Traditional work cultures and paradigms are shifting very rapidly. Both employers and workers recognize a transformation is underway. Roughly 65% of workers state the emergence of technology is having a profound impact on the workplace, as the paucity of workers continues to hamper industries across the globe, according to our soon-to-be-released worker survey. Today, let’s consider an example in the construction industry.
Olsson Roofing Co., has specialized in the maintenance, installation, and repair of commercial and industrial roofing systems and architectural sheet metal for more than 100 years. The company works on a variety of projects such as green roofing, re-roofing, and new construction.
Roughly a decade ago, the company recognized it needed to replace its outdated accounting system. Collaborating and sending and receiving data was a challenge and the company often relied on manual spreadsheets.
The objective was to find something that could expand with the business as it grew, support both production and service divisions, and accommodate the company’s changing needs. Ultimately, Olsson Roofing selected Explorer Software for the power, flexibility, and price.
Flash forward a decade later and much has changed in the market. There is a worker shortage, and the fundamentals of work have evolved in such a drastic way that companies have no choice but to leverage technology to be more efficient. For Olsson Roofing, it uses Explorer Eclipse and Shafers to manage all aspects of the business including reporting, service management, and project management.
As technology continues to evolve, we will see the rise of tools like AI (artificial intelligence), ML (machine learning), and many other technologies that will transform our work environment—whether that is in the office, at the jobsite, in a manufacturing plant, or working from home.
Construction companies need to recognize a strong workforce needs to evolve alongside technology. The two must work together in tandem to create the transformational change that is needed in today’s work environment—and to attract the workers that are so desperately needed to get the job done.
We surveyed construction workers and uncovered one of the top eight reasons construction workers stay in their current position is in fact technology. Technology drives change, decreases workloads, and makes the job easier and safer for many workers. It is no longer a nice-to-have tool in the construction industry; it is now a must-have tool.
The task is now at hand. Construction companies must step up, leverage technology, and collaborate in new and different ways if they want to shape the future of work. There are big opportunities that exist if construction companies want to tap into them.
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