“Action is the foundational key to all success.”
– Picasso
Achieving a greater level of 4 Tips to Kick Start Productivity in the workplace is something that all companies across a multitude of industries strive for.
But what if your company is in the UK Construction industry that has had for many years, and still remains to have a stagnant productivity growth rate?
With an estimated productivity gap of £15bn, it can often seem daunting for Management in Construction, who are trying to improve levels of productivity whilst maintaining staff morale – particularly given the political uncertainty and increased skills shortages in the UK – remains a daunting challenge to tackle.
If you’re experiencing productivity issues or feel like you are falling behind, then here we share tips to help replenish your faith in boosting productivity in your workplace.
Update in 2021:
In 2021, the entire world completely changed the way construction works, it becomes more crucial to equip your workers with the right tools. As the COVID-19 closures have affected this industry, how can you help your organization feel successful and accomplished even with these challenges? Using rugged devices can improve the overall delivery of services for the construction sector.
1. Technology is fundamental, but…
In a survey carried out by AIM, 62% of employers asked said that technology enabled them to “produce more goods or provide more services than a decade ago with the same or fewer employees”. Of the companies that could quantify the gains that had been made, many said their productivity was boosted by between 10 and 25%. One manufacturer said it had become twice as productive without taking on extra staff. Meanwhile, a not-for-profit company saw its productivity rates treble.
So why is Construction not keeping pace with other industries?
The answer lies not necessarily in technology, but in its Enablement, or in Construction’s case, the lack thereof.
2. Enable your workforce
Construction is notorious for its downtime. Downtime can be attributed to dozens of reasons. For example, waiting for skilled workers to arrive on-site, finding/misplacing timesheets, manually inputting data or giving adequate training to people entering a site (issuing Safety Regulations is a must). Tools not working the way they are supposed to work are also notoriously responsible for causing downtime. Innovation in technology such as AR, VR, BIM and AI now allows you to minimise all of the above downtime tasks. But the key here is Enablement
Enable your workforce, put the power in the hands of the individuals. You can enable one manager to become efficient by harnessing technology. But if you enabled an entire workforce, imagine the productivity benefits you could reap!
Let the carpenters be carpenters, allow the electricians to be electricians – utilise their time properly. And in the meantime, enable other individuals, upskill them so that their downtime can be filled with productivity, whether that is carrying out training on tablets, or filling in forms via a mobile device.
So yes, technology is fundamental but its Enablement is the key to unlocking productivity.
3. Be disruptive
“My advice to the construction industry is, disrupt yourselves before you get disrupted.”
– Bent Flyvbjerg
Be the change you wish to see in the Construction industry. Go against the grain by enabling your workforce, and by doing so, you create a portal to productivity and subsequently become the pioneering company to begin closing the productivity gap.
For companies that can disrupt with genuine innovation in technology (amongst other areas), the outcome could be as large as a 50-60% increase in productivity, the benefit of which is substantial profitability.
But, in order to leverage Enablement for better productivity, you must have the correct tool.
4. Find the right tool for the toolbag
Perhaps the most important factor in enabling your workforce is choosing the right technology. So many companies suffer from a lack of efficiency, productivity and profitability as an incidental result of being mismatched with the wrong tech.
This is why it is paramount particularly for companies in Construction to be partnered with the right tech. At Conker we take a consultative approach (something our clients tell us they love) that finds our customers tablets and mobile devices that are fit for purpose. They are robust enough to withstand the rigours of the Construction site, powered to last the entire working day, all whilst supporting the software you depend on.
As standard, we find out the end-users requirements, what environment the devices will be used in, what success might look like for your company, and match your devices accordingly.
The right tech matched especially to your business requirements is the most important tool in your toolbag.
4 Tips to Kick Start Productivity & More about Conker
Conker is a British producer of Business Rugged tablets, touch screens, and mobile devices, providing durable and reliable systems for successful digital transformation.
Our consultative approach delivers fit-for-purpose solutions that improve productivity and streamline business processes, supported by our easy-to-work-with UK-based service team.
Update:
Unsure of the real cost of bringing rugged devices into your business?