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10 Tips to improve productivity on your project

21/9/2016

17 Comments

 
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​Why is productivity poor in construction

Construction is notorious for poor productivity. What contributes to this problem and how can we improve construction productivity on our projects?
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Imagine if we could improve our labor productivity by just 5%. Not difficult one would imagine. If labor makes up 40% of a project’s cost then effectively you could save 2% on your project costs. 2% additional profit! Doesn’t sound like much? But if your profit margin was 10% then a 5% improvement in productivity could mean we now make 12% profit. Well that means we have increased our profits by 20%, and directors and shareholders would be more than happy with this. But improved labor productivity could also result in better equipment productivity, shorter construction times and reduced overheads leading to even more profits.

We often blame workers for the low productivity, which is sometimes the case. However, management can also play a significant role in improved construction productivity.
​#constructionmanagement #productivityinconstruction #constructionprofessionals

How can you improve construction productivity?

Here are some suggestions to improve construction productivity:
  1. Planning – unfortunately many projects are poorly planned at their start. I’m not just talking about the construction schedule but rather about how you are going to construct the project, what resources you’ll need, and when they’ll be required. It includes among others, selecting a construction methodology, selecting the most suitable resources, picking the construction team, and ordering materials timely. Too often the wrong choices are made at the start of the project which negatively impact the project later.
  2. Quality – a large problem on construction projects is poor quality which causes work to be redone. Some of this is due to careless mistakes when measuring and setting-out and others is because of a lack of skilled people.
  3. Ensuring employees have the required skills – skilled people will be more efficient, productive and make fewer mistakes. It’s not just about recruiting people with the required skills it’s also about ongoing training which also improves morale, adding to our productivity improvements. Having skilled people operating equipment will improve the productivity of the machine and will probably also result in the item being less likely to be damaged.
  4. Supply the correct equipment – too often workers spend their time walking the site to find or borrow tools. Sometimes they don’t have the correct tools making the job slower. We’ve all witnessed undersized excavators loading a large truck. But over-sized equipment is also wasteful – costing more to hire and using more fuel. Trying to save money by hiring or purchasing inferior equipment will cost money later because of lower productivity.
  5. Ensure equipment doesn’t breakdown – repeated equipment breakdowns disrupts production and negatively impacts employee morale. A crane malfunction can cause a whole section of work to stand. Provide reliable equipment. Encourage operators to look after the equipment. Implement regular maintenance checks. Oh, and talking about maintenance try and have this done outside working hours or during rest breaks. Stopping a crane or excavator in the middle of a shift for routine maintenance brings the whole team to a standstill.
  6. Poor communication – does your crew know what they are supposed to do? Do they understand the schedule – what has to be completed first and why? Poor communication leads to errors. In today’s environment where our construction projects employ people of different nationalities, cultures and languages, communication become even more important. Just because someone says ‘yes’ when you’re talking to them doesn’t mean they actually understood what you said.
  7. Material handling – poor logistics and not getting materials to where they’re needed on a construction site can strangle production. Teams waiting for materials or cranes are unproductive. Even packaging material differently can improve its handling. Having material delivered on pallets for instance could mean a slight increase in cost, but being able to quickly and efficiently move the materials on the project site will repay this cost back several times over. Moving materials after-hours or bringing another crane to site could prevent our teams standing waiting for materials. Constantly be on the lookout for these bottlenecks.
  8. Good people – never underestimate how important it is to have good people in our team. This means you need to look after your good people. Pay them fairly. Treat them well. Mentor and train them. Give them responsibilities. Employ the right people that will fit in with your company culture. A good project manager can make a project successful. A poor project manager can destroy the project and the company’s reputation.
  9. Double handling of materials –  often materials are off-loaded in the wrong place or far from the work area. Plan the work areas so materials can be placed near where they’re needed. Plan deliveries so the items that are required first are delivered before those that are required later. Have lay-down areas prepared ready ahead of when the materials will be delivered. Try and plan deliveries of large items so they can be off-loaded from the trucks directly to their final position. Double handling material requires additional people and cranes and exposes the materials to risk of damage.
  10. Poorly motivated workers – often workers are poorly motivated which leads to lower productivity. Poor morale may be due to poor pay, poor working conditions, hiccups paying wages, excessively long shifts, machinery break-downs or poor supervision. The way management and supervisors treat workers can impact morale. Also, if management have poor morale, are glum and downbeat, this will rub off on workers impacting their morale. 

Improving construction productivity is in your hands

​Don’t be too quick to blame your workers for poor productivity. First look at management and ensure they are managing the project effectively and providing workers with the correct tools and skills. Even slight improvements in productivity can yield dramatic results in production, leading to improved quality, safety and profits. Managers need to be continually looking for ways to improve productivity, always checking there are no bottlenecks or roadblocks impacting productivity. 

​In 
Another 10 ways to improve productivity we look at more ways you can improve productivity on your construction projects.
#construction productivity #constructionmanagementtips #constructionprojectmanagement
​This article was first published on the ClockShark website. 
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© 2016 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.
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17 Comments
Bernard Clyde link
12/5/2017 03:51:49 am

I agree with your point that skilled workers are more productive and make less mistakes. It's important that, if you are short on construction workers, you find workers who you are confident have the skills needed for the job you need done. Plus, skilled workers will have a better idea of how to be safe on the construction site which is good for them, the work, and the business.

Reply
Chris Winters link
1/7/2017 12:09:24 am

I can see why you would want to find a contractor that takes special care of their equipment. My wife and I have been planning on constructing a brand new house for our growing family. I would like to find a contractor that could take my family's lifestyle into account.

Reply
Paul
1/7/2017 02:05:52 pm

Hi Chris
You may find this article useful http://www.pn-projectmanagement.com/construction-management-blog/selecting-the-right-contractor which you'll find in the blogs from August 2016. Although the article mentions subcontractors most of the points apply to selecting a contractor to build your new house.
Here is another useful link https://geniebelt.com/blog/how-to-find-good-subcontractors-for-construction-jobs

My next book which will be published later this year will definitely help you as it will cover managing a project from the concept, to design, team and contractor selection and construction and completion.
I have already started writing a book specifically directed to home construction and renovations but that is at least 18 months from publication.
Good luck with constructing your new home and may you enjoy the house for many years.
Regards
Paul

Reply
Kyle Wayne link
13/10/2017 07:47:16 am

I like that you mention to ensure equipment doesn't breakdown. My brother is looking to hire a crane service contractor to do some painting on his home. I'll be sure to talk to him about making sure he finds a service with reliable equipment.

Reply
Paul Netscher
20/10/2017 10:51:46 am

Hi Kyle, I hope your brother gets a safe reliable crane for his job.
Regards
Paul

Reply
Michael Robinson link
18/10/2017 05:34:31 am

I would like to thank you for all the help in regards to educating me on how to be more effective and productive as a construction company. I appreciate how you took the time to mention that poor communication can only be a detriment to the project and that it simply leads to errors. My son is looking for a construction job to work on during the summer to make some money and so I will make sure that he has effective communication!

Reply
Paul
20/10/2017 10:49:07 am

Hi Michael, thanks for your comment. Good communication is essential in construction.
Good luck to your son. I hope he gets to work with a good contractor with experienced knowledgeable people who can teach him the right way of doing things.

Reply
Kayla link
3/11/2017 01:49:56 pm

My dad bought a property and now constructing a building on it. He liked this article because it helped him improve the construction's productivity. He planned well as advised by this article. He's also looking up some real estate agents to manage the construction.

Reply
Paul
3/11/2017 02:31:15 pm

Hi Kayla, thanks for the feedback, it's always good to hear that an article was useful and provided practical information.
Please suggest to you dad that he reads my new book 'Construction Management; From Project Concept to Completion'. (Available from Amazon and other online stores.) It provides lots of valuable practical information for those embarking on a new project. Maybe even get it for him for Christmas!

Reply
Siaosi Kulihaapai link
3/5/2018 12:29:59 pm

It's interesting to know that one of the tips for improving construction productivity is by ensuring that you're getting the right people to do the work for you, followed by ongoing training and followups to improve their performance. It's like working in an office environment where everyone should be geared towards constant learning to be more efficient hence improving their performance. If I were to own a construction company, I will definitely implement the same managerial style towards my contractors and skilled workers to commit higher productivity rate and turnaround with our clients. Thank you.

Reply
Larry Weaver link
31/5/2018 05:28:52 am

I didn't realize that a problem with construction projects today is poor quality. It would make sense that construction management would help to ensure that construction projects met a certain level of quality that would not require a redo. My brother is looking to construct a home, so I'll be sure to mention to him that he should look into a construction management service to ensure that his home gets built with a degree of quality the first time.

Reply
Paul
31/5/2018 12:33:28 pm

Hi Larry, thanks for your comment. Good quality is essential in construction. You want a product that's aesthetically pleasing and one that's not going to have faults that cause problems later - such as leaking roofs, blocked drains, cracks, etc.
Please tell your brother to look out for my new book which is for those building a new house or undertaking renovations. It will be published around October. It contains valuable tips on designing houses, selecting contractors, managing construction, what to look out for and much more.

Reply
Max Sayer link
16/6/2018 03:11:22 am

I have been thinking about hiring a construction service and I wanted to look up some information. I really appreciated how this article talked about making sure there is good communication. I agree that it's important that they actually unstrand what you said.

Reply
Becca Holton link
24/6/2018 01:30:40 am

I don't know much about construction. However, when I think about it, you're right about how it's best not to underestimate how important it is to have good people on your team. I imagine that hiring the right kind of help will make projects get done faster as well.

Reply
Derek Dewitt link
22/8/2018 10:39:57 pm

A friend of mine might be working in construction this year, so thanks for sharing this. I like your point about making sure your equipment doesn't break down. I think having a maintenance schedule would be the best solution to this.

Reply
Paul
23/8/2018 10:11:37 am

Thanks Derek, an equipment maintenance schedule is an excellent idea. Please recommend this website www.pn-projectmangement.com to your friend as it provides much useful construction information.

Reply
Erika Brady link
15/4/2021 04:37:52 am

I'm glad that you mention that it's important to have a team that knows how to properly handle cranes and other equipment. In order to ensure that this happens, it would probably be best to research companies to learn about their training and experience with handling cranes or any other type of equipment you want to use. This way, you can ensure they know the safety standards and they could also provide the right type of equipment for your project's needs.

Reply



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  • Construction Home
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