The Garrison Report #2003-8

247 Reasons Why Contractors Must Change the Way They Deal with Their Employees

The Jobs Rated Almanac rates a construction career as 248 out of 250 possible careers. That statistic provides 247 reasons contractors must change the way they deal with employees if they want to attract the best talent. For the record, exotic dancer is rated 249 and lumberjack is rated 250. Garbage collecting is rated 243. Clearly contractors have a problem and if they want to improve their image, they must change. It starts by eliminating the condemnation of today’s worker because management contributes more than its fair share to the problems. So what should contractors do?

First of all, it’s not about money. Once people get to an acceptable income level, money moves down the list of priorities. Since the construction industry is one of the highest-paid industries in the country, money is not the issue. When someone leaves over money or at least gives that as the reason, he is really indicating he is not happy. Below are nine ways to attract and keep employees:

 

  1. Learn to be flexible. Focus on the results instead of the how. Of course, common sense applies. I’m not saying the end justifies the means, but there is usually more than one way to obtain the desired result. Whenever possible, allow people the flexibility to do it their way. Why? Because your people will have more fun, and when people are enjoying themselves, they are more productive.
  2. Get everyone to participate in the planning process. I say to managers, “Don’t tell people what to do!” If they understand what needs to be accomplished, let them suggest the process. If they aren’t sure what needs to be done, help them understand the desired result then let them suggest the approach. If they come up with the right answer, pat them on the back. Say, “Great idea!” Then let them do it. If they don’t get it, ask questions to redirect them. This works better than correcting them; let them correct themselves. This causes a lot less resistance. Of course, this brings us to the next suggestion.
  3. Continuously develop and educate your people. Obviously if people don’t know what to do, they will have difficulty participating in the planning process. It’s essential to train them, educate them, and develop them. But once you have done that for a particular task, get out of the way. Of course, training is expensive, but the payback is fantastic. I realize Motorola is not a construction company, but it estimates a return of $30 for every dollar spent on training. With that kind of return, how can you not afford to spend more time, money and effort on training?
  4. Encourage creativity. The very nature of the construction business makes every project unique, so how can we develop rigid procedures? In my seminars I ask attendees, “How many people have built the same building twice?” No one raises a hand. Some have built similar projects but never the same. So why do we tell people to do it the way we always do it when we have never done it before? Oh, I’m not suggesting we reinvent the wheel every Monday morning, but allow your people to try new things. After all, creativity is one of the two sustainable competitive advantages.
  5. Communicate effectively. The number one reason projects (or any task for that matter) fail is an unclear definition of what’s required. We are too quick to label people as incompetent. They are actually doing an outstanding job doing the wrong thing. That’s not incompetence; that’s poor communication. But the bigger problem is management’s participation in one-way communication. Effective communication requires listening, not just speaking. Managers should take more time to listen to their people. They might begin to understand the real problems. Just the process of listening substantially increases morale and productivity.
  6. Create an environment free of fear. Fear paralyzes. Some companies today actually pay a bonus for making a mistake. It’s not for dumb ideas but good ideas that failed. This approach sends the message that initiative at all—not just successful initiative—is rewarded. When people are punished for making mistakes, they pull back and only do the safe things. They accept failure and blame the process instead of taking responsibility for the results. These bonuses are small, usually $25 or less, but they send an important message: it’s OK to try new things. We support you.
  7. Build trust. I hear companies complain about the lack of dedication and loyalty from their employees. This is due, in part, to a lack of trust. Employees don’t feel trusted when they are controlled by extensive rules and regulations instead of being able to think for themselves. However, no one can ask for trust; it must be earned. Think about your reaction when someone says, “Trust me.” Employees are no different. So companies must give trust to earn the trust of their employees.
  8. Accept employees’ ideas. There is no greater compliment than accepting someone else’s idea. It says, “I value your opinion.” Besides, the people on the front line often have better solutions. That’s a win-win.
  9. Enhance the work environment. This is not about buying doughnuts every morning. It’s about creating an enjoyable environment where people are happy to contribute because they receive satisfaction from a job well done.

 

All of the above suggestions are about increasing your employees’ self-image. After all, people produce only what they think they are capable of doing. Therefore, management’s job is to increase employees’ expectations of their own performance. Of course, you don’t throw a baby (an apprentice) into the pool and expect it to swim. But you can provide a nurturing environment and the necessary training before letting them go out on their own.

Forepersons, superintendents, and other managers often complain to me, “You don’t understand how poor the average worker is today.” I was a lieutenant during the Vietnam War, and our troop really didn’t want to be there. Leaders who tried to enforce performance with threats fell short of desired performance, but when the above techniques were applied, the results exceeded everyone’s expectations. Today’s workers are no different.

You need to implement these concepts immediately or push them further than you have in the past if you want to start attracting and keeping better employees. It all comes down to making work fun for everyone!


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