How construction companies can ensure hybrid work success
Before the pandemic, only 52% of construction companies had ever allowed remote work for field teams, but now 92% support occasional or frequent remote work.
Hybrid work poses unique challenges for construction, such as the disconnect between remote and on-site employees and issues with connectivity across multiple sites and time zones. This blog discusses key considerations and modern workplace solutions for effectively supporting a hybrid workforce in the construction industry.
Keeping distributed teams connected
While front-line construction crews return to project sites, many supporting staff are still working from home following workplace policies to minimise on-site personnel. Estimators, schedulers, project managers and office administrators are amongst those with the potential to adapt to remote or hybrid schedules. Some may be required to occasionally check in on jobsites. But if already mixing field work with office work, where is the need to be back inside company headquarters?
Many of our customers are rolling out collaboration solutions such as Microsoft Teams and Teams Rooms Systems, to support and enhance remote connectivity and hybrid meetings. By providing all participants with a more equitable meeting experience - irrespective of location - our customers are able to keep everyone feeling engaged and included, while giving them the flexibility to be productive anywhere.
Support for rapid site deployment
When it comes to deploying new or temporary project sites, network connectivity is another key consideration - along with how quickly you can launch services and infrastructure. For example, how much bandwidth will you need? How many suppliers will you need to engage with to help plan and install your solution? In this instance, working with one fully managed service provider to help with all connectivity and infrastructure requirements could be the difference between delivering your project on time, or losing out to months of potential delays.
Safeguarding sensitive data
There's no denying that construction companies have been plagued by ransomware, thanks to an ever-expanding attack surface accelerated by the pandemic. It's therefore imperative that business leaders understand the increased cyber security risks associated with rising numbers of endpoints. And the importance of working with a security expert who can help you defend against these risks and develop a powerful security strategy that builds resiliency. It's also worth checking whether your chosen provider offers the expertise of a dedicated Security Operations Centre (SOC). With this additional support, you'll be better placed to protect your distributed sites from complex attacks - whether on-premises or in the cloud.
Technology that drives business value
Hybrid work is here to stay for construction, even though it is typically thought of as an in-person industry. With this continued shift, there are a multitude of benefits for employers beyond simply happier workers. No longer tied to costly headquarter offices, construction companies can instead invest in technology that makes remote work easier, reduces carbon footprint, and boosts efficiency. Like many organisations, we at Claranet have seen the benefits that hybrid work has brought to our employees and our customers. We've also experienced how empowering employees with best-of-breed technology provides flexibility, safety, and a connected workforce for your company and distributed stakeholders.
But perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing construction companies right now is how they transition to this new way of working, as they map out plans for a future of hybrid work. That's where we come in. If hybrid work is a focus for your organisation, or you want to learn more about how Claranet can help you transform your construction business to a modern workplace, speak to a workplace expert.