What makes a construction project successful? Building quality, meeting deadlines and staying on budget are success factors.
However, because construction sites are complex and no two projects are the same, bottlenecks are a common problem in the industry, resulting in costly delays regardless of the size or scale of the project.
Let's explore the best ways to avoid major bottlenecks in your construction projects.
1. Labor management
The only bottleneck affecting the EU construction industry more than material and supplier disruptions this year is the ongoing labor shortage. The lack of sufficient skilled workers creates a bottleneck in construction projects that can have devastating effects on project managers, general contractors and their teams.
Preventing this bottleneck from affecting your construction projects depends on an emphasis on worker training and qualifications.
While material shortages and supply chain disruptions are more likely to be short-term problems in the industry, the labor problem is not something that will go away on its own.
And with construction activity increasing in the EU despite labor shortages, the long-term solution lies in attracting young people to the industry with competitive wages, continuing education and apprenticeship programs.
2. Spatial management
There is never an ideal amount of physical space on a construction site, which creates safety risks and logistical bottlenecks. Poor spatial management such as site congestion, obstructions, access restrictions, etc. can hamper productivity and impede project workflows.
Therefore, it is crucial to consider potential spatial issues throughout the life of a project.
Building information modeling (BIM) and other technologies and methods have grown in popularity over the years, also increasing the importance of proper spatial management in construction projects.
A useful lean construction methodology for better spatial management is takt planning – an approach that helps reduce bottlenecks in construction projects by helping project managers create a logical flow of work.
This clear workflow helps you avoid sudden bottlenecks and improve productivity by optimizing space on your construction site.
3. Risk management
Lack of a solid risk management plan can have negative consequences on your construction projects. The result is bottlenecks that can lead to a higher risk profile and greater risk of incidents.
The solution is to set up a risk management plan specific to each project's construction workflow.
A 2021 study found that failing to incorporate a comprehensive risk management plan can lead to bottlenecks in construction projects that affect achievement of performance goals, including cost, budget, and construction quality.
This same study recommends five risk management practices to help construction professionals avoid bottlenecks:
- Prioritize on-site management and supervision
- Improve the educational training of workers
- Respect and follow the information provided by designers
- Communicate and coordinate with each team, client and stakeholders
- Enhance your team building skills and techniques
4. Equipment management
The fourth major bottleneck we often see in construction projects comes from the inadequate use or maintenance of equipment, tools and machines on the construction site. Unfortunately, when construction professionals face budget constraints, they can cut corners on managing their equipment, leading to productivity bottlenecks and potential safety risks.
Fortunately, you can avoid this construction bottleneck by following a simple rule: Invest in quality equipment. While the budget may seem exorbitant at first, it can help you save on maintenance and repair costs as quality equipment wears better over time.
The rule also applies to PPE – be it hard hats, hearing protection, fall protection equipment or anything in between.
How to proactively avoid bottlenecks in your projects
Project managers and construction executives know that a single bottleneck in construction projects can cause major setbacks, going over budget, ruining your schedule and creating waste.
Preventing construction bottlenecks before they arise is key – but how do you do it? The answer lies in the principles of lean construction.
Implementing lean techniques can help project managers proactively avoid bottlenecks in their construction projects by:
- Increase worker satisfaction. This can help reduce turnover and combat ongoing labor shortages by giving workers more control and eliminating wasted time working on unnecessary tasks.
- Eliminating inefficiencies. Lean methodologies help construction teams avoid bottlenecks by focusing on improving productivity, enabling teams to meet their deadlines despite labor shortages and supply disruptions.
- Improve risk management. Construction professionals who adopt Lean principles can better plan for problems before they occur, creating contingency plans to ensure that teams can make quick and appropriate decisions in the face of potential bottlenecks.
- Emphasizing quality. Lean construction is all about continuous improvement, standardization and communication. This means fewer errors that lead to bottlenecks and better overall results during each project.
