In Australia, three in ten businesses currently allow staff to work remotely and the majority (80%) of these expect this to continue in the long term. And why wouldn’t they? Businesses must adapt to changing pandemic conditions for the foreseeable future, especially given that 45% of organisations that allow remote working have seen an uptick in employee wellbeing.
But how does this apply to industries like construction?
Successfully overseeing multiple crews and projects in a rapidly evolving environment is second nature to construction professionals. Despite this, the blow of COVID-19 and the resulting protocols means the construction sector must now reimagine how to get people safely back to work.
One of the biggest changes brought on by the pandemic is that employees have more control over where and how they work. The construction industry is ripe for innovation, and technology is spurring this revolution, with new and emerging cloud-based platforms becoming a cornerstone. For an industry as set in legacy systems and methods as construction, this change represents a significant transition, both in technology and mindset.
Embracing new technology
With a projected annual growth rate of 2.4% over the next five years, the construction industry is under pressure to keep up with demand, so companies must transform the way projects are planned and executed.
Last year, the Australian Government Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Program, launched the Building 4.0 CRC research initiative. This initiative is focused on the use of digital solutions, new products and processes to bring Australia’s building industry into a tech-enabled, collaborative future where buildings are not only better, but faster, cheaper and safer.
This initiative has prompted companies to innovate by integrating technology into their daily processes, choosing a partner that provides intuitive tools that every team member can use.
By embracing technology, construction companies can respond to increasing demand by completing projects faster, more efficiently, and with greater flexibility.
The right technology also allows business owners who do not necessarily need access to the granular day-to-day operations of a given project the appropriate level of visibility, thanks to real-time dashboards and rollup reports. Empowering personnel with technology provides flexibility, safety, and a connected workforce for your company and distributed stakeholders.
Adopting automation
The construction industry is facing growing skilled labour shortages, in fact 43% of Australian and New Zealand construction companies have reported that skilled labour shortages had a significant or high impact on the delivery of construction projects. Construction companies now must maintain the same speed and efficiency with a smaller labour force. With increased competition in the field, mistakes – which happen more often when teams are stretched thin – are even more costly.
Analysts predict that this will only worsen over time, so addressing the problem requires new ways of thinking and working.
If we are to build more with less and deliver better outcomes, the future of construction lies in automation. By automating repetitive tasks, companies can reduce human error, miss fewer deadlines, enforce processes, and collect the right data from the right people at the right time. Business owners and management can analyse their businesses and processes based on accurate, real-time information - a much loved and used feature of Smartsheet.
Increased collaboration
Between 2019-2020, the Australian construction industry saw a productivity decline of 2.6%. This cannot be blamed on COVID-19, as the industry also saw a decline between 2018-2019.
Faced with these findings, the construction sector must redefine the future in a way that allows businesses to increase efficiencies and reduce costs. The answer to this is collaboration.
Collaboration is at the centre of work and the vast majority of Australian workers (79%) believe greater collaboration is needed to effectively adjust to changes over the coming years.
Collaboration between office workers, such as project managers, and field workers, such as foremen, is crucial to boost productivity. By using cloud-based technology, all team members can access and collaborate on real-time project information when and where they need it, saving time and effort.
When everyone has access to all project documents and up-to-date timelines, construction projects are more likely to be completed on time and on budget. And with teams split between on-site and at home, mobile compatibility ensures all workers have access to project information anywhere, any time.
With Smartsheet – the enterprise platform for dynamic work – you can make the move to more efficient project management today with our 30-day free trial that comes with access to many pre-structured and customisable templates. Streamline your projects by following these best practices to increase consistency, from project initiation to completion.