Contrary to what many have thought, construction companies can adopt technology rapidly when they have to. Granted it’s by necessity, but many companies have put digital workflows in place within the past year even though they may not have planned it very far in advance. One benefit of this is that safety is being accomplished at a level we haven’t seen in the past. Despite the curveballs that have been thrown at the industry in the past year, workers have had a can-do mentality. They get to work and figure it out.
Technology adoption is not as foreign of a concept as we once might have believed. In fact, there is an entire segment of the workforce who are demanding technology to do their jobs. There is an expectation by workers that they will have the tools that will enable them to do their jobs more efficiently.
Historically there have been a lot of situations across teams on construction projects where people talk past each other. Contracts on projects have been set up to deal with mistrust and financially punish mistakes. But this mindset has always tended to slow down projects and cause delays because of an oversensitivity to doing anything wrong. People operate in “cover yourself” mode.
But there is increasingly a need to speed things up and focus on production. The scope of jobs is changing. As the world’s population grows, housing needs are increasing, more cities will be built, owners want greener structures, and the need for data centers is booming. Considering new construction methods that are incorporating manufacturing principles, the potential is great for construction to go through a kind of industrial revolution.
The best way to accomplish efficient projects is through communication, collaboration and listening to what other stakeholders are saying – a more human connection in construction companies.
People jokingly refer to competitive companies working side by side as “frenemies.” But you can accomplish a lot for the greater good this way. The construction industry has a tremendous impact on society. It is a critical component that touches every facet of our lives, from building homes to the services trades that keep things running.
It takes the right workforce to have successful collaboration. In this industry, marketing to prospective employees is becoming easier thanks to social media. Marketing is all about storytelling, with pictures and videos especially. We are visual creatures, so videos draw prospective employees into your story. They can imagine themselves in the story. Even cell phones can create good videos and enable your company to differentiate itself.
Companies have the opportunity to tell their story, and they can have a captive audience by using social media platforms. In this people-driven industry, career success stories can be compelling. Recruiting employees is easier when an existing employee tells their story. With a testimonial, it’s no longer a situation of envisioning what could be but hearing about what is. People are looking for well-paid jobs, and with your message spread far and wide, they could become your people.
Mike Merrill of Mobile Workforce podcast joins me on episode 76 of Bridging the Gap podcast for a special crossover edition to discuss how to bridge the marketing gap in construction.
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