Author: Laura Black
Today, we wrap up our blog series on people, process, and technology. Last week, we spent a lot of time looking at the importance of technology in today’s construction market. Now, let’s look to the future and examine what is truly coming in the coming years, as it relates to technology in the construction industry. When it comes to new, emerging technologies, there is perhaps no bigger elephant in the room than generative AI (artificial intelligence). But truth be told, there is both optimism and trepidation when it comes to generative AI in business. AI in Small Businesses Generally speaking,…
If you have been following along here this summer, then you know we are in the middle of a blog series, focusing on people, process, and technology. Today, we are going to begin our exploration of technology in construction, but first let’s review the other pillars briefly. People: We have already explored the people leg of the stool: the value of people, the worker of tomorrow, and why and how to put people to work. Process: Last week, we unpacked the process leg of the stool, identifying why we need good processes and how to implement good processes. Naturally, while…
This summer, we are embarking on a blog series, where we are looking at the importance of people, process, and technology. We can’t have one without the other. If one of the legs of the three-legged stool crashes, the whole thing will come tumbling down. We have already explored the people leg of the stool: the value of people, the worker of tomorrow, and why and how to put people to work. For today’s blog, let’s turn our attention to the process. Why Do We Need Good Processes? Process is the glue that holds everything together. As we are implementing…
People are the key to any successful construction project. We must ensure we train and retain them, in order to maximize efficiency on projects. But we also must continually reevaluate their roles on the projects as well. Sometimes work changes and the job demands different skillsets. For today’s blog, let’s wrap up the “people” portion of our people, process, and technology series by looking at the importance of reskilling, upskilling, and new skilling. All about Reskilling Reskilling is simply learning a new skill or set of skills so that a worker can do a new or different job. Or it…
Earlier this month, we began a journey to understand the importance and value of people in construction and the topic of putting people to work in the construction industry. We know people are central to successful construction projects. Last week, we looked at three steps to success with our workforce: train, retain, and evaluate, as needed. We very briefly touched on the fact that one of the key components to worker retention is mentorship. Let’s explore that in greater depth today. Why Mentorship? At its core, mentorship is the guidance provided by a mentor—someone who has experience in a particular…
In June, we started a new blog series looking at the importance and value of people in construction and looking to better understand who this worker of tomorrow is. Today, let’s explore the topic of putting people to work in the construction industry—and how technology ultimately fits into this equation as well. For the sake of this blog, we are going to assume we have the workers to get the job done. We have a team of people in front of us—some with construction experience and some with none—and we have a project that needs to get built. How do…
Last week we started a new blog series looking at the importance and value of people in construction. Hopefully, this set the stage and made the case that people are still one of the most important assets on the construction jobsite. Today, let’s better understand who the worker of tomorrow is. This is a topic we explored in our recent report Who Is the Worker of Tomorrow. Also, this is a topic Peggy Smedley is exploring over on her new Substack account. For this blog, let’s start with the basics. Baby Boomers are known for their work ethic and loyalty…
Welcome to summer! While some business professionals are slowing down, construction is often ramping up. This is the perfect time to think about how to work more efficiently and that will require thinking about people, process, and technology. So, to kick off a new blog series, let’s consider the value of the people in our workforce. In many construction organizations, people are in fact one of the most critical components on the jobsite—and as we know in many industries they are in short supply. Such is the case in construction where we know the industry will need to attract an…
Today’s homebuyer wants a home that is modern, stylish, sustainable, and affordable. But are some of these needs and wants at odds with each other? Can builders construct homes that have expert craftsmanship while also being affordable? The answer is certainly yes, but to achieve those objectives, builders must consider how they are building these homes. One way to achieve this is through a manufactured home. Here homes are often constructed in an off-site location, which means the builder can achieve greater efficiencies in production, which ultimately means cost savings for the homeowner. We see this occurring in the new…
If we want to solve the labor crisis, we must consider each person’s unique set of needs. Let’s consider the example of women in construction. Too often, this group of people still face a lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) and other hurdles. In fact, a new report suggests there are several critical challenges that women still face today—in 2024—in the construction industry. In the 2024 She Builds Nation report, Lumber gained insights from more than 100 women construction owners, executives, and decision makers. Let’s unpack what this report uncovered. The Challenges Let’s start with that PPE, which is still…