As construction faces the severe effects of the Coronavirus outbreak, more and more companies are forced to close their facilities or, at best, limit their operational activities.
Thus, remote work announced its presence in the construction industry, leading many stakeholders to change their habits and adopt a new way of working and communicating with their teams.
This new reality represents a major challenge for Project Directors and Managers around the world trying to manage their construction sites remotely and keep their workforce connected.
Now, if you're going to manage your sites remotely, what do you need to know? The answer to that question is pretty much everything: memos, drawings, supporting photos, changes to specifications, adverse weather conditions, letters, people on site, perhaps most importantly, progress against the Construction Program, and so on. All! Remember, these people also need to initiate things like letters, memos, and phone calls.
So how do we create a situation where they can keep their projects and their teams on the same page despite having to work remotely?
The answer to this question is quite easy if we consider that they can maintain constant access to all project data simply by using their smartphone, laptop or tablet. Through the use of the right construction software, managing a construction site remotely can be much easier than you might think.
Of course, a digital tool is not a cure. It is not a system that can function independently without us. For a digital tool to be successful, there must be a desire to change the underlying behavior.
A digital tool is an investment to improve current work processes and solve a problem. But you can't do it alone. It can only act as a catalyst for change. It is a tool that needs support, a lot of work and dedication to produce results.
Implemented right, a digital solution can facilitate remote working, ensure on-site visibility and improve efficiency levels.
Without further ado, here are five steps that will enable construction stakeholders to overcome the challenges of remote work and manage their multiple projects and sites in a proactive, data-driven way:
1. Choose an industry-specific digital tool
Many in construction use WhatsApp or similar digital platforms to stay updated on their short-term planning. And we understand why. It allows real-time communication, you can add photos and videos and share them in groups with multiple users and even tag people. It's already a step forward compared to lifeless and outdated Excel spreadsheets.
But there is an important problem with this approach. WhatsApp, Zoom or Microsoft teams were not created for this purpose. As a result, a number of challenges arise when you try to rely on a digital solution like this to connect your 3-6 week planning to the master schedule.
Firstly, the data you shared through WhatsApp is static and lacks the context that project teams need to plan ahead and monitor the progress of their tasks. If you decide to use WhatsApp for your reporting and monitoring processes, you will eventually need to hire someone just to pull information from the platform on a weekly basis so everyone can stay up to date.
That said, it quickly becomes clear that Project Managers and Directors need to rely on construction software that will allow them to maintain full visibility over the short and long-term planning of their projects. And this can only happen with an industry-specific tool that allows you to keep your teams connected.
2. Connect your data to your tasks
Now that we've highlighted the importance of implementing an industry-specific digital solution, it's essential to take a closer look at your teams' efforts to stay on top of their tasks and report critical updates in real time.
As we mentioned earlier, it is vital that the data collected is not static. In other words, the feedback obtained in the field must be directly linked to the respective tasks, so that project participants can have an accurate vision of what comes next and define their project needs in a timely manner.
Furthermore, the right people need access to the right information. It seems simple, but it really isn't. When a construction project team uses tools like WhatsApp or Microsoft Teams, there is always a danger that team members end up communicating and working in silos.
Simply put, the absence of a central data repository can lead to miscommunication and costly errors that can hamper the development of your projects. In situations like the one we are experiencing today, a clear communication path between the numerous interested parties is essential. Everyone should be able to connect their data to 3-6 planning and see the impact of the latest updates on the master plan in real time.
3. Invest in training
The success of remote work in construction largely depends on the tools your organization implements, but it also requires a strong digital strategy and the commitment of your team. In a phrase, it is essential that people, processes and tools are perfectly aligned.
And this can only be achieved through training and continuous investment in increasing the digital maturity of your business. In this sense, presenting mobile reports to your construction teams is a crucial step in the effort to keep them connected. And this is something they need during and after the Coronavirus outbreak.
Because this is not a quick fix that will no longer be needed once the COVID-19 outbreak is under control. We're talking about a data-driven approach that allows you to always be in control of your projects, whether you're working on-site or remotely.
For this reason, good integration is essential. This is another factor you need to take into consideration when choosing the tool that will help you support the digitization of your reporting processes. You need a team that has done this before and can provide personalized support throughout your journey.
4. Plan for the future
Sooner or later, the Coronavirus outbreak will no longer be a threat to our societies and the construction industry. However, this crisis situation has shed light on some of the biggest problems that construction is struggling with (i.e. lack of accountability, administrative and mental workload, isolated communication, etc.).
Without exaggeration, it has been a strong wake-up call for many industry stakeholders who today realize the importance of going digital in their reporting and planning processes.
So, if you haven't already, now is the perfect time to start planning ahead and opening yourself up to the opportunities that digital technologies bring to the entire industry.
Because being able to increase visibility across the entire supply chain, even when working remotely, is a difficult but certainly crucial mission in all construction projects. Only then will it be possible for the project team to deliver successful projects on time and stay within budget, avoiding unnecessary delays and costly rework.
5. Prioritize security
The last stage is mainly dedicated to the construction heroes who need to be on site in these difficult circumstances to keep projects moving forward and ensure everything will be delivered as expected.
It goes without saying that your safety and the safety of all project participants should always be the top priority. Especially when we take into account that construction is probably the sector with the most accidents at work worldwide.
Therefore, you need to be sure that your construction sites are meeting all required safety standards and that your field personnel have everything they need to operate safely and productively. This is even more critical in these days when construction is hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.
This is again an area where reliable construction software can play a decisive role, as it can provide Project Managers and Directors with the clarity they need to make job sites a safe place. So, once again, the power is in the data and how it is connected to the master plan.
Remote work in construction is here to stay, regardless of circumstances
The COVID-19 outbreak has pushed construction into a new reality where remote work is the preferred strategy whenever possible. Naturally, this has generated a lot of confusion, but it has also gradually shown that construction is an industry capable of quickly adapting to the new reality and taking appropriate safety measures in a timely and responsible manner.
Governments and associations are now supporting the industry's effort to be as creative and innovative as possible to stay open and safe at the same time. Therefore, it is crucial that during this crisis all construction stakeholders remain optimistic and plan for the future.
By digitizing their systems and processes, they pave the way for very positive long-term changes in the sector. Both our societies and construction have suffered a shock that has forced them to reevaluate the best way to operate and the discussion about digitalization as an essential tool for competitiveness and survival is increasing every day.
Now, more than ever, it is time for construction to accelerate and become more efficient, cleaner and safer using digital solutions. And it is expected that remote work will be part of this paradigm shift as a result of better communication and data sharing between the different project agents.
