Building in Rosyconstructionland
In Rosyconstructionland, everything goes right from preplanning to project completion.
All material deliveries are made on time and undamaged.
All equipment and tools remain in excellent condition.
The weather is always outstanding.
Change orders are unheard of.
No one is ever injured.
All invoices are promptly paid, and cash flow is always positive.
All the trades are considerate of one another and aid each other in every way possible.
Every employee arrives at work on time, is fully engaged, and has no professional or personal issues.
Building in Realconstructionland
In Realconstructionland, things go wrong. In Realconstructionland, dealing with problems is part and parcel of owning a construction business. Construction contractors get from preplanning to project completion by finding ways to deal with the unexpected, being flexible, and taking charge of the circumstances.
Many problems that arise during a construction project are easy to ascertain. Materials, equipment, weather, change orders, injuries, and financial dealings are plainly seen. But some problems turn out to be more elusive. They have to do with the last thing on the list found in Rosyconstructionland: Every employee arrives at work on time, is fully engaged, and has no professional or personal issues.
Building Frontline Support
Whether or not your employees arrive at work on time, they may not be fully engaged if they have professional or personal issues overwhelming them. At any given time, one or more of your employees may be dealing with things like:
Work-related issues
Conflicting demands on their time
Marriage or family problems
Substance abuse
Grief
Financial struggles
Finding ways to improve your employees’ well-being can take many different paths. Insurance, safety meetings, salary increases, training classes, awards, planned recognition, and impromptu celebrations are all valid methods. But there still may be a missing factor. And that is where building the invisible (so you can build the visible) comes into play.
Building the Invisible
Caring about your employees on a deep enough level to want to aid them in their personal and professional lives takes commitment, stamina, and investment.
Before explaining ways to invest, I’ll mention this – as with all things in business, an investment must have an ROI. It’s not a complicated equation – happier and more satisfied team members = a stronger team. Improving the team’s morale builds a strong foundation for camaraderie, mutual encouragement, expanded skills and knowledge, increased productivity, and company loyalty. Its final version looks like this: satisfied employees do much to generate happy customers.
Now that you’re looking at investing in your employees, there are two ways to do it.
Invest your time. Find out how things are going in their lives, try to discern whether they have health issues, family challenges, or some other difficulty.
Invest your money. Put someone on your payroll or outsource the tasks associated with tending to employees’ well-being.
Building the Trust
While researching this article, I found two different titles for the type of position that came close to fitting the bill. They are:
Staff Development Coordinator
Employee Experience Administrator
However, researching each of these titles and their job descriptions, I found something was lacking.
The goal is to build trust. The idea is to give your employees someone to talk to. Someone who will meet them where they are the most comfortable, including on the job site. Someone who will show support during difficult times, be encouraging, and provide confidentiality.
Then I found this title: Chaplain.
Upon further research, I discovered that while quite a few construction companies either have a Chaplain on staff or use an outsourced Chaplain service, there didn’t seem to be any that had either a Staff Development Coordinator or an Employee Experience Administrator. It made sense. Why try reinventing the wheel when there is already a title and a job description that truly fits the bill?
Following the example of the military, law enforcement organizations, sports teams, universities, hospitals, and other business leaders, construction business owners can use a Chaplain to provide support for their most valuable asset: their employees.
Sources for Building the Invisible
Here are links to two websites you can peruse to learn more about the capabilities of Chaplains.
You’ll find further insight on the Marketplace Chaplains website, which lists what their Chaplains will NOT do.
Interfere with the employee work process
Force a conversation or relationship with employees
Judge lifestyle or personal conduct
Report to management regarding employee work habits
Break confidentiality of discussions with employees
Promote a particular religious group or church, preach or proselytize
Accept gifts or gratuities from employees for any service provided
Providing your employees with a Chaplain is an excellent way to show your support for them. It is another way to show them you’re willing to invest in their well-being. Through building the invisible, you’ll be better equipped to build the visible.
Ambitious Construction Contractors look to The Profit Constructors to provide advocacy in dealing with:
Clients and customers
Employees and subcontractors
Vendors and service providers
Governmental entities
Working with The Profit Constructors gives Construction Contractors the means to organize their operations in ways that help them:
Remain informed
Avoid hassles
Reduce risks
Be future-ready
Ready for action? Or want to know more? Get in touch today to schedule a complimentary discovery call. 866-629-7735
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