6 Ways to Improve Productivity at Construction Sites

The construction industry is one of the most labor-intensive industries as most of the work involved is hands-on. It goes without saying that one of the things that can really hurt a contractor’s profitability is having unproductive workers. If your construction crew is not performing at peak levels, things will gradually slow down. Needless to say, if one part of your construction work goes off schedule, it will cause a delay in the commencement of the dependent tasks. Facing this string of delays, you will likely have trouble meeting the project baseline or even only finishing the job on time.

Fortunately, strategies and management practices that improve labor productivity at construction sites can help contractors with meeting their project baselines. Additionally, they can increase contractors’ profitability, enhance their competitive advantage in bids for new projects, and improve their reputations in a way that ensures repeat business opportunities. If your company has had a high employee turnover rate, some of these tactics may also assist you in uprooting the leading cause.

All these benefits are a testament to why you should pay close attention to monitoring and improving the productivity of your construction crew. Below are some useful strategies to help you make sure that everything is going like clockwork.

Constantly Monitor and Analyze Productivity

As your work progresses, you should monitor every single activity that is part of the work scope. You need to be capable of picking up any sign of a slowdown before it gets out of hand. Along the way, you will progressively identify the aspects of your construction operation that give rise to hold-ups. These aspects can include inefficient work arrangements, utilization of unreliable construction machinery and equipment, or merely just having the involvement of unproductive employees.

Ensure the Provision of Sufficient Resources

Construction projects are inherently dynamic. Contractors should maintain a regularly-updated site inventory checklist and always plan for changing needs. Being proactive in the planning and management of construction equipment and materials will ensure that there is no delay in the execution of construction work due to productivity issues. You must make sure that things are ready when they are needed – not too soon, not too late.

Delegate Effectively and Communicate Concisely

When giving verbal instructions to your employees, you should communicate clearly and concisely. Everyone on your construction crew must know what their responsibilities and duties are and what is expected of them in order to perform well.

When it comes to delegating tasks, loading anyone on your crew down with too many tasks in order to get faster outcomes will likely result in the opposite. Your crew members will get overwhelmed with the amount of work they have been given, and this will increase their chance of making mistakes and having to rework. Most importantly, you shouldn’t assign tasks to employees who do not have the right skills and resources.

Spend Time Looking for a Reliable and Qualified Site Foreman or Supervisor

A dependable and qualified site foreman or supervisor can be a valuable asset to your company and construction crew. You should invest more time and other resources in looking for a site foreman or supervisor with such aptitudes or talents. Adding talented employees to your construction workforce will ensure that your construction operation runs at peak productivity.

Prioritize the Health and Safety of Your Construction Crew

Ensuring the health and safety of your construction crew must be the first on your priority list. It is your responsibility to protect your employees, and you should have all safety protocols enforced and followed. Any mishaps or accidents that occur at your construction site can really hurt productivity.

Maintaining a neat and well-organized work environment contributes greatly to an accident-free construction site. You should ensure that your job site is free from obstacles that can result in accidents, injuries, and slowdowns. Additionally, a tidy construction site also improves productivity by eliminating the time spent on looking for tools or construction machinery and equipment. It shouldn’t be hard for your construction crew to locate the stuff they need for work.

Invest in Technologies

Investing in technologies that improve construction operations may also help you increase labor productivity at your construction site. Fitting your construction equipment and tools with sensors that track how they are being carried or moved around will allow you to decide how and where they should be placed and stored to make them more accessible to your construction crew and reduce downtime.

Ultimately, you can also rely on scheduling and construction planning software to streamline your construction management process to better manage your construction team.