Good communication is key to the successful delivery of all construction projects. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Many project managers tell us that keeping all teams on the same page is one of the biggest challenges they face day in and day out on the job.
In many cases, information flows back and forth across different channels, causing misunderstandings and a lot of frustration. Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and Messenger notifications are just some of the ways project teams communicate.
As good as they are, these methods are unable to support the time- and money-sensitive processes of a construction project. And the reason is simple. Users cannot connect the updates they want to send to the 3-6 week forecast and master schedule.
So project managers can quickly become buried under a mountain of information without context. The result?
- Administrative tasks stifle your projects.
- You don't have an overview of your project's progress.
- Many reworks due to errors that could have been avoided.
- Transfers are being delayed, causing costly claims.
What defines good communication in construction?
This is where things get really challenging. What is the secret to good communication in construction? That's probably the million-dollar question for construction.
The answer lies in the smooth combination of three key elements: people, processes, tools. In other words, it's a chain of choices that can eventually lead to good communication and allow you to deliver your projects faster and cheaper.
Firstly, you need the right people in the right positions. Once you can attract and train your talent, you need to provide them with the right tools.
When it comes to construction, this simply means that you must support their efforts by equipping them with industry-specific tools that give them full visibility and, by extension, exclusive control over everything that is happening on site. This is how they will be able to make informed decisions quickly and ensure that all project teams are facing the same direction.
By doing this, you are already very close to your goal, but you need one last thing. This is, of course, well-defined and (as far as possible) standardized processes. This way, you will be able to make the most of your teams and the tools you have implemented in your projects.
How to improve communication between project teams
From theory to action, there is always a long way to go. Taking this into account, below we present five practical tips that will allow you to increase the visibility of the site in your works and ensure good communication between the different teams:
1. Use construction-specific tools
Gathering scattered information takes time and is prone to error. By having no link between your schedule and the latest information on the website, you can easily get confused, making your processes extremely slow and cumbersome.
For this reason, you need a tool that is purpose-built for construction and allows you to communicate effectively with multiple stakeholders so you can make the right decisions faster and plan your next steps with confidence. .
Only by keeping everyone in sync can you avoid mistakes and deliver successful projects with less downtime and higher margins.
2. Keep all information in a single source of truth
Many project managers admit that they spend 40% of their day in the office looking for the latest updates, calling people, and attending meetings that were never necessary.
Bringing all communication together into a single data source makes it considerably easier for all teams to maintain full visibility over their tasks and for you, as a project manager, to handle large amounts of data more efficiently.
The right people get access to the right information with just a few clicks, ensuring everyone knows where they stand and if a task or material order needs to be rescheduled.
In a project with multiple stakeholders and high penalties for delays, this can be powerful and save you and your teams a lot of trouble.
3. Link quality checks and SMS directly to the plan
Good communication in construction also goes hand in hand with quality control. Neither can exist without the other in the long term.
Quality checks and SMS are one area where the implementation of a construction-specific tool becomes readily apparent. Simply put, you need to invest in a digital solution that will help you link quality management with project planning.
This approach will allow you to detect and resolve issues quickly, rather than waiting to resolve all issues at the end of the project, making your handoffs an extremely stressful process.
4. Record everything and avoid complaints
From this corner, we have often mentioned that documentation is of paramount importance in construction. Without a doubt, it is also an essential component of good communication.
Many project and site managers spend a lot of time responding to complaints that block their work and cost them thousands of euros. The reason?
- Lack of alignment between location and office.
- Excess information that feeds the administrator's workload.
- Lack of standardization in QHSE processes.
5. Continuously improve and standardize your processes
Every construction project, regardless of its type or size, generates a large amount of data that can easily create a chaotic scenario for your project if you don't manage it correctly.
At the same time, however, collecting so much information from the website can be a remarkable opportunity for you to improve your processes and standardize as much as possible the way you communicate and collaborate with your teams.
For example, using a construction-oriented tool, you could create and share with your teams standardized defect lists that would not only establish higher quality standards for your projects but also facilitate communication between different stakeholders.
It doesn't take much, then, to understand that continually improving your processes can gradually transform the way you connect with your teams around critical issues, reducing interruptions and preventing errors before they become a threat to your company's profitability. your project.
View more. Communicate better.
Having a live, shareable view of your construction site can play a significant role in your effort to improve communication on your project. When you see more, you communicate better and as a result, you can improve teamwork and plan much more efficiently.
