Creating High-Performing Teams in Construction
Jerry Aliberti • March 11, 2024
Create a high-performance construction team to attract high performers.
I get it, you don’t have the time to keep looking for new management and you’re tired of spending $35K on recruiter fees only to find out you hired someone who isn’t long-term and doesn’t fit in. Finding, retaining, and creating the ultimate high-performing teams and employees in construction is a challenge for almost all businesses that want to scale and be the best or even just get by!
Construction is a very fast-paced career and lifestyle. Many decisions need to be made daily. Having the proper mindset, resources, and teammates is critical for the survival of any construction company and any project’s success. Building and supporting high-performance teams will create repeatable project success and create a work environment and culture everyone will thrive. This will reduce turnover and attract new talent.
With today’s tight labor market, a lot of employers are looking to promote employees who may not necessarily have the skills yet to be promoted to Super, PM, or Project Executive. With the influx of heavy civil infrastructure government spending coming into the economy, it’s more important now than ever to get your teams developed and trained so they have the skills to succeed. Ask yourself, how can you do more with less?
In addition, many companies are looking to diversify their portfolios into infrastructure. This will require a different set of skills and strategies. Having a clear roadmap and set of goals will be critical to getting your teams organized so they can navigate the new rules and restrictions that need to be followed.
Having the experience and being a seasoned professional is without a doubt critical to completing projects on time, safely, and within budget. However, I know many professionals who can build anything but CAN’T manage people and lack the many skills that are required to be a great leader. Although these seasoned professionals are great at building just about anything and are a must-have to complete a project successfully, they aren’t great at managing people and building high-performing teams.
We always have the option to hire great talent which has its own strategy. However, I always encourage employers to promote within. Employees who have been a part of the company for some time already know the process of completing certain tasks with the current systems in place. These employees are familiar with the company values and know everyone well enough to navigate the changes necessary to reach the next level in their careers.
Whether you want to create high-performing employees with your existing staff or want a better strategy for new employees, below are some tips and strategies for getting started in creating High-Performing Teams in Construction.
First, assess your existing teams.
This review may involve evaluating individual skills, team alignment, communication processes, leadership styles, and overall team dynamics. This review helps identify areas for improvement and sets a baseline for measuring progress.
Next step is to define very clear responsibilities for each role within your company.
This ensures that everyone understands their specific contributions and reduces doubt and potential conflicts. Well-defined roles improve efficiency, accountability, and overall team consistency.
Next, introduce strategies and tools to improve communication channels.
Establish regular team meetings and promote open discussion. Develop team-building activities, workshops, or training sessions to strengthen collaboration and trust among team members.
Then create performance metrics.
I’m a big fan of incentives and this can drastically increase your team’s motivation. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the company’s goals and track team progress. Regular monitoring and feedback sessions assist teams to identify areas for improvement and celebrate successes.
Lastly, identify skill gaps within teams and design training programs designed to address those gaps.
This may involve technical skills training, leadership development, conflict resolution, or other topics typical to your specialty. Training programs improve individual capabilities and empower teams to perform at their best.
Now I know what everyone is saying, Jerry are you crazy we have no time for all this in construction. Whenever I speak with someone who completed a successful project, they always say they had a great team AND they worked with most of them on a previous project and had flow. Understanding everyone’s strengths, and skills and being able to collaborate and communicate is imperative to project success. In addition, employees want structure and clarity and employee retention in construction is critical to building a sustainable construction company.
The above are ways you can start today to creating High-Performing teams in construction and promote employee retention for your construction company. However, quick change isn’t always easy for companies. This requires complete collaboration. I always say, “A goal means nothing without total buy-in from all that are involved” This process needs to be carefully thought out and implemented. As a result, you’ll have a positive work culture where everyone can depend on each other. This will contribute to higher team morale and productivity.
Check out the Pro-Accels Construction Hiring and Employee Retention
page and see how we can help you develop your A-Team.
The Challenge One of the most overlooked problems in construction is confusion over who is actually in charge of the project. In smaller companies and on smaller projects, it often falls on the superintendent. They have the field experience, are respected by the crews, and drive the work forward, while the project manager plays a more supporting role. That structure works when the projects are small, but as the company grows and the projects become larger, the cracks start to show. Clients expect the project manager to lead. They want answers on budgets, schedules, and commitments. The word “manager” in the title makes them assume that the person has the authority, and in my years of experience, they should. Meanwhile, the superintendent’s value is in driving the day-to-day in the field and keeping production moving. When the lines between the two are not redefined as a company grows, tension builds. Superintendents who have always “run the job” struggle to let go. Project managers who have always supported now need to step into leadership. The lack of clarity creates a tug of war inside the company.
Welcome to the first edition of The Growth Accelerator. This newsletter is designed for construction owners who are serious about scaling their operations without compromising profit or control. After 22-plus years in the industry, managing hundreds of millions of dollars in projects in the field and leading estimating teams responsible for more than $12 billion in projects, I have seen the patterns that make or break contractors. Each week, I will share insights from the field and boardroom to help you run a stronger, more profitable business. So let’s dive into the first issue topic! I figured I would start with the topic of one of my most viewed LinkedIn posts, which received over 225,000 impressions!
Struggling with large-scale construction budgeting? I can help contractors and developers plan, manage, and optimize budgets for complex projects. Read on...
