It's no secret that technology is taking over our daily lives. These days in construction, if you are not using the latest technology, you might be getting left behind. Technology grows exponentially. Computer processing speed doubles every 12 to 18 months, and technology will be 32 times more advanced in five years than it is today.
This means companies that aren't looking ahead to the newest innovations are already behind the competition, before they even get started. Companies that will be ahead of the technological curve in 2020 are already using technology as a recruiting tool to get the right employees.
Younger generations entering the workforce use computers, smartphones and tablets in their personal lives, and they will expect to use them in their careers. If your company isn't technologically advanced, you might not get the best employees.
Tech-savvy companies are also more efficient in bidding and winning jobs. Estimating software designed specifically for the construction industry automates much of the bidding process, allowing you to win more work in less time.
Those who utilize technology will make more money on those jobs, as well. Project managers who use job management software can analyze production and costs on a daily basis and adjust as needed, rather than waiting until the end of the month or after the project has ended for accounting to tell them they lost money. Innovations such as digitally-submitted time cards eliminate the need for employees to fill out paper time cards in the field and deliver them to the office, rendering double entry in the accounting department unnecessary.
New equipment management software keeps track of preventative maintenance schedules to notify shop managers and foremen when a piece of equipment is due for service. Dispatching and GPS software can let you know where your equipment is at all times and what is available to use.
Mobile applications on smartphones and tablets are becoming the fastest-growing trend in the construction industry. More and more companies are adopting the handheld, wireless systems to conduct, report and track their work at the jobsite. Applications' ease of use, intuitive design and minimal training make for easy integration in the field. Foremen can send production information to the office without ever leaving the jobsite.
Perhaps the most important aspect of the industry's future is safety, and it is safety where technology could have its largest impact. More and more owners and clients require construction companies to have measurable safety guidelines in place just to bid on projects. There are growing numbers of federal and state rules and regulations surrounding safety. Additionally, a contractor may often have jobs spread across a large area with only one safety manager pegged to monitor all those jobsites, making safety is harder to track and manage.
Instead, put all that safety data online. A technology-enabled safety program tracks incidents and near misses, captures safety meetings and toolbox talks, provides inspection templates and manages skills and certification data. These programs give companies an advantage over the competition, both in winning jobs and in hiring competent employees. Not to mention the fact that it helps keep your employees safe, saving you from costly insurance hikes and lawsuits.
How does your company's technology plan stack up to the competition? Technology is not a passing fad, and someone is going to use it to get the best employees and jobs in your market. Will that someone be you?
