Improving Time Management On Commercial Construction Projects

Time management is a very challenging aspect of managing business, let alone our lives. Managing your time is the best way to get things done throughout the day but never feel like you are falling behind. By staying ahead of the challenges that come from being short on time, project managers and construction advisors are able to complete jobs within their timeframe and budget.

It’s no secret that the most successful companies are the ones that stick to a time management policy. No matter how difficult it is to incorporate, these policies have been shown to be effective time and time again, especially on bigger projects. As you review the challenges that come with your upcoming project, consider ways to improve your management of the team and the responsibilities that need to be handled.

How To Improve Time Management

Each project will bring with it its own challenges. However, time management can be the solution to a variety of those challenges, especially ones that cost you time, money or both. Managing your time better can help avoid delays, keep people safe, improve efficiency and even make the project run smoothly. Here’s how construction advisors incorporate these management techniques into their daily routine:

  • Morning meetings: Believe it or not, starting each day with a morning meeting is one of the best ways to get work on a construction site going. The reason is because when workers arrive they usually have an idea of the first task or two that needs to be completed throughout the day. By educating workers on what needs to be done, they can focus on fitting everything into their shift instead of just handling one task after another and waiting to be told what to do next.
  • Safety checks: Do you know what causes major delays and costs projects time and money? Accidents do and the fact is that a large portion of accidents that happen on a construction site can usually be avoided, especially with routine safety checks.
  • Shared calendar: Having a shared calendar between yourself, your team, subcontractors and the property owners is ideal because it keeps everyone updated on what is scheduled throughout the day, when other tasks can be completed, what communication and planning needs to take place and so forth.
  • Schedule ahead: You should never wait to order materials or schedule subcontractors for a project. Schedule or order as early as possible because things change and you need the flexibility to adjust. Along with that, due to material shortages, it may take much longer to get the materials you need, so ordering earlier may be extremely beneficial.
  • Stay organized: One of the biggest challenges contractors have on a job site is to stay organized, especially with plans and receipts. Keeping track of important information, documents and anything else needed throughout your day will not only cut down on the time you have to spend looking for it, but you also have the opportunity to address other areas that need your attention.
  • Keep job sites clean: One recommendation from construction advisors on improving time management is to actually spend 20 minutes or so each day cleaning the job site. There are actually several benefits to this including avoiding injury or delays that could slow down the project. Debris can get in the way for deliveries, create hazards throughout the site and also make things look unprofessional. End each day by having the crew clean up a little and it will bring benefits.
  • Communication: Does your team know what you are planning throughout the day, where you are if they have questions, what their responsibilities are, who they need to contact and so forth? Without that information you can expect to see your team struggle to stay on schedule. Be open about what they need to know and make sure that you’re available whenever they need assistance.
  • Storage: Ordering materials early will cause some issues with keeping them out of the way and safe until they are needed. You do not want to order tens of thousands of dollars worth of tile and have it arrive two months before it’s needed. Have a place to store the materials and things you need to have secure throughout the project.

Time management is something we can all work on. However, for construction companies, time management becomes the key to getting the job done on time and on budget. If you are struggling to reach those goals, consider rethinking your strategy on how you manage your time each day.