This article will explore what is and how to improve construction time management. If you don't handle construction time management well, it can end your business prematurely. But, on the other hand, when you do it right and effectively manage your construction time, clients get happy. And not only your clients but whoever balances your yearly budget.
Time management is essential for any construction project because you have a legally binding contract and get penalties when you blow your deadlines. So let's dive deeper into why time management is essential, some of the problems we usually face, what not to do, and how good HR Software can help.
What is Construction Time Management, And Why Is It Essential?
The simple two answers to the question of what time construction management is and why it is essential are reputation and money. When you complete a project on time and under budget, you gain particular prominence in the business world. That reputation is worth more than anything as it will get you more and more future business. Here, word of mouth is king.
The person who is the most responsible for your construction time management is the project manager. That person assigns what their colleagues will do and what time frame they have. However, the project manager must also keep an eye on attendance. Because most people who work in construction get money by the time they are on site. So it would be best if you had good time tracking software that is both flexible, versatile, and easy to use.
Without someone to supervise, things usually take longer, especially if it is a more significant project. This is because you have more people on-site, and with a big project that breeds chaos. That is why it is essential to be on top of things. When you keep a daily or a weekly goal in mind, it is clearer to know if you are falling behind schedule. This is also essential for your client to understand and be aware of, especially if you go off budget.
Problems in construction time management
Problems in construction time management are varied; even if you hire the best project manager, you are not immune to them. One of the biggest problems will occur because of poor communication. Early on in the project, you have to talk with everyone involved and set a clear picture of your goals and how things need to occur. If you fail in this first step, people usually make mistakes and then have to redo all their delaying your milestone date.
Another massive mistake in construction time management is an overestimation of your work. It is good to be optimistic about deadlines, but you have to be realistic. There is a delicate balance there; if you fail, you will see massive delays. Just take a look at how long it took your crew to do a previous similar job and be conservative in your estimate. It may cost some contracts, but it will work wonders for your reputation.
Problems also occur when people don't know what project they need to prioritize. Some things are more important than others; they are not all equally important. That also means that some tools at your disposal might be used and are unavailable for others. You need excellent asset management to know who uses what and when.
The Dos and Don'ts for Project Managers
- Delegate your workload to the right people. Don't just pile everything on one person.
- Write down all your tasks and activities. Don't just have them "all in your head," write them down and know what you need to do when.
- Clamp down on unnecessary chatter. Sure, you would like to be personable and have everyone like you, but there is a schedule your projects depend on finishing.
- Keep your meetings brief and to the point. Don't just keep chattering on. Again it is ok if you want to be personable, but there is time for that. That time is after the shift.
- When the project is falling behind or if you are having trouble, ask for help. Don't just strategize on your own if you need help. Even the most experienced project managers ask for help sometimes.
- Plan the whole thing out and be generous with time allotment for each goal. Don't be overly optimistic, even if you know your crew well. You never know what kind of problems you might run into, and it is good to have some breathing room.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we see how important it is to have good software and planning and how vital hr's role is in the construction industry. You will handle construction time management better if you follow everything mentioned here. Project managers should learn some of these techniques and learn how to play well with other colleagues. Remember, it takes a whole team to do things right, not just one person.
For a related topic check out our the difference between soft vs hard HR!