COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges for all industries. The construction segment, in particular, is witnessing a significant downturn, with projects coming to a halt and delays being rampant. Returning to the pre-pandemic world seems quite out of the question at this stage because things are not likely to get back to normal in the foreseeable future. In fact, like any other industry, there is going to be a new normal in this domain well. It becomes essential for the construction firms to prepare themselves for recovery, and the best way to do it is by recognising the construction management challenges in the post-pandemic era.
Let us list these challenges for you.
Changing Roles and Responsibilities
Supervisors and managers will experience a sudden spurt in workloads ahead, considering the need for implementation of social distancing norms and hygiene regulations. They will need to go the extra mile with processes such as administration and scheduling. If you do not have a construction management platform in place, the managers can get into a real fix. The best way to overcome the challenge is by having one that is capable of keeping schedules on track so that each shift has an optimal number of people to avoid the spread of the virus.
Shortage of Skilled Labour
The fact that a large segment of skilled people in the domain had migrated during the lockdown will lead to acute labour shortage once businesses get back to normal. The impact on the project management function is going to be quite evident as managers will have to struggle to get the right resources and complete projects in time. The best way to address the challenge is by being prepared to offer incentives for a long time, skilled employees who are ready to stay and complete projects.
Lack of Proper Communication
Another hindrance that project management is poised to face at the end of the pandemic is a lack of proper communication in the era of social distancing. After all, it’ll not be the same for large teams to get together in one place and discuss updates and issues. Once again, construction management software can eliminate this concern as it can facilitate collaboration with a single platform. You can even enable role-based permissions to let only authorised users’ access to the platform.
Supply Chain Bottlenecks
Considering the movement restrictions and elevated cost of materials, you can expect supply chain bottlenecks to trouble projects more often than not. This can be threatening for the projects because of the potential to cause delays and missed deadlines. Identifying secondary suppliers early on is a good idea, and so is keeping supplies and raw materials at the ready. Acting soon is the key to survival in the new normal. Managers need to evaluate the supply chains well in advance and identify secondary suppliers who can come to their rescue in the event of current suppliers being unable to deliver.
Dearth of New Business
Homeowners are facing impending unemployment while major clients are on the brink of economic crisis, which means that you will probably face a shortage of new business in the near future. It is best to realign your cash flows for the coming setback with tight control over costs of the existing projects. At the same time, you also need to focus on quality and standardisation because changes and rectifications are the last things you would want with your projects at such troubling times.
The crisis is unprecedented, and the challenges it brings are daunting. But the key to overcoming them lies in being resilient and having the right approach. Also, it is an apt time to leverage construction technology to make your business future-ready. An investment in a construction management software solution is the smartest move you can make to keep your business on track.
Summary
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry is immense, and you cannot expect things to be normal in the near future. There are daunting challenges that lie ahead, but thankfully, there are also some helpful solutions to overcome these challenges and keep your business on track even during these tough time
