November 2018
by Tyler Riddell, eSUB Construction Software
How closely are your labor actuals coming in to your estimated hours? If you are consistently finding yourself over in your labor hours on projects, perhaps it is time you took a closer look at your team’s productivity. How much time are they spending waiting for materials to arrive? Or perhaps their productivity challenges arise from waiting on other trades? Or maybe they are taking longer breaks and not documenting their time accurately? To improve productivity, you will need to track where the productivity challenges are across your construction firm. It’s most likely more systemic than you think, so below are some simple steps to improve productivity once you’ve diagnosed the problem areas.
Implement Mobile Technology
An excellent way to increase effective communication is to adopt mobile technology. This enables members of your team to have instant communication with each other through apps and other communication tools.
Having mobile devices can end up saving a lot of time and eliminates the need for on-site visits. By being more productive with their time, employees will be able to get work done faster, ultimately saving you money.
Keep a Constant Flow of Communication
Effective communication is essential in ensuring operational efficiency. In the construction industry, there are many different units that need to stay in contact with each other. Maintaining a constant flow of communication between all individuals involved in the project helps to ensure the highest level of productivity. This means keeping your workers informed of their start times, locations, and tasks, to reduce any idle time.
One benefit of implementing mobile construction technology includes two-way email integration, so all messages related to a particular project (and tasks within a project) are documented.
Implement Electronic Change Orders
Losing a change order form is the cardinal sin of subcontracting—you should simply never do it. Still, most commonly on larger projects, it is common for subcontractors to lose change orders and either forget to complete the work altogether or forget to bill for it (even worse!).
Implement a change order software system that allows you to create a change order and have it approved by the client as soon as they request it. Once a record has been created, you’re much more likely to remember to complete the work and it’s guaranteed to make it into your customer’s invoice.
Mobile Time Cards
Mobile time cards are an easy way to reduce costs and improve productivity. However, it’s not hard to reduce costs with mobile time tracking. You don’t have to order time cards or print timesheets, which ends up being pricey and is bad for the environment.
Mobile time cards offer users many benefits. With an average payroll error of 1.2 percent, according to a Nucleus Research Study, and a rise in wage litigation, according to Bloomberg BNA, this technology can change businesses for the better. These improvements are but a few reasons why businesses should adopt mobile time cards.
Building Information Modeling
As the construction industry increasingly implements building information modeling, real-time data will become more important. Building information modeling is a revolutionary technology that is giving owners and project managers a better understanding of their project.
With real-time data, BIM can use the estimates, financial data, scheduling, the almanac, and more to help provide a better estimate. Real-time data can also make it easier to see what any changes will cost and what each stage costs. Companies switching to BIM from traditional drawings will see a big benefit in real-time data and will be able to use the two to improve efficiency.
Use Location Data
Location data is another aspect of real-time data. Location data is especially important with equipment and supply tracking. This is what helps you know where the equipment or supplies are. Location data can increase efficiency on the job site because it lets project managers know what needs to be ordered or moved. If a project needs a specific piece of equipment or is ready for a certain step, the project manager can immediately know where things are.
Team Collaboration
Cloud-based construction software unites all the members of the project team regardless of their location. The crew in the field can document jobsite activity from the field. The team in the office receives real-time updates to process paperwork in a timelier manner. With construction software, communication between the field and the office is improved to enable a more collaborative work environment. Everyone becomes more productive with all the necessary project information at his or her fingertips.
Professional Development
Whether it is the desire to earn more money, improve their skills, or advance their career, many employees have the desire to improve themselves. Many job advertisements request their foremen and project managers have experience with project management software. Take this opportunity to invest in the professional development of your employees.
Make Wearable Technology and Safety Requirement
Personal protective equipment is a requirement on the jobsite. Due to the advances in wearable technology, the protection in PPE gear is taken to the next level. Sensors in wearable technology monitor vitals signs, track location, and activity to send alerts to supervisors of any abnormal activity or safety risk. Reduce accidents on the jobsite and your team productivity will certainly improve.
Improve Employee Retention and Satisfaction
If your construction company has inefficient processes, such as outdated technology or lack of equipment, workers can become frustrated. It is essential that you provide your employees with the tools and technology that they need to get their job done. This also helps to make your employees feel valued and productive.
Tyler Riddell is vice president of Marketing for eSUB. He can be reached at (858) 266-8322 or tylerr@esub.com.
##
