{"id":3029,"date":"2021-06-10T13:16:42","date_gmt":"2021-06-10T13:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/infobric.com\/uk\/?p=3029"},"modified":"2025-11-04T08:33:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T08:33:14","slug":"solving-the-workforce-productivity-puzzle-in-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/infobric.com\/uk\/en\/blogs\/solving-the-workforce-productivity-puzzle-in-construction\/","title":{"rendered":"MSite \u2013 solving the workforce productivity puzzle in construction"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The productivity puzzle.\n\nIt\u2019s blighted the construction industry for a while now. As other industries (such as manufacturing) have more than doubled their productivity levels in recent decades, construction productivity has seen no such improvement. In fact, on average, major UK contractors only generate a net margin of 1.5%. And this lacklustre statistic certainly doesn\u2019t leave much room for error \u2013 or pandemics!\n\nSo it begs the question, why is construction lagging so far behind?<\/p>\n \"msite <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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6 reasons why construction productivity is low<\/h2>

Productivity is the Achilles heel of the industry and there are several reasons why:<\/p>

1. Labour can be transient and not always organised<\/h3>

Construction projects last for a relatively short amount of time, typically running for about 6-36 months. And during this timeframe, onsite labour is variable. This can make it very difficult for the contractor to align work with the right workers for the job and limits overall productivity.<\/p>

2. Workers are supplied by multiple companies<\/h3>

In an ideal world, the contractor would supply all of the workers. But in reality, this simply isn\u2019t feasible. The main contractor will usually only provide 10% of the labour force, with the rest being drawn from multi-layered supply chains across different companies. These companies often have their own ways of working. And if everyone isn\u2019t on the same page, productivity can suffer.<\/p>

3. Day-to-day performance is often ineffectively managed<\/h3>

Performance management is virtually non-existent in the construction industry. Due to short project timeframes and ever-changing priorities, contractors rarely find the time to monitor the progress of work being completed \u2013 both at an individual and site level. What\u2019s more, it can be difficult to roll out company standards and protocols across a complex labour supply chain.<\/p>

4. Excellent labourers are scarce<\/h3>

With tight deadlines to meet, contractors are constantly worried about losing their sub-contractor workers to another project. This can make them reluctant to impose so-called \u2018onerous\u2019 rules and processes on workers. Which in turn, can affect productivity.<\/p>

5. Training isn\u2019t standardised<\/h3>

Certification standards are in place for certain trades. But this doesn\u2019t necessarily translate to standardised labour skills. Training isn\u2019t industry-standardised. And as such, different sub-contractors may approach work in different ways \u2013 with varying levels of productivity.<\/p>

6. Communication with workers is poor<\/h3>

Contractors very rarely speak directly with their workforce. Nine times out of ten, communication will be paper-based and either third- or fourth-hand. It lacks any kind of direct-to-worker interaction. And there is no way to confirm whether important information has been received and fully understood.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Digitalisation \u2013 the key to improving workforce productivity<\/h2>

So, how can things be improved?<\/p>

In our opinion, the solution to the \u2018productivity puzzle\u2019 is simple.<\/p>

Project after project, construction companies continue to use the same old-fashioned methods of\u00a0workforce management\u00a0\u2013 in the hope that it may, this time, generate different results. And by doing so, they are their own worst enemy. Fundamentally, these methods need to change \u2013 and to improve workforce productivity once and for all, we believe that digitalisation is the key.<\/p>

A digital\u00a0workforce management system\u00a0\u2013 such as\u00a0MSite<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 can help to remove (or at the very least, lessen) some of the productivity \u2018inhibitors\u2019 outlined above. By creating a digital eco-system in which the contractor, worker and supply chain can work together in concert, such a system can be used to:<\/p>