It’s a fact well-known that construction projects are extremely complex, and it takes a lot of people working together to get them done. A typical construction project could typically have hundreds of people working across their offices, construction, and remote sites involving full-time employees, and part-time employees. and sub-contractors.
There are a lot of ways for things to potentially go wrong on a construction project, and communication between different teams is one of the most important factors in preventing potential problems from happening. In this context, seamless onsite and office team collaboration and communication are critical to construction business profitability.
Onsite vs office construction teams
Onsite construction teams are responsible for the day-to-day operations of a construction project. They typically work on site from start to finish, overseeing all aspects of the project.
Back office construction teams, on the other hand, provide support services to onsite teams. They may be responsible for tasks such as project planning, scheduling, and budgeting. Back office construction teams typically work off-site, in an office setting.
While onsite and back office construction teams play different roles, both are essential to the success of a construction project. Onsite teams rely on back office teams for support, and back office teams rely on onsite teams to execute the project.
How can I orchestrate better project synchronisation across teams?
If you want to sync your onsite and office teams to avoid inefficiency and maximise profit, here are some best practices:
- The first step is to be clear about the different functions between an onsite team and an office team. Which teams will be responsible for what outcomes? How will job site progress be tracked? How will issues or requests be raised?
- The second step is to create a plan for how you will sync your onsite and office teams. This could be as simple as making sure everyone knows who their counterparts are in the other location, or it could involve setting up regular meetings where people can discuss what they’re working on, share ideas, and collaborate on projects together.
- The third step is to determine how often you want your teams to communicate. This will depend on the nature of their work and the kind of information that needs to be shared between locations. For example, if two people are working together on a project for which they share responsibility and need frequent updates from each other, then daily communication may be necessary. If they’re collaborating on something that doesn’t require regular updates or feedback from one another, then once every few weeks might suffice.
- The fourth step is to determine how you will communicate. This can be as simple as walkie-talkies or a conference call, or it could involve using a continuous collaborative system such as construction management software.
Using digital technology to bridge the gap between teams
You can use digital project management software to bridge the gap between teams. You can use a project management tool, for example, which will help your office and site teams stay in sync with each other. This reduces friction and inefficiency by making sure everyone is on the same page at all times. In addition, it helps maximise project profitability by ensuring that every member of your team is working together towards one goal: achieving results.
Many businesses use project management tools to help organise and manage projects. But these tools can also be used to bridge the gap between teams, which is one of the key benefits of using project management software.
Project management software can help bridge the gap between construction site and back office teams by providing a centralized platform for communication and collaboration. By using project management platforms, construction teams can coordinate their efforts and communicate more efficiently with back office staff. This can help improve project efficiency, minimise site friction and ensure the build is complete on time. Additionally, using construction management software can help reduce the risk of miscommunication and errors, as well as improve project transparency.
For example, construction project software platforms like PlanRadar allow you to streamline all your onsite and offsite team collaboration by enabling access to all building-related information in one place, allowing everyone access to all safety plans, and enabling seamless communication through its digital tools.
How to use digital tools to synchronise your construction teams
There are a number of digital tools available that can help improve inter-team collaboration in construction projects. Construction software, also known as construction management software, is one type of tool that can be used to manage construction projects and coordination between teams. This type of software typically includes features such as project management, task tracking, file sharing, and communication tools.
Another way to facilitate collaboration between team members is by using construction management software. By centralizing project information and communication tools, this type of software makes it easier for teams to stay on track and familiar with every aspect of the project. Common features found in most construction management software include task delegation, file sharing capabilities, real-time messaging, and automated document approvals.
Some of the key benefits of using digital tools to improve inter-team collaboration include:
- Improved communication and coordination between teams
- Better project management and task tracking
- Reduced paperwork and more efficient workflows
- Easy access to files and documents for all team members
- Ability to share ideas and collaborate in real-time
Cloud-based digital systems allow you to store all of your project information in one place and create task lists, which can be updated by anyone involved with the project. This allows for instant updates for all parties, who can track where their project or task currently stands at any given time.
For example, if you need someone from marketing to review a document before it goes out, they would use the digital collaboration platform’s commenting feature so that everyone knows what needs work done before publishing it online. This way no one will waste time trying—or worse yet—publishing something that hasn’t been reviewed by someone else yet!
How to use digital tools effectively to improve inter-team collaboration?
Digital tools can be extremely helpful in improving inter-team collaboration, but it is important to use them effectively. Here are some tips for using digital tools effectively to improve inter-team collaboration:
- Choose the right tool for the job: There are a variety of different digital tools available, so it’s important to choose the one that will best fit your needs. Consider the type of project you’re working on, the size of your team, and your budget when choosing a tool.
- Get everyone on board: Make sure all team members are aware of the digital tools available and know how to use them. It’s also important to set some ground rules for using the tools so that everyone is on the same page.
- Communicate regularly: Use the digital tools to communicate regularly with team members. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and can stay up-to-date on the project.
- Make use of features: Make sure you are taking advantage of all the features that the digital tool offers. This will help you get the most out of the tool and make it easier to improve inter-team collaboration.
When choosing the right digital construction or project management software platform for your business needs, it’s good to consider the following:
- Identify the types of communication you need to synchronise between your teams
- Identify the people who need to participate in each type of communication
- Determine the frequency and duration of each type of communication
- Choose a digital tool that works for you and your teams to make it easy for everyone involved to participate
Conclusion
The digital tools available to you can help in many ways. They can be used for communication and knowledge sharing so that everyone is on the same page and there’s no confusion about what needs to be done. A task management system will allow you to assign tasks to specific individuals and track their progress. This way, everyone has a clear understanding of where they stand about the project as a whole.
If you sync up your onsite and office teams using the right construction management tools, it will reduce friction between them, making it easier for them to communicate with each other effectively and efficiently.
If you are looking to improve team collaboration for your construction projects, you can start your 30-day free PlanRadar trial here.
