Construction is one of the oldest and the most crucial industries known to man. It provides shelter, which is a human basic need, in form of residential and non-residential buildings. The industry also provides employment and infrastructure. Despite the relevance of the industry to national development, its productivity, especially on construction sites has been questioned. This is connected to certain factors that militate against efficiency on jobsites. The factors include, but not limited to, use of traditional method, communication gap, disjointed workflow, outdated systems, and inadequate measures to mitigate safety hazards.

This calls for the adoption and use of best practices in construction in order to engender progressive efficiency. One of the ways to achieve this is through the use of technology and innovation, as practised by other industries.

Effective Communication/Collaboration

Effective communication is very important on construction sites if there will be efficiency and progress. There must be excellent, meaningful and clear communication strategy between the supervisors of different units and their subordinates. It should bother on safety measures, workflow and directives. Optimal communication guides against mistakes, rework, and avoidable hazards. Construction firms need to equip workers with necessary devices like smartphones to allow for easy, fast and efficient communication. Applications and software can also be adopted to increase communication between all parties. This will demystify the work process and ensure a more cohesive working unit.

Standardisation

Standardization of the construction process means having all methods mapped out in the areas of design, workflow, equipment, protection, workers’ needs, management, duration and every other thing needed.

Though standardization is not as simple as it seems in construction, it offers many undeniable benefits to teams and projects. All methods and organization can be standardized with construction software to help maintain budgets and enhance efficiency. A precept schedule keeps all workers, contractors and subcontractors on track. Standardization has also been found to help maintain brand recognition as your contractors and clients will always know what to expect and have the same experience when they work with you.

Digital Integration/New Technology

Integrating the right software can be one of the best practices in construction. If your workers use technology, there is bound to be increased productivity. Though construction companies, especially in the part of the world, grapple with implementation difficulties because they are used to traditional method and processes, new technology simplifies the work process if it is used consistently with adequate training. The adoption and use of modern technology in the healthcare industry has changed the way diagnosis, treatment and surgeries are carried out. This has increased productivity, saved time and energy and further promoted patient satisfaction and better outcomes for patients. Hence, digital tools can be installed on sites. Enough support, guidance and training should be provided for contractors and other workers on digital documentation to make the transition easier. This will bring increase in productivity that occasion returns on your investment.

Result-oriented Supervision/Coordination

Every construction site should have a trained and strong supervisor who is capable of coordinating the workforce. Such a supervisor should micromanage rather than macro-manage the workers so that they will be free to do their work. He must, however, not be loose or go to sleep, especially when it comes to safety and efficiency. The foreman must keep tabs on all workers throughout the construction process, guiding and applying correctional method where needed. Also, as aforementioned, to ensure effective integration between disciplines, the right expectations must be laid out before the commencement of the project. The architect, contractors and the engineers must agree on a set of deliverables that will facilitate their teams’ coordination efforts.

Reputation/Transparency from all Teams

Site architects, engineers and supervisors must be clear and transparent about the established protocols, safety measures and standardization process regarding what is required of every team. Lack of transparency will breed secrecy and trust issues among teams. It also projects the industry in bad light. No process should be hidden from workers who should be in the know. Transparency, along with the above practices, will foster unity, team work and coordination which will lead to progress and efficiency.

Conclusion

The factors that signal progress in construction include, but not limited to, quality projects, prompt delivery of projects, and good management. Adoption of technological advancements, collaboration, effective communication, digital integration, and adherence to safety codes are the game changer that will increase productivity.