Workforce

Find the Correlation Between Company Culture and Profitability

Most construction companies are pretty average, but average is not a retention strategy. Creating a great culture might be the best profit strategy.
By Wally Adamchik
June 1, 2019
Topics
Workforce

A recent survey asked several hundred construction professionals about leadership and culture in their firm. Researchers didn’t ask: “Are you having trouble finding people?” They asked: “Are you happy at work? Do you feel trusted?”

In some ways, construction is just like any other industry. There are precious few exemplary companies, too many abysmal ones and, sadly, most are pretty average. But, average is not a retention strategy. Creating a great culture might be the best profit strategy. There is a direct correlation between a great workplace culture and increased profitability.

All contractors say people are their most important asset, but talk is cheap—and even cheaper when it comes to safety. It is encouraging that 90% of all respondents reported safety as a top priority. The bad news is in safety execution; only 68% of field supervision could say they consistently work safely. That’s approximately one in three field supervisors admitting they don’t prioritize the safety of their employees. Things are slightly better in the office, with 78% reporting that they consistently work safely—but the gap between what is said and what is actually done is alarming.

This gap between field and office persists in other areas. Construction has always dealt with the field and office divide. This is the acknowledged challenge in geography and culture that creates distance and tension between project management in the office and field supervision on the jobsite. Research confirms the divide is now a chasm. The difference in perception between field supervisors and project managers is stark and provides a major opportunity for dialogue, collaboration and unity. Any effort to bridge the chasm is worth it.

In answering the question: “I am able to maintain a reasonable work-life balance,” only 50% of field leaders said yes, while 83% of office operations said yes. Only 62% of field leaders agreed that leaders live by the core values of the organization but 83% of office personnel agreed. Research confirms that having a close friend at work increases loyalty and commitment. The disparate response from field and office employees is alarming. While the causes of the chasm may be debatable, it is undeniable that it is detrimental to profitable execution.

The majority of attempts at change often fall short. On this question, the executives confessed to these failings at a level of 73%. If leadership is about change for better results, it is troubling—perhaps even depressing—that three-quarters of senior leadership (those who come up with the idea and whose job it is to spearhead the change) say their efforts fall short. This signifies a huge opportunity for those who can crack the code on implementing change. Here are the cliff notes: It takes longer than you think, and it requires a significant personal investment from leaders to sell the change. This “personal selling of change” is the fastest way to build trust, leverage relationships and troubleshoot potential problems.

All is not lost, as there are people who will step up. One-third of all respondents said they had more to give when asked if they were working at full capacity. They are not overworked; they are under-challenged, which leads to disengagement. This finding underscores the idea that, rather than blaming the employee for performance or discipline issues, perhaps the supervisor should be evaluated first.

There is no single solution to improve culture. The number one reason people stay in a job is a good relationship with their immediate supervisor. People don’t work for an industry; they work for a supervisor. What any business owner can do is look inside their own organization and ask these questions to see how they compare.

Efforts and actions that build trust are essential. Leaders living up to commitments and sincerely talking with employees builds trust. Helping people feel in-the-know about things and giving candid feedback builds loyalty. All of these actions must be consistent and sustained. Excellence isn’t a program; it is a way of life. Creating a great culture is an all-hands effort that starts with key leaders across all levels of the organization working together to execute a coherent human capital strategy.

by Wally Adamchik
Wally Adamchik, CSP, CMC, is the President of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting and is a recognized authority on leadership in construction. He is the author the 2019 People In Construction Report. For your own copy of the report email wally@beafirestarter.com.

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