Imbalance in productivity is a festering problem in every industry. But while other sectors have transformed themselves and become more efficient, the construction industry remains stagnant. Based on global construction statistics, 90% of infrastructure projects are late or over budget.
Improving productivity is essential for any building project. Without it, construction firms could delay projects and overwhelm their budgets. But how can they speed up construction projects without compromising quality? As much as clients want their buildings done as quickly as possible, providing accurate work is all-important.
It’s possible to maximize productivity on the job site without losing quality and cutting corners. The key is not rushing to accomplish work faster but optimizing how you manage the tasks, people and materials. Learn more about this by reading on.
Prioritize Construction Planning
Having a detailed plan is vital to becoming more efficient on the job site. If you want to increase your productivity rates, ensure to make everything in place right from the start. Your plan will determine when and how you’re going to conduct specific operations.
There are many unforeseen events you can’t control on every construction project. But proper construction planning can help minimize the impact. So how can you map out a more developed and effective plan?
You can start by forecasting your needs for every aspect of a construction project you’re doing. Set down your goals, resources, processes, materials, logistics, schedules, and workers. Reviewing completed projects can help you identify areas you can improve on the future ones.
In addition, it’s also a good idea to prepare a list of various resources that you can contact for your construction needs. For example, solution providers like the Retra Group can help you address your need for handling and storage systems.
Ensure Good Communication
Poor communication is among the significant factors contributing to a lack of productivity in most industries. For example, a fool-proof construction plan is meaningless if the office and job site supervisors and workers don’t communicate with each other. Therefore, make sure to relay project needs and expectations clearly and be available to them as much as possible.
Keep everyone in the loop with necessary adjustments to every construction project. Remember that no one can perform their job well if they’re not fully informed of everything going on. By establishing clear communication, you can quickly sort out potential issues and delays.
Conduct Regular Safety Training
Safety is of the utmost importance when it comes to productivity on the job site. Injuries from accidents can result in workers missing work and lost man-hours. It can also affect worker morale and their overall productivity levels. But keeping the accident rates low can help avoid delays and extra expenses associated with injured workers.
If you’re looking to maximize construction productivity, it’s imperative to ensure safety in the first place. Create a safety plan specific to the job site and ensure everyone adheres to every protocol and requirement. Also, conduct regular safety training and equip the workers with the proper safety gear.
Use Prefabricated Building Systems
Shifting towards prefabrication is another way to enhance productivity on the job site. It’s the process of creating buildings or components of buildings in a different location, generally in a factory. Such components will then be transported and assembled to the job site. So why are many companies using these prefabricated building systems?
Prefabricated materials significantly reduce the time spent in construction. In addition, you can better do upfront planning since they’re available in a ready-to-install condition from the factory. Plus, the weather factors onsite won’t have an impact on prefabricated materials, accelerating the construction time.
It allows builders to engage on multiple projects at once without losing the quality and consistency of builds. Because all components came are produced and standardized from the factory, there would be less chance for error and poor-quality construction methods.
Pay Attention to Jobsite Layout
Planning a layout for the job site is one of the most critical yet overlooked organizational tasks. It’s essential to decide where to place office trailers, store materials, and keep equipment when not in use. However, many construction companies don’t realize the effects of their job site layout on their productivity.
When debris and extra materials are littered on construction sites, it would be hard for workers to find the tools and materials. So instead of working, they would waste their time looking for something. This can also contribute to potential accidents and equipment damage.
If you want to maximize productivity, ensure to pay attention to the job site layout. Use a checklist to verify that the layout adequately considers critical elements, such as staging areas, access roads, storage for materials and equipment, and office trailers. Using equipment like retractable industrial hose reels can also help improve the efficiency and convenience of job site operations.
Utilize Construction Technologies
A growing number of available software, mobile applications, and other technological advancements can help improve productivity in the construction sector. They can save time from planning and scheduling to communication, record-keeping, and monitoring.
Here are some of the construction technologies that you can use to maximize productivity on the job site:
- Project Management Software
- GPS Technology
- 3-D Construction Printing
- Wearable Technology
Conclusion
Unproductive workers on the job site can hurt your profitability. But you can’t blame all the delays and inefficiencies on them—most of the time, lack of productivity results from inefficient management control. Adopting technology and optimizing small processes can make a big difference to job site productivity. First, however, it’s essential to evaluate your current process before making any changes.
