In the fast-paced construction industry, how we manage projects also evolves as the days pass. While technological advancements are quickly transforming how construction managers approach projects with a fresh perspective, adopting more modern management strategies remains a slow uptick. It’s not surprising at all. Collaborating with architects and engineers, managing construction crews, scheduling work, overseeing teams responsible for the efficient flow of inventory, and, or working with the accounting team in the office to make sure you stay on budget—that’s a lot of things to oversee simultaneously.
Continuous prioritization and finding a balance are vital, as they can make or break your project. From design conceptualization to reality, there are various moving parts and several tradespeople working together, whose progress needs to be supervised and synchronized.
In today’s article, we’re here to help you lighten your heavy load as a construction manager with construction strategies to motivate your teams to work more efficiently and effectively. With that in mind, we’ve prepared four tips you can implement to empower your team and transform your processes this year.
Hire a High Performing Construction Team
A construction team’s major role is to execute the project tasks within the given specification, timeframe, and budget. They are responsible for carrying out the plans, collaborating with subcontractors, and managing the construction process in general. Their performance impacts project quality, timelines, and costs. A high-performing and reliable construction team can deliver projects efficiently and effectively to the client’s satisfaction.
When your construction team functions at its peak, it becomes a well-oiled machine. Each member of the team keenly understands their role and responsibilities, and they communicate seamlessly to reach the project goals.
They coordinate with stakeholders effectively, making sure that everyone is aligned and aware of any revisions or issues that arise. This level of communication and coordination allows the team to adapt to unexpected circumstances and make quick decisions.
Now, that brings the question: do you have the right construction team?
- Planners: Nothing delays progress like poor planning. This is why it’s essential to have a strong strategic team set up—from building planners like civil engineers and architects to onsite planners. They handle the laying out of project tasks, crew assignments, inventory management, budget allocation, and material schedule in construction. With the right planners in your wing, you can expect a more seamless and optimized project execution in the future.
- Skilled Trades: Who does the actual onsite work? Construction trades include electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. Mechanical trades include mechanical installers and HVAC installers. Industrial trades include line installers, ironworkers, and metal fabricators. They are the ones who turn everything into reality.
- Construction Technologists: These digital natives and professionals are acquainted with a unique blend of construction background and technological expertise that will be invaluable in establishing your company’s technological stack. They’ll help refresh traditional processes with a forward-thinking approach in managing construction, weigh options like available construction crew scheduling software, and all around save your company from the stone age while also letting you stay updated with technological trends that can help keep your company in touch with the cutting edge of construction technology.
- Interns: While traditional internships in construction management are common in the industry, some firms have begun creating opportunities for students in areas like civil engineering. These kinds of relationships could be mutually beneficial, aiding companies with extra hands onsite while bringing early engagement for students and establishing strong industry connections. A fresh perspective is vital to breathing new life into our traditional industry.
And, of course, at the forefront of the team, as a construction project manager, you’re expected to have the right feet on the ground and supervise the whole process.
Master the Construction Basics to Improve Processes
Many questions arise during the planning phase of a construction project:
- Who’s responsible for what?
- Who are the stakeholders?
- What’s the project scope, budget, and timelines to keep track of?
Just like the building you’re constructing is no stronger than the foundation on which it’s built, laying the groundwork for your project begins with creating a clear vision and establishing a clear roadmap, which you’ll use to see your project through its lifecycle and drive it to success.
Here’s where the 5 phases of construction management come into play:
- Initiation: Outlining your project roadmap.
- Planning: Figuring out the construction crew scheduling, budget, forecasting risks, and setting project goals,
- Execution/Operation: Monitoring and tracking, executing plans. KPIs, quality control, and assurance.
- Performance/Control: Setting project objectives, tracking effort/cost, ensuring quality deliverables, and gauging overall performance.
- Closure: identifying and checking off project punch lists, reporting to stakeholders, communicating future improvements, and determining project successes.
Once you’ve understand these 5 phases and got clear on how they relate to your project, you can establish incremental benchmarks and deliverables based on the stages of the project’s lifecycle you’re in at the given moment.
Then, establish trackable and measurable success criteria, such as:
- Budget targets
- Tasks and milestone schedule
- Standard specifications of deliverables
- Project quality and functionality checks
- Government and construction regulation compliances
With the foundational groundwork and critical planning in place, you can more clearly delineate the goals and mission of your project, evaluate accomplishments and failures through every phase of the project, and track toward a final output that’s covered all your bases, to meet or exceed the client’s expectations.
Optimize Construction Documentation
Having a way to digitize your project data, such as through a digital construction collaboration platform, ensures that everyone who needs to be is granted access to vital information and documents that can be updated in real-time through the cloud. This also always ensures that everyone’s working in alignment and with the right information shared.
Digital documentation management is the process of organizing, managing, and storing documents in a digital format. This strategy has become increasingly critical in various industries, including construction, because of its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility. In the context of job site operations, digital documentation transforms traditional paper-based workflows into streamlined, digital operations.
At its core, digital documentation in construction involves transforming conventional paperwork like blueprints, work orders, status reports, and safety protocols into digital or softcopy files. These data are then stored in a centralized digital platform, often cloud-based crew scheduling software, allowing for easy sharing, access, and updating by all stakeholders, regardless of their location. This workflow significantly reduces the risks of damaged, lost, or outdated documents, which are common problems on construction sites.
Prioritize Collaboration and Communication
Collaboration is pivotal in construction projects since they involve numerous stakeholders, such as engineers, architects, contractors, and subcontractors. Each brings their expertise and skill sets to the table, which must be integrated for successful project completion. Collaboration keeps everyone aligned on similar goals and works towards a common objective, eventually leading to improved project outcomes.
Open lines of communication and collaboration are key to making sure everyone is on track, the project is progressing as planned, and you’re tracking to complete the job timely and within budget.
- Jobsite Visibility Solutions: If you can’t be on the job site, how can you know that work is completed on time and specification?
- This could consist of various innovations from construction wearables to drones used for safety inspections and job site walkthroughs, to equipment tagging and tool tracking that ensures what’s needed onsite is where it’s supposed to be, to digital tools and solutions that can be used to generate reports for stakeholders and clients.
- Integrated Construction Management Software: You don’t have to exhaust your IT team or force all your teams to use a single program when you implement digital software that neatly integrates with the construction software platforms available for the various stages of the project: construction crew scheduling, inventory management, document storage, field productivity, office-to-field communication, etc. Integrated construction software such as Pro Crew Schedule can help ensure seamless data sharing between your teams and establish a healthy ecosystem in which project productivity thrives.
Key Takeaway
The success of any construction project in this modern time will depend on its ability to master the art of construction management and implement it. Due to the demanding and dynamic character of the industry, navigating the complexity of construction requires a well-prepared and proactive approach. Project managers and construction managers may arm themselves with the information and tools necessary to mitigate risks, drive efficiency, and assure top-notch project delivery by following the four tips we mentioned above.
Construction projects can start from solid ground and move forward efficiently by highlighting the importance of hiring a high-performing team, mastering the basics of construction management, optimizing digital documentation, and prioritizing collaboration.
It protects projects from delays, cost overruns, and potential pitfalls. Additionally, using cutting-edge construction crew management software like Pro Crew Schedule will enhance project outcomes for your team in the current year and the future. Stay on top of industry innovations and keep up to date with upcoming tools to bring your business to the forefront.
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