Let’s state the obvious: the coronavirus pandemic has touched every industry in the country, and preconstruction is no exception. Almost overnight, people who may have never taken a remote day in their life were suddenly confined to their home Wi-Fi for days, weeks, and for many, even months. And while life is beginning to pull on a semblance of normalcy again, a lot of companies are now seeing the value of remote work and letting many of their employees choose between returning to the office, continuing to work from home, or doing a hybrid of the two. That brings a lot of its own unique challenges.
Jan Beran, Project Estimator at Beckenhauer Construction, recently shared his solutions to these challenges during a session he hosted at the ENR BuildTech conference. Jan had experience working remotely prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result, he took a special interest in making sure his team maintained cohesion as they were thrown into a completely unexpected situation. In between navigating the realm of Microsoft Teams messages, Zoom calls, and never-ending email chains, Jan ultimately came up with four practical takeaways you can use to ensure that your team is staying on target whether they’re in the office or on the other side of the country.
1. Restructure the handoff process between preconstruction and field operations.
Finally, don't be afraid to update the way you're currently handing off data from precon to field operations, and vice versa. What may have worked in person will likely not be able to translate online. Make sure to meet with teams from both departments to iron out the best way to transfer data.
2. Learn the best type of medium for different types of collaboration.
Although we're quick to set up Zoom calls or shoot each other a message on Teams, stop and consider whether or not the medium you're choosing is truly appropriate for the task at hand. For example, Zoom calls can turn into a huge time-suck without us even realizing it. Other times, going back and forth for hours on Teams might have been solved with a quick call. It's important to stop and think about the most efficient way to tackle a problem before scheduling a meeting or sending a text.
3. Formalize collaboration while still allowing for creativity.
Although we often think of collaboration as being tied to creativity—and thus, something that is more wild and spontaneous than standardized and scheduled—it's critical to have best practices in play around how you and your team collaborates. For example, many companies require video to be on in any type of team call. Some teams may have quarterly retreats to plan out strategies and initiatives for the upcoming quarter. Still, others may choose to have biweekly brainstorming sessions to ensure they remain on the same page
4. Determine the feedback system that works for you.
Maybe your team functions best by sending feedback casually through a messaging platform like Slack or Teams. Or maybe there's certain feedback that absolutely needs to be in an email. Other times, it might need to be an audio or video call. Once you figure out the best way to give and receive feedback, you'll be able to be more successful as a team whether you're working at the company office or the home one.
