
6 Ways to Improve Communication on Construction Job Sites
Poor communication has strong effects on construction jobs. In fact, it’s said that construction projects fail a third of the time because of communication issues.
With team communication being so important for the success of a construction company, how do you improve communication methods?
Keep reading for six ways to enhance communication among workers that will lead to the success of your construction job.
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Establish the Chain-of-Command
It’s important for a construction crew to know the chain of communication when starting a new job or project.
Explain who is in charge and who reports to who so people know who to go to when they have questions or concerns. This will save every worker time and frustration when they need information.
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Support Open Communication
You want your construction workers to feel comfortable coming to you with thoughts, questions, and problems. Be open with your crew by sharing updates, talking about issues, and encouraging them to voice their concerns.
If the workers see you communicating with them openly, they’ll be more likely to do the same.
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Plan Regular Meetings
This is a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page and knows what’s expected of them.
Hold meetings each morning or once a week, discussing the goals of the project and making time for any questions that need to be answered. It’s also a good idea to take notes during these meetings and send them out to everyone in case they need to reference them.
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Make It Easy to Access Information
Looking for equipment manuals or project plans takes time when they’re spread out among a construction company. Other important documents, like your company’s policies or safety regulations, should be easy for workers to find as well.
Create digital files of every document your construction crew might need and let them know how to access all of this information.
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Listen to Feedback
Advice and input from your employees are some of the best ways to improve your construction company.
Ask your crew what’s going well and what could be improved. You can collect their feedback through an online survey, suggestion box, or small group meetings.
By showing you care about your employees’ thoughts and suggestions, they’ll be more likely to give you helpful feedback and feel valued.
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Choose the Proper Communication Method
There are so many different ways to communicate with each other now, from texting and calling to emailing and video chatting.
When you need to communicate something with your team, consider what way would be best. Does the message include information they’ll want to refer back to? Emailing might be the best choice, while an urgent message might need a phone call or face-to-face conversation.
There are even push-to-talk services that make communicating quickly easy.
Make Construction Jobs Better with Team Communication
Better communication leads to fewer mistakes and improved safety and productivity. If you’re hoping to make a construction job go more smoothly, focusing on how you communicate with your workers is a great place to start.
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