Successful construction projects require constant communication and collaboration. Completing projects on time, to spec and within budget requires sharing project updates with on-site crews, liaising with suppliers, consulting with clients and making collaborative decisions swiftly.
Costly and outdated communications systems that don't keep everyone connected can slow down operations and put the project way behind schedule. It's therefore not surprising that 25% of respondents said "better communication" when asked about impactful construction industry technology trends in this 2021 survey, compared to “more automation of field tasks” at 16%.
Use cases for communication in construction industry
While each company will have its own specific communication requirements, there are some common use cases for effective communication in the construction industry:
Project Coordination
Coordinating construction projects has always been a juggling act, as staff, clients and contractors may be operating out of different locations. It is important for employees, wherever they are, to be able to contact clients and suppliers, to share project updates and important information in order to make decisions to keep the project on schedule and to mitigate risks and costs.
Remote and hybrid work
Like many industries, the pandemic prompted an increase in the number of construction companies allowing remote or hybrid working arrangements—one survey found 80% of survey respondents said that they were just as productive or more productive when working remotely.
Technology, particularly around communication in construction, was seen as a "very or critically important" element by 95% of respondents.
Efficient Change Management
Storing project documents across multiple tools (such as email, cloud storage and messaging) can reduce efficiency by 20%-40%.
Using collaboration tools that allow each project to have one source where all your project documents, a single source of the truth, are stored can help to ensure that even when plans change quickly, everyone is following the same instructions. This limits having to redo work, which is one of the main drivers of unnecessary costs and headaches in the industry.
FAQs for communication in construction industry
How can technology improve communication in construction?
A cohesive suite of tools is critical to enabling effective communication in the construction industry. This is where unified communications (UC) technology can help.
UC includes communication tools and services that streamline conversation, collaboration and productivity across multiple devices, platforms and applications. Integrating these tools can help construction teams collaborate faster and more efficiently.
What are common channels of communication in construction?
UC integrates a broad range of communication methods, such as voice calling, messaging, audio, web and videoconferencing, and more. Connecting is also seamless, which matters because teams can be more effective and efficient when they can quickly join a meeting and collaborate. It shouldn't matter whether they're joining a video call from the site, the office or home.
Verizon One Talk is a mobile first business communications solution that allows your phone numbers to ring on up to 8 devices including compatible desk phones, mobile phones, tablets and personal computers. This means more opportunities for your employees to connect and never miss a call.
What tools enable effective communication in construction?
UC allows users to move across different devices and locations with ease. Whether on the construction site, at the office or at home, they'll have access to the same communication tools and information as their colleagues, as long as they have an internet connection.
Ultimately, this means the workforce will have access to a single, up-to-date view of a project—or single source of truth—saving time and money by avoiding crossed wires or people working off the wrong information. Processes and workflows are therefore streamlined, allowing effective communication in the construction industry.
As KPMG notes in its 2021 Global Construction survey, "If all parties can access the same platforms and software, then it will be easier and faster to move through the various stages of conceptualization, design, implementation and even operationalization."
The end result is an organization that's better placed to manage the project and troubleshoot problems as they arise, which can improve staff productivity, speed up project timelines and improve the bottom line.
Investing in the future of communication in construction industry
Over three-quarters of construction industry respondents told KPMG that adoption of technology was important in their organization's success or failure in dealing with disruptive events. A separate survey found 91% of respondents had seen colleagues who previously hadn't used technology begin to embrace it over the past year.
These surveys mention a broad range of ConTech, or construction- specific technology, from smart glasses to laser scanners to 360-degree cameras. Yet it's communication and collaboration tools that are regularly cited as critical to success.
By using unified communications technology, you can make the most of an integrated set of impactful tools for communication in construction. By partnering with an experienced provider, you can prepare your business for the future by having the best communication tools today.
Learn more about how Verizon can help foster effective communication in the construction industry by helping teams interact easily, coordinate tasks and share information at any time, no matter where they're working.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.