Whether you’re experienced in running a team or not, there are lots of things you can learn about how to do so. It’s important to not get stuck in your ways as people discover better and more beneficial ways to lead a team for both you and your workers. There are lots of reasons for you to be more conscious of the way in which you manage your team, especially in the construction industry. This is notoriously challenging and it’s easy to fall into a management style that is counter-productive and actually harmful to your team’s efficiency and morale. We’ve listed some of the most important considerations for handling your workforce, and potentially improving the quality of their work.
Be A Leader, Not A Boss
There’s a fine line between authoritative and authoritarian team management. Becoming a dictator in the workplace is only going to turn your team against you. You might think “so what? I pay them and they do the job,” and you may be right to a degree. However, if you’re looking to improve your team and help them to deliver their absolute best work possible, you’re going to want to take a step back and acknowledge the human element. There’s a lot to be said for being a leader in the construction industry as opposed to a boss. Acting like a tyrant isn’t going to strengthen bonds or win hearts and minds. Instead, ensure that you’re sculpting your team into a unified and free-thinking unit, where nobody is fearful of voicing their opinions. You may find that they even teach you a thing or two. Ultimately, swallow your ego and you’ll find much less confrontation and an increased efficiency of your team.
Utilise Your Authority For Conflict Resolution
While it is important to be understanding and to lead by example, sometimes there is no avoiding conflict within the workplace. Your team may be full of hot-headed youngsters, or veterans set in the ways. Whatever the reason, it’s important that you show that you have the final say in matters. To balance this however, it’s important to let both sides have their say and then you need to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. Not only can conflict on a construction site slow down work, but it can also create unexpected risks to the health and safety of your staff. Try to find some common ground between both parties so that everyone can get their heads back in the game and avoid any frustration-led accidents.
Equip Your Team Properly
Considering health and safety, you should always ensure you’re complying with workplace regulations, especially when it comes to protective gear. There are an incredible number of hazards in many workplaces, but on building sites, a simple mistake can mean the difference between life and death. While not every mistake can lead to a tragedy like this, there are countless injuries that can be negated by quality workwear like that from Snickers Direct. An injury not only sets your work back as paperwork and safety checks need to be undertaken, but you may also risk losing a member of your team for a length of time, increasing the strain on the rest of your workers. As well as this, the health and happiness of your workers is your responsibility so you should be ensuring they’re as safe as possible, no matter what.
Lay Out Your Expectations And Delegate Tasks
Making your team aware of what you expect from them from their first day on-site is essential in avoiding any confusion. If you’re annoyed at the lack of progress on a project due to your team directing their focus to other areas or just general taking it easy but didn’t actually tell them where you expect the project in a particular timeframe, then that’s your own fault. Similarly, if your team breaks any rules but you failed to ensure they were well aware of those rules and regulations before they started working on-site, then again, the blame lies with you as the site manager.
Reward Hard Work
Keeping spirits high is another very important way of managing your team. Of course, the main reason everyone is working is to get paid so that they can pay their bills and generally live comfortably. However, this tends to mean that most people will just do their job well enough to get by when there is no other incentives. If you’ve set a particular workload for your team, and if you don’t plan to reward them for working even harder, they will do exactly as is required from them and nothing more. Instead, consider offering gifts and bonuses to hard-workers, and even overtime to incentivise and motivate your crew to provide better quality work. It’s important that you don’t reward the speed of which people complete particular jobs though as you risk causing your team to rush and make mistakes.
