UK Construction Week

Labour cost volatility is now one of the biggest commercial risks across labour-intensive sectors, from construction and infrastructure through to FM, housing, utilities and energy.  

Pay inflation, skills shortages, policy change and employer cost pressure are putting sustained pressure on project margins, while increasingly complex supply chains are creating hidden cost and growing liability. 

Most organisations feel the impact. Few have real visibility or control. 

At UK Construction Week, Retinue is leading a series of commercially focused sessions designed to help senior leaders move from reactive labour management to structured commercial control. 

If you are responsible for margin, procurement, workforce strategy or project delivery, this is a chance to step back from day-to-day pressures and understand where labour cost is really being lost and what to do about it. 

We are offering a limited number of hosted guest places for customers and partners at UK Construction Week, taking place at Excel London from 12 to 14 May. 

This is not just access to the event. It is a curated experience designed to give you meaningful, commercially relevant conversations across the three days.

As a Retinue guest, you will receive:

  • Full access to UK Construction Week exhibition and conference content
  • A hosted experience with the Retinue team, helping you navigate the event and focus on what matters
  • A place at our exclusive workshop on labour cost control
  • Priority access to Retinue’s panel sessions and speaking events
  • The opportunity to spend time with senior procurement leaders from Tier 1 construction organisations, with over 60 years of combined experience, in 1-1 informal discussions
  • Direct access to the Retinue team to explore your current challenges across labour cost, supply chain risk and margin protection

We will be on hand throughout the event to host, introduce and facilitate conversations, ensuring your time is spent with the right people, not just moving between sessions. 

This is designed for leaders who want to step outside day-to-day delivery and have more open, commercially grounded discussions with peers facing the same pressures. 

Request your hosted guest place

While UK Construction Week is construction-led, the commercial challenges being discussed extend far beyond the sector. 

Organisations across FM, housing, utilities and energy are facing the same underlying pressures: 

  • Labour cost volatility
  • Complex, multi-layered supply chains
  • Increasing regulatory and compliance exposure
  • Ongoing pressure on margin and delivery
This experience is designed for senior leaders responsible for navigating those challenges, including: 
  • Procurement Directors and Heads of Procurement
  • Commercial Directors and Programme Leaders
  • Heads of Talent, Workforce and Resourcing
  • Operational leaders responsible for delivery at scale
If you are accountable for cost, risk or workforce strategy within a labour-intensive environment, the conversations are directly relevant. 

Labour has become one of the hardest cost lines to forecast and control. Rising wages, skills shortages, legislative change and layered supply chains mean decisions made at bid stage are often quietly eroding margin during delivery. 

This interactive session takes a commercial lens on labour, not a recruitment one. 
​
​​2.30- 4pm I Tuesday 12th May

Drawing on real project experience, we will unpack: ​​​​​​

  • Where labour cost is really being lost beyond headline rates
  • How fragmented supply chains drive both cost and liability
  • Why labour risk has shifted towards the hirer
  • What practical control looks like across the project lifecycle
What you’ll leave with
  • Clear visibility on how labour cost volatility is impacting your margins
  • A deeper understanding of direct and indirect cost drivers beyond day rates
  • Insight into hidden costs including churn, productivity loss and supply chain margin layering
  • A view on how supply chain structure affects both financial and regulatory risk
  • Practical ways to move from reactive labour management to structured commercial control

Secure your place at the workshop

Alongside the workshop, we are hosting and contributing to a series of panel discussions focused on workforce strategy, skills and the future of construction talent. These sessions complement the commercial themes of the workshop, offering broader insight into how organisations are responding to workforce challenges across the sector. 

Promoting purpose, progression and pride
12:30pm – 1:15pm | Tuesday 12 May
How better storytelling and real career pathways can attract the next generation into construction.

Where to find new talent in construction
12:30pm – 1:15pm | Wednesday 13 May
A practical discussion on expanding talent pools, retention and workforce planning. 

Inclusive hiring and social value led by Bridge of Hope
13:45 – 14:25 | Wednesday 13 May
Drawing on real world experience, Bridge of Hope will explain how inclusive hiring can move beyond compliance to drive performance and long-term impact. 

Building the future workforce
11:45am – 12:25pm | Thursday 14 May
Addressing the construction skills gap and preparing for future demand. 

​Rethinking labour as a commercial lever 

If you are looking for better visibility, stronger control and a more commercial approach to labour, this is a conversation worth being part of.