You need a team you can depend on to get the job done safely, on time, within budget, and without mistakes. Companies with teams that work smoothly together are successful and earn good industry reputations. So how do you get this kind of crew?
Of course it’s important that your workers can handle all the technical and physical tasks of the job – and know how to do the job safely, but if you want to create a professional, efficient team, your employees need more than just technical know-how.
Traits your workers should have are:
Good Communication Skills
God communication traits are the key to teamwork. It’s critical that your entire company, from supervisors down to the new person, are able to clearly share information and get their point across respectfully. Everyone needs to be able to talk to and share information with each other to prevent oversights that result in mistakes, serious damages or injury. They need to have the ability to ask questions if they aren’t sure, for help or training when they need it, or to show another worker a better or safer way of doing a task.
Plus, your crew represents your company while they’re on the job. They need to be able to clearly give updates to property owners, other teams or management on the site if you or your supervisors aren’t at the site. Communication skills lead to the other necessary traits of a close-knit crew. Trust
Good communication skills lead to trust. If your crew doesn’t trust each other or their supervisors, they cannot work as a team. Crew members don’t have to like each other, but they have to trust that the other person “has my back” in work and safety issues. Workers who can cooperate and are on the same page, and feel “we’re all in this together” will feel the bond of a team and they are more productive. When one worker disagrees with another, they are more likely to listen to and respect the opposing viewpoint, whether they agree or not, instead of personally attacking the other person. Once a decision is made, team members work together towards common goals.
Workers who trust are comfortable sharing suggestions and concerns. They’re more likely to:
· Actively participate in safety training site inspections and hazard identifications. · Ask questions, request training or guidance when they aren’t sure how to do a job safely. · If they see a hazard, they correct it if it safe to do so, or bring it to the attention of their supervisor. · Set aside their individual egos, jealousy and agendas so they don’t look like the “difficult weak link” or “odd one out.”
Direction
Good communication skills help give direction, which is the purpose for teamwork. When everyone is aware of the bigger picture , and focused on meeting the same goals, they reach out to each other on how to make the goal a success. Providing clear and complete direction for your team gives positive motivation, helps your workers fully understand goals and expectations, and gives them the information needed to make good work decisions. Crews with poor or little direction are left to guess at what needs to be done. They may miss tasks, and end up with the job not done correctly, or not to specifications. A lot of time is wasted while they figure out what to do, so productivity – and profit – decline. Leadership
Once your crew are communicating, trust each other and have direction and common goals, it can lead to confidence and leadership. Leadership confidence within the team helps every team member, so no matter their position or title, everyone can lead in a given situation. It is healthy respect among the crew to give way to the member with the greater knowledge, experience, or commitment to various tasks.
Crews with leadership skills:
· Offer suggestions to make a job easier or safer. · Take time to show or teach co-workers how to do certain tasks or show the correct way if they see unsafe behaviors. · Maintain good housekeeping on the construction site, even if it isn’t their mess. · They aren’t afraid to call for a stop work, if it is necessary. Work to make these traits part of your company. Good teams are built with valuable communication skills, by sharing information, and building trust. When individual workers make the commitment to each other to be a team, injuries are reduced, and productivity and quality are improved. Construction teamwork builds safety into every job to achieve successful projects.