When it comes to managing a business of any sort, there are several factors you can implement to try and enhance the performance of your employees, and thus overall business productivity. It is no different in the construction industry, where construction managers need to ensure all workers have the necessary white card training they also need to look for unique ways to keep their workers motivated so the business and site can meet designated outcomes and targets.
With poor management and structures, like in any industry, employee performance, coordination, and organization can be negatively affected. It is for this reason that we are going to discuss the various ways to try and improve the performance of the construction workers in your business.
Monitoring Through The Use Of Technology
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Did you know how advanced today’s construction technology has become? There are now features available that allow you, as a construction manager, as well as your logistics staff to stay up-to-date with all the systems, locations, and errors through monitoring your equipment fleet. This is made possible through Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking services built into your company equipment that allow you to keep tabs on real-time issues as they arise, as well as receive alerts and respond to security and maintenance issues.
There are also camera devices that allow you to monitor operations as they are in motion and stay ahead of any unforeseen problems that may occur. Say, for instance, you have a truck erecting a crane in a remote location, you can watch this process and ensure there are no glitches in the carryout. This is not to suggest spying on your staff, but rather as a means of having a centralized monitoring point where any site-related issues can be quickly and efficiently managed.
Communication
Clear communication is key when it comes to managing employees and reaching productivity goals. How can you expect your staff to know what is expected if you are not clear in your instructions? You want to use a style of communication that is clear, detailed but also with an approachable tone. In past times, many construction managers might have used an authoritative approach when giving instructions to their workers. This was problematic because it often resulted in employees feeling disrespected, unable to approach their seniors with issues or concerns related to the job, as well as less motivated to perform and deliver results.
It might also mean that they seek opportunities for employment elsewhere with better treatment. If you keep the lines of communication open, you eliminate the margin for error, which is essential when it comes to complex, detailed work like building. The same goes for listening. Try to create an environment where your workers feel like they can talk to you about their concerns, and in turn, improve overall company morale and productivity.
Set Goals
Construction work is generally very time-consuming work, whereby certain parts of the build rely on the completion of other parts. For instance, tiling waits for plumbing before it can begin. If plumbing is waiting for the cement-laying and this is delayed, then there is going to be a knock-on-effect for all jobs. Thus, there needs to be a set of clearly defined, realistic and achievable goals set for the entire construction team.
This way, there will be a way to monitor progress and observe whether the project is on track within the proposed timeline. It will also help workers to feel goal-directed and driven in working towards something measurable. An idea could be to do weekly meetings to touch base with your workers and do a goal review. Find out how the workers are coming with their weekly goals, and adjust and respond where necessary.
Reward Your Workers Appropriately
Construction work is a physically demanding, as well as, at times, high-risk form of labor. Therefore, you need to ensure you are remunerating your workers in a way that is appropriate for the industry. Further than this, it is recommended to provide insurance for your workers, should anyone obtain a work-related injury.
There are many other benefits linked to employee health and well-being that do not need to cost a lot but go a long way in ensuring your workers will work hard and feel valued. What employers sometimes struggle to see is the win-win dynamic in this situation. Happy staff means loyal, motivated staff, means better job outcomes, means happy employers.
If you are an employer of one or more employees, you probably have many aspects to manage, including their performance. This is the same for employers of construction workers, which is an intense and physically demanding industry. You might be wondering about ways to improve their performance and optimize your construction business outcomes. There is technology available to assist you, as well as strategies to enhance communication motivation, and in turn, performance. Hopefully, this discussion has provided something of a guide for you.
