In an industry as fast-paced as construction, there is not always time to stop, look back, and reflect on the lessons that shape strong teams and successful projects. At West Construction, we wanted to take a step back and do exactly that by tapping into the experience of our staff. While many people see the finished building, there is much more behind the scenes that keeps a project moving forward, from coordination and communication to budgeting, scheduling, and safety. Being a well-oiled construction team requires far more than building structures, and our staff has a wealth of insight to share from their years in the industry.
After 11 years working as a Senior Assistant Project Manager in construction, I’d like to share some practical advice that I have learned over the years in order to deliver projects timely and work as a team. I would say that building relationships is one of the most important things you can do. Especially when it comes to the Owner, Architects, Subcontractors as well as your internal team. These relationships are critical to the project in order to keep the flow always moving forward toward the mutual goal.
Also, communication at all times with all parties is key. I always say, “a little communication goes along way”. It is very important to be transparent, so all parties are always on the same page. Consistent communication results in better performance. Staying on task with your project schedule is also important. It allows all team members to see what is projected and expected from the team both on a bi-weekly and monthly basis. This is also a good time to capture any delays, critical path items and milestones. Know your budget and where you may have room to re-work some numbers if needed. To finish a project timely and under budget is a great success which West rewards its employees for doing so.
Last but not least, safety. Safety is non-negotiable. It protects lives, reduces costs, and keeps projects on schedule and compliant with law. Accidents impose a financial impact. They attribute to medical, workers’ comp. and fines. Accidents also have indirect cost impacts such as delays, lost productivity, higher insurance premiums and reputational damage.
In reality, we sometimes spend more time with our co-workers than our own families. It is important to be happy with your job and passionate about your work.
PS. My favorite thing to build are Fire Stations.
