Navigating labor shortages is not new for contractors, but public dollars for builds is adding to the squeeze. Industry experts observe that thriving businesses distinguish themselves by concentrating on important operational adjustments. Read on for insights to boost productivity.
Arm Your Business For Productivity
Observing that professionals in trade construction take enormous pride in their work, experts at eSub remind managers not to avoid missteps that make workers feel undervalued: “Those can include having someone show up on a job site to find a different job than they’d been promised, or having someone show up day after day to take on the worst assignments.Instead, talent retention needs to focus on things like upskilling team members (field and office), and getting them the tools they need to work most effectively.” McKinsey researchers suggest that greater efficiency requires rethinking project designs, as well as attending to when, where and how work is done:
Improvements in productivity occur long before work starts on the ground. They include rigorous control of project scope, design simplification, and standardization. “Increasing the use of off-site and modular construction, for example, could allow projects to capture multiple benefits, including accelerated design cycles; the greater productivity associated with industrialized, factory floor manufacturing techniques; automation; and less time spent on site.”
Now more than ever, ensuring workers have the right tools for every job is key–and that includes having the right digital tools. Toward that end, eSub recommends:
- Sketching out your team’s normal operations — tasks, responsibilities, workflows — and imagining which steps would benefit from digitization.
- Mapping those steps onto specific features of any software you’re considering.
- Ensuring the new software you buy is easy to use. You’ll lose efficiency gains by investing in software your team struggles to use.
- Organize Your Construction Project Data
- Paper records and file cabinets won’t do. Neither will having one office computer that stores all of your construction project data.
- Your team needs a centralized, cloud-native repository for that data. That way, anyone with access can retrieve a document as needed and from wherever they are — the work site, the truck, the office, at home. This system should also let your field teams capture absolutely everything they need to make their reports meaningful.
Bid More and Win More
Of course contractors looking to attract and retain top talent and grow their businesses also need to be prepared to bid more, and win more, and that’s where Colonial Surety can help. Bring more strategic wins your way this year with a surety line of credit in writing, speedy bonds and financial intel too: everything you need to win is right here at Colonial Surety via The Partnership Account® for Contractors.
With The Partnership Account® on your side, you’ll use our power of attorney to issue your own bid bonds, in minutes. Order performance bonds with speed and ease too. Plus, you’ll bid and win more then ever as you leverage your:
- surety line of credit—in writing;
- private digital dashboard;
- daily snapshot of single and aggregate limits
- ability to update work on hand—and increase your aggregate.
Get started right now—and get your free scores too:
Steer Into The Cloud
With workforce shortages anticipated to continue into the foreseeable future for builders, productivity requires moving into cloud based solutions–and that includes steering away from over reliance on email–which is a known obstacle to timely and efficient communication among project stakeholders. Construction Executive observes that “cleaning up email communication” is likely a “hidden opportunity” for builders looking to boost productivity. Specifically, experts suggest:
Automation and software can have a major impact on reducing the errors, time delays and miscommunication associated with email. Firms can immediately benefit from implementing policies, procedures and technology, which resolve issues related to project communication that is siloed in staff email inboxes. Many firms have established a project email strategy for staff members to file project-related emails to firm-wide project folders. Filing emails to a specified project folder ensures that critical information is available to all project team members who need it.
Wondering how to begin increasing the productivity of your business? Colonial Surety is here with easy tech solutions to help move your business forward. Leverage a surety line of credit, speedy bonds and solid financial intel, courtesy of The Partnership Account® for Contractors.
Pre-Qualify and Get Free Scores Today
Founded in 1930, Colonial Surety Company is a leading direct seller and writer of surety bonds and insurance products across the USA. Colonial is rated “A Excellent” by A.M. Best Company and U.S. Treasury listed. Let’s connect today: Colonial Surety.