Construction is one of the largest sectors of the world economy, bringing in trillions of dollars annually. However, the industry faces many challenges such as fierce competition, low profit margins, cost overruns, and tight project deadlines.
These problems are among the main concerns for contractors and construction companies. So, what needs to be done to successfully solve these problems? One way is to monitor your productivity. According to reports , productivity in construction has grown by only 1% over the past 20 years. Not only is this worrisome, but it is also the biggest cause of many of the issues and problems that the construction industry is facing today.
Even traditional industries such as mining, warehousing, manufacturing, government, and the oil industry saw significant productivity gains over this time period. But the construction industry is still lagging behind others, and there are many reasons for this. For example, innovation is never a priority, a lack of technical knowledge, and a stagnant habit of using traditional processes.
However, instead of looking for excuses for why the industry has always lagged behind in productivity, it would be a good idea to think about moving forward and finding ways to solve this problem. Productivity gains in the construction industry are possible if businesses, wherever possible, make small optimizations to their processes. Let's see how.
Proper planning can make all the difference
Before embarking on a new project, it is important to make sure that everything is in place and that you have a plan in place, depending on which you are going to perform certain operations. Explore different aspects of the project and analyze risks. Make sure you have Plans A, B and C in place to handle whatever the future may bring. Construction projects are unique and highly unreliable, so make sure you have a plan in place for all occasions to ensure productivity never drops under any circumstances.
Make a list of your resources, processes, materials, schedules, logistics, and plan everything ahead of time to align with the overall goals and timeline of the project. You can use construction management software to plan and schedule everything efficiently and smoothly.
Construction management software allows you to create an integrated work environment to keep all project stakeholders on the same wavelength. Essentially, during the planning phase, you must establish policies, procedures, and processes to ensure quality and complete the project on time and on budget. The main components of a construction project plan include baselines, baseline management plans, and documentation.
Leverage technology and streamline workflows
When used strategically, building technology can help you gather data to make wiser business decisions and improve productivity, revenue, and safety. Unfortunately, however, the construction sector is not spending enough on technological advances.
In order to increase productivity in the construction sector, businesses must embrace technology. Equipping builders with technological tools and software will help them build faster and better. For example, using technology solutions, businesses can access real-time data that managers can use to make changes in their workplaces whenever something unpredictable happens. Increased productivity is the end result of quickly responding to situations and making informed business decisions.
Similarly, by using project management software, construction businesses can track their workflows faster than ever. They can store important documents such as change orders, plans, RFIs, employee performance reports in one central location. This will prevent employees from wasting time manually documenting things and procedures. Businesses can use this time savings to get more done and complete projects ahead of schedule.
Make safety a priority
With the ongoing pandemic plaguing the construction industry, it's now more important than ever to improve safety in the workplace. According to OSHA , one in ten construction workers is seriously injured each year. Now imagine the loss of productivity your business would face if one of your trained workers were injured and stopped going to work. Therefore, it is important to invest in safety programs and ensure that your workers are properly trained in the tools and techniques used in the workplace.
Providing training and safety will also increase employee confidence in your work ethic, which in turn will increase their confidence and further increase productivity levels. In addition, by maintaining a low accident rate, you can avoid delivery delays.
Organize your workspace and invest in material planning
A well-organized construction site not only ensures safety, but also increases productivity and profits. Are you wondering how? Let's shed some light on the benefits of a well-designed and organized construction site:
- This reduces the distance for transporting equipment from one place to another.
- Increases the efficiency and safety of material storage
- Make sure the material you need moves across sites quickly and easily
- Apply controls to limit waste and material breakage
Therefore, it is essential to make an ongoing effort to organize your construction sites for productivity and safety. Also, there is nothing worse than not having enough materials before you finish a project. This can cost you many hours and result in loss of productivity. Therefore, you should check your inventory regularly to prevent this from happening. You don't want your entire project to come to a halt because you haven't taken the time to plan materials.
Hire trained managers
Last but not least, you need trained supervisors and managers to ensure the highest level of performance. If you have leaders who know how to get things done, productivity won't be a problem for you and you can easily achieve all project goals. They will draw up schedules and take care of the deadlines so that the delivery of your project is never delayed.
The conclusion of everything
There are several issues that can affect the productivity of the construction crew and lead to possible indefinite delays. Along with using the above methods, you should keep an eye on factors such as market conditions, government policies, and weather conditions to make sure you are always up to the level of productivity your business needs and your projects are never delayed.
Productivity is a major factor to consider in the construction industry. And if you don't pay enough attention to it, your project can be delayed and the budget can quickly become unsustainable. On the other hand, ensuring the right level of performance can give you many benefits in terms of both time and money.
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