Leaders within the construction industry understand the value and importance of integrating state-of-the-art technology into their company in order to stay ahead of the competition, meet strict deadlines, exceed client expectations and more—all of which ultimately create a more profitable and productive business. 

However, due to the pandemic, business leaders have had to quickly adapt to a changing landscape in order to continue to thrive within the industry. Now more than ever, it is important to not only have successful structures in place to ensure flexibility and collaboration within a strong remote work environment but to also be on top of the technology curve. This balance between new tech and remote work is paramount to excelling in this changing environment. 

Focusing on Remote Work

As many companies have shifted to focus on remote work where possible, it has revealed that many businesses within this industry were ill-prepared to set their employees up for success in this new virtual setting. For Canyon State Electric, the internal structure was previously heavily reliant on the connection to the office. In order for the team to work remotely and be successful, the leaders needed to break that dependence and create a better system. The first service to deploy was a VPN service for all users to connect and experience the same environment when out of the office. 

For communications, the company rolled out an enterprise-level Zoom account. Now teams can use Zoom to communicate and have virtual meetings that go far beyond a regular conference call, ensuring better communication, collaboration and participation between all team members. The overall goal is to simplify how employees collaborate remotely. By providing an ease of connection, a communication platform and the necessary equipment in remote offices, business leaders can boost productivity and help to ensure the overall success of the business during these turbulent and ever-changing times. 

Along with providing employees with the necessary structure, technology and systems in order to successfully work remotely, business leaders also need to be able to continue a strong company culture remotely. Now more than ever before, employees need to feel appreciated, valued and a part of the team during these difficult times. Due to this, these remote systems in place need to be utilized for dual purposes. One is to increase productivity virtually but the other is to maintain a strong company culture remotely. This can be done by adapting regular culture and professional development opportunities to work online, such as personal training, virtual yoga, professional training webinars and more. 

Continuing to implement a strong company culture during remote work will help boost employee morale and promote productivity throughout the workforce. This is instrumental in maintaining a strong team and overall a successful business during this time. 

Implementing Drones for Perspective and Safety

On the jobsite, innovative technology is also key to boosting productivity and increasing profits. One of these essential technologies includes drones. This tech gives workers a unique perspective of a jobsite and enables them to safely and efficiently survey sites, document progress and conduct inspections, as well as create promotional photography for the business which can be utilized for marketing purposes. Drones are able to take detailed, quality photos and videos that would not be possible to create with a photographer walking around a site. These visuals can also help workers to recognize potential hazards and address them before they become a problem. Altogether, integrating drones on the jobsite will boost efficiencies and help teams meet their goals and deadlines. 

Boosting Efficiency with Robotics

Another tech taking the lead in the construction industry is robotics, including robotic total stations. This revolutionary tool enables teams to quickly and accurately survey a site remotely and with only one operator. By freeing up additional team members from this task, employees are able to put their focus on additional assignments which significantly speeds up the timeline of the project. Implementing these tools into the business increases a team’s overall productivity, as well as brings down overall costs and resources used for a construction project. 

In construction’s changing landscape, it’s critical for leaders to acknowledge and implement strategies and technologies that will ensure the overall productivity and efficiency of their employees. These leaders must strike an equal balance between focusing on onsite technology and the technology and processes that need to be in place in order to effectively work remotely. Leaders who can find the balance that works best for their company and team members will be able to create a more profitable business, as well as help to guarantee the success of their company down the road.