The Truth About Building a Strong Team in Construction with Jonathan Whistman
- Construction Champions Podcast
- Dec 15, 2025
- 4 min read
Most construction business owners want the same thing. They want great people, a strong team, and a company that can grow without burning them out. But very few leaders understand what it actually takes to attract, develop, and keep great people.
In this episode of Construction Champions, Jonathan Whistman breaks down the truth about hiring, retaining talent, and building a workplace where people want to stay. Jonathan is known as The Sales Boss and now leads a technology company focused on hiring great people. His message is simple. You are not in the construction business. You are in the human business.
This mindset changes everything.
You Are Building People, Not Just Projects
Many owners blame the labor market. They say there are no good people or that no one wants to work anymore. Jonathan shuts that down quick. It is not that people do not want to work. It is that they do not want to work for you if your company does not inspire them.
Every business owner must look at the message they send into the world. How do people think about you? How do they feel when they walk up to your shop, see your trucks, or talk to someone from your team? People make decisions based on what they see and what they feel. Strong leaders build workplaces where employees can do the best work of their lives.
Jonathan shared something powerful. People will keep working for you as long as they believe they can still do their best work with you. The minute that belief fades, they start looking for something else. That is the real people problem.
Your Company Image Matters More Than You Think
Jonathan shared an example of a construction company with a faded Now Hiring banner, rusty rails, and a locked front door. Nothing about it said We build champions. It looked tired. It did not match the story the owner wanted to tell.
Small things matter. Clean spaces matter. First impressions matter. The way your shop looks tells someone what you care about. When the company updated the outside of the building with real employee success stories and a clear message about growth, the quality of applicants changed overnight.
People want to work somewhere with purpose. They want to work where they feel part of something bigger than a paycheck.
Why Technology Matters in Hiring Today
Hiring has changed fast. If you hire people the same way you did in 2024, you are already behind. Technology now helps owners understand who is likely to succeed in a role before they even meet the person.
Jonathan explained how AI can do the heavy lifting. It scans resumes, reads patterns, predicts performance, and removes the bias that often hurts hiring decisions. This does not replace people. It helps them make smarter choices. It saves time. It saves money. And it makes hiring less of a headache.
Jonathan said you need to cast a wide net to find one great person. The top performers come from careful filtering, not lucky guesses. Modern hiring tools help business owners stop hiring on gut feel and start hiring with confidence.
Your Company Must Evolve Every Ninety Days
Jonathan gave a strong warning. If you have not looked at the tools you use in the last ninety days, your company is already falling behind. Technology is changing too fast to take a set it and forget it approach.
This applies to hiring, operations, communication, and systems. What worked a year ago may not be serving you well today. Leaders must revisit systems often. Small improvements stack up and protect the company from falling behind.
Growing companies review their processes. Stuck companies keep doing things the same way for years without asking why.
Leadership Comes Down to Building Humans
At the end of the day, construction is a people business. You can build houses, buildings, and projects. But if you do not build people, your company will always struggle.
Jonathan pushed leaders to ask themselves important questions.
How do I want people to think when they see my company
How do I want them to feel working for me
What actions do I want them to take
This think, feel, act framework creates a culture that attracts winners. When you build people, everything else gets easier. Revenue becomes easier. Growth becomes easier. Hiring becomes easier. And your company becomes a place where people want to stay.
What Contractors Should Take From This Episode
Jonathan’s message is clear and simple.
Leaders who understand people win. Leaders who ignore people lose.
When you focus on humans, not just work, your entire company changes.
GUEST LINKS
Website: https://whohire.com
Email: jon@whohire.com
Book: The Sales Boss by Jonathan Whistman
BuilderComs
Clear communication is the foundation of building great teams. When your people know what is happening, when messages do not get lost, and when jobs stay on track, your company becomes a place where great people want to stay. BuilderComs helps construction teams stay aligned, communicate clearly, and protect projects from miscommunication that costs time and money. Learn more at BuilderComs.
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