework is a regular occurrence on most jobs
1 — Best3 — Average5 — Poor
1Rarely redo work. Strong QC. Rework <2% of project costs.
3Rework happens regularly. Industry average: 5–6% of direct costs.
5Constant problem on nearly every job. Rework ~12% of direct costs.
Craft Turnover3
Moderate turnover — common in construction
1 — Best3 — Average5 — Poor
1We keep most people year to year. Strong culture and career paths. ~15% turnover.
3Normal construction churn. Hard to retain but not unusual. ~40% turnover.
5Revolving door. Always hiring and re-training the same roles. 70%+ turnover.
Safety Performance3
Average safety record — some incidents each year
1 — Best3 — Average5 — Poor
1Excellent safety culture. Incidents are rare. TRIR ~0.8 (best-in-class).
3A few recordable incidents per year. Near industry average. TRIR ~2.5.
5Safety is a major concern. Frequent incidents, high EMR, insurance issues. TRIR ~5.5.
Craft Worker Ratio3
Typical split — about 65% craft / field workers
1 — More office staff3 — Typical split5 — Almost all field
1More office, PM, and admin staff relative to field. ~35% craft workers.
3Typical heavy civil mix. ~65% are craft / field workers.
5Almost entirely field-based. Very lean office staff. ~85%+ craft workers.
3
Rate Workforce Wellbeing Support
How proactively does this company support the mental and financial health of their people?
Construction has the highest rate of suicide of any major industry, the highest rate of substance use disorder (11.6% of workers vs. 8.6% average), and a workforce under significant financial stress. These challenges don't appear on a P&L — but they show up every day in absenteeism, accidents, turnover, and lost output. The question isn't whether your workforce is affected. The question is whether you have anything in place to help.
Wellbeing Support Programs3
Some resources available but not actively promoted
1 — Strong programs3 — Some programs5 — No programs
3Some resources exist but aren’t actively promoted. Industry-average cost impact.
5No formal programs. Issues go unaddressed until they become a crisis. ~50% above industry-average costs.
4
Estimated Annual Hidden Costs
Based on your ratings, CFMA benchmark data, and peer-reviewed construction industry research
Operational Costs
Rework
Correcting work that wasn't done right the first time
—
—of direct costs
—est. annual cost
Safety
Recordable injuries — direct and indirect costs combined
—
—recordable incidents/yr
—est. annual cost
Turnover
Replacing craft workers — recruiting, onboarding, lost productivity ramp
—
—replacements per year
—est. annual cost
Productivity
Labor inefficiency from undertrained crews — slow output, supervision drag
—
—of labor spend lost
—est. annual cost
Workforce Wellbeing Costs
Mental Health
Anxiety, depression, and stress — absenteeism, presenteeism, and turnover
—
—workers affected est.
—est. annual cost
Substance Use
Alcohol and drug use disorder — lost days, accidents, and healthcare costs
—
—workers affected est.
—est. annual cost
Financial Stress
Worker financial anxiety — distracted work, absenteeism, and retention impact
—
—workers affected est.
—est. annual cost
5
What This Means for the Bottom Line
Total estimated hidden costs across operational and workforce wellbeing categories
Operational hidden costs
—
Rework + Safety + Turnover + Productivity
Workforce wellbeing costs
—
Mental health + Substance use + Financial stress
Total estimated hidden costs
—
— % of estimated revenue
Training ROI
Recoverable with Training
A conservative 30% improvement from structured training and wellbeing programs
Estimated annual savings
—
— lift to gross profit
Training ROI — recoverable savings vs. selected training investment—
calculating...
Break even (1×)10× return
6
Your Training Budget Breakdown
Industry standard is 2–4% of labor budget. Adjust to match your investment level — then see where every dollar goes, including the cost most companies forget to count.
Training Investment3.0%
2% — minimum3% — industry standard4% — investing in growth
of labor budget
Total Training Investment
dedicated cash budget + wages paid during training
—
Wages During Training
Craft workers × ~50 hrs/yr × $29/hr avg. · The largest and most overlooked training cost — ATD 2023: wages account for ~50% of total training investment across field-based industries
—
—
In-Person & OJT Training
Instructor-led sessions, certifications, site demos, OSHA classes · ATD 2023 State of the Industry: ~40% of the non-wage training cash budget goes to facilitated and ILT delivery
—
—
Other Consultants & Software
Outside SME trainers, OSHA card programs, supplemental LMS tools · Remaining dedicated budget after platform and in-person costs are accounted for
—
—
Meals & Per Diem
Toolbox talk catering, off-site training days, travel and lodging · CFMA benchmarker: field-based companies typically allocate 7–10% of cash training budget here
—
—
BuildWitt Improve
1,900+ micro-lessons · safety, equipment, leadership, Frank AI · implementation included · priced per employee/month
—
—
$0Total investment
Most companies only count the platform and training day costs. When you include wages paid while employees are in training, the real investment is significantly larger — and BuildWitt Improve becomes a small fraction of what you're already spending. The question isn't whether training costs money. It's whether you're getting a return on every dollar of it.
7
How BuildWitt Improve Addresses Every Cost
Specific platform capabilities tied to each hidden cost category
Reducing Rework
Potential savings: —
2,000+ micro-trainings teach crews how to read plans, take accurate measurements, understand spec tolerances, and execute quality work the first time. Training happens in 5-minute sessions — no pulling people fully off the job.
Frank — Field Assistant
Frank gives crews instant answers to technical questions before they start work — so they stop guessing and start doing it right.
Plan readingMeasurement & layoutQuality standardsSpecs & tolerances
Improving Safety
Potential savings: —
Hazard recognition, toolbox talks, and OSHA compliance training delivered in minutes — not full-day classes. Consistent safety training across the crew reduces incidents 30–50% (OSHA research). Fewer incidents = lower EMR = lower insurance premiums year over year.
The #1 reason craft workers leave: no visible path to grow. BuildWitt Improve gives workers a structured career track — laborer to operator to foreman to superintendent — and signals that the company invests in their future. Workers who are developed stay longer.
Career path trainingForeman developmentLeadership skillsOnboarding programsCertifications
Boosting Productivity
Potential savings: —
Trained workers produce more, make fewer mistakes, and need less supervision time. Micro-training fits the actual workday — 5 minutes before a task rather than a full day off the job. Frank compounds the effect: instead of waiting 20 minutes to track down a super, a crew member asks Frank and keeps working.
Field operationsEquipment efficiencyDaily planningFrank field assistantCivil skills library
Supporting Workforce Wellbeing
Potential savings: —
Construction workers face real challenges that go beyond job-site skills. BuildWitt Improve gives companies a way to address mental health, substance use awareness, and financial wellness — through content that meets workers where they are, in plain language that fits the construction culture.
Mental Health
Awareness training, stress management, and a culture that makes it normal to ask for help. Construction suicide rates are the highest of any industry — changing that starts with knowledge and conversation.
Substance Use
Education on substance use risks specific to physical-labor industries, early recognition, and resources for getting help. Reduced incidents, absenteeism, and liability — and better outcomes for the worker.
Financial Wellness
Financial stress is the #1 driver of distracted work and absenteeism. Financial literacy content — budgeting, benefits, retirement — helps workers feel more stable and focused on the job.
Mental health awarenessStress & resilienceSubstance use educationFinancial literacyEAP awarenessLeadership & culture
Data sources:
CFMA 2022 Financial Benchmarker — Civil Contractors, Heavy & Highway segment (1,209 participants) ·
Construction Industry Institute (CII RS 203-1, 2005): rework averages 5% of direct costs, range 2–20% ·
NSC Injury Facts: avg. $42K direct + $42K indirect = $84K per recordable incident ·
Morrison, Love & Teo (2020) ASCE: 70% higher injury probability during rework ·
SHRM / Center for American Progress: craft replacement cost = 16–20% of annual salary ·
World Economic Forum (2023): reskilling programs produce up to 14% productivity improvement ·
OSHA Business Case for Safety: $4–6 returned per $1 invested in safety training ·
SAMHSA / NORC (2022): construction substance use disorder prevalence 11.6% (vs. 8.6% general workforce), cost per affected worker ~$8,255/yr ·
Gallup Workplace Report (2022): anxiety/depression costs ~$3,230 per affected worker/yr in lost productivity ·
CDC / AFSP: construction has the highest suicide rate of any major U.S. industry ·
Manulife John Hancock (2025): financial stress costs employers ~$2,726 per affected worker/yr ·
Industry mental health prevalence: ~15% of construction workers report significant anxiety or depression affecting work performance