Building Stronger Teams Before the Books Close: Smart Hiring Moves for EOFY
June is the month construction businesses tend to focus on what’s going out, not what’s coming in. Tax positions, project finalisation, equipment decisions. But the workforce conversation happening around EOFY is just as consequential, and most operators are having it too late.
The pipeline heading into 2026-27 is not getting any lighter. Infrastructure Australia’s latest Market Capacity Report warns Australia will face a construction workforce shortfall of 300,000 workers by mid-2027, with shortages of trades workers and labourers alone forecast to peak at 126,000. That number is not abstract. It shows up in delayed starts, stretched supervisors, and site managers covering roles they shouldn’t be covering.
Queensland alone is heading for a peak shortage of 50,000 construction workers in 2026-27, with an average shortfall of 18,200 workers per year over the next eight years. The national public infrastructure pipeline has expanded to $242 billion, and the competition for trades, engineers, and project managers is intensifying at every level.
The EOFY Moves That Actually Matter
Two changes landing on 1 July make getting your workforce structure right before then more important than usual.
First, the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review decision for 2026-27 is due in early June, with updated Building and Construction General On-site Award rates taking effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. Economists are projecting an increase in the range of 3.0% to 4.0%, based on current inflation tracking at approximately 3.2%. For businesses with large site crews across multiple classifications, that percentage compounds quickly across a payroll.
Second, payday super arrives. From 1 July 2026, superannuation must be paid at the same time as wages, reaching the employee’s fund within seven business days of each payday, replacing the quarterly model that has been in place for decades. For construction businesses running complex workforces with casual, contract, and award-covered labour across multiple pay cycles, this is a meaningful operational change. The ATO will have real-time visibility of late or missed contributions from day one, so payroll systems need to be updated before that first July run, not after.
Getting ahead of both changes now means no scramble in July when projects are live and margins are tight.
Use June to Look Forward, Not Just Back
EOFY financial planning and workforce planning should be the same conversation. The roles that are being covered by a stretched team member right now will not become easier to fill in August. Over 25% of Australia’s construction workforce is now over 55, meaning experienced workers are nearing retirement without enough new entrants to replace them. Every month a gap sits unfilled, institutional knowledge and project continuity are at risk.
From our conversations with construction businesses across Australia, the firms best placed heading into a new financial year are the ones that reviewed their team structure in June, not September. They know exactly what they need, and they have a recruiter who knows who is available.
Start the Conversation Before July
At Frontline Construction, we work with builders, subcontractors, and project teams across Australia to find the right people for site, supervisory, and management roles. If your team heading into 2026-27 has gaps in it, now is the time to address them.
Sources: Infrastructure Australia, 2025 Market Capacity Report, October 2025 · Construction Skills Queensland, Horizon 2032 Workforce Outlook · FairWork Mate, Annual Wage Review 2026 Predictions, February 2026 · FairWork Mate, Payday Super Changes from 1 July 2026, November 2025 · Digit Business, EOFY 2026 Checklist for Australian Businesses, March 2026 · Frontline Recruitment Group, How Construction Firms Can Retain Talent in 2026