Dan Henrie is a Construction Production Manager based in the UK and writes regularly about construction process management on his blog, he can also be found on Twitter.
At one point or another, we all get stuck, we become stagnant at work and everything seems to be moving in slow motion. We go through our daily routine, get the job done, but something’s missing. I was there not too long ago. I began to think back to a time where everything was clicking, and then I asked myself ‘what was the difference?’.
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I realized then, that I had a set high expectations, and I provided the foreman and crews with the tools necessary to meet or exceed those expectations. Employees and foreman were engaged and excited to be part of the planning and coordination of the work being performed. We shared information, ideas and suggestions, which seemed to improve our productivity and morale. Employer should be on guard to the onset of safety complacency as it can really dangerous in hard hat industries.
So what was the difference between then and now? Consistency! Every day we would hold a logistics/supervisor meeting, creating consistency at the top, then they would convey to the crews; we were all linked together.
We seemed to be paddling in the same direction and getting the job done, it was awesome! We would also measure performance throughout the day. We had daily performance goals and a tracking tool setup to measure our performance. We developed a daily routine where every day we had a plan. We delivered the plan of action to the crews and measured it. Not only did productivity increase, but the morale increased as well.
So what was the difference between then and now? I fell into the trap of being complacent. The job was progressing and we were still making money, but I was not innovative. I was just going with the flow and this affected the people around me. Listed below are the steps that I used consistently back then, and am working towards using again now.
Logistics/Supervisor Meeting
- We would have a morning meeting to discuss with the supervisors the days deliveries, concrete pours, dumpsters, crane time and so forth. Any and all information they needed was given at this time.
- Next we would talk about the daily goals. If there was something that would stop us from reaching our goal, we would form a backup plan.
- We made sure everyone clearly understood the daily goals, so they could accurately convey the same message to the crews. This helped avoid any misinterpretations.
- Information control: We made sure we were all aware of any changes or challenges we might face that day.
- We discussed the remaining man hours for the tasks being performed by the crews.
- Tasks that we kept on a tight track were treated like a countdown.
Avoiding Safety Complacency: Daily Task Meeting (with crews)
- Define the goals for the day.
- Break down the task: safety, hour expectations and crewing.
- Ask for any suggestions, comments and ideas.
- Verify proper safety, equipment, tools and materials that are needed.
- Make a checklist of follow ups.
- Arrange schedule: updated, reviewed and verified.
Daily Recap
Quantify units for the day, and relay that to the crew. Inform and show your crew how they did for that day. Did you meet or beat your production goals?
Have a group discussion to go over what went well with the days productivity and what could have been improved so everyone can learn from that day.
Gather suggestions from your crews and thank them for their hard work.
It’s easy to abide by safety complacency and not fully engage employees. Get back to what works well for you.
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