Construction projects unravel for a variety of reasons. Some were bid optimistically, others were the result of a design error or engineering calculation, and in others, entire issues or concepts were universally overlooked. Some companies are quick to convict when issues arise. They are mad at project managers. How could they not know about this and why isn’t it in writing? They are mad at assistants. Where is the approval in the file? Sometimes higher level executives are even mad at themselves. Would the company be in this mess if I had managed the job better?
While it is hard (if not impossible) to avoid every problem on a job, establishing the who, what, when and why of communication on a job will certainly help. Almost every company has a basic communication structure but most fail to invest adequate time or resources to ensure clear and meaningful communication. Establishing clear and meaningful communication on a job can help prevent certain conflicts and assist in effectively managing other conflicts that arise. The tips below should be considered in creating or improving a company’s communication on a job.
Establish a chain of command
Each party on a job is usually represented by a main point of contact. Keep the points of contact for each party (including the company) clear. This helps ensure that one person is always aware of the pertinent information on a project and that two points of contact are not making different decisions.
Respect the chain of command
The chain of command can become gray when issues start to arise. Instead of issues being dealt with at the project management level, company executives get involved and sometimes take over. While it can be important to involve higher level executives at the early stages of a dispute, it is also important to keep the person with the most information involved in the communications. The main point of contact will likely be able to supplement higher level discussions by explaining the company’s factual position in a more clear and persuasive way since they watched it develop. Ignoring the previously established chain of command can leave the company without its most valuable source of information.
Establish acceptable methods of communication
Technology makes it convenient to make phone calls and send emails and text messages. That does not mean every owner or contractor likes to communicate that way. Ask other parties on the job how they like to communicate and which methods they are most responsive to. This will help ensure timely and effective communication.
Document the communication
After settling on acceptable methods of communication, confirm a procedure to ensure the communication ends up in the job file. It is not difficult to save call histories, emails and text messages but some companies do not have a system in place to require employees to save their job communications. Requesting project managers save appropriate documentation to the file on a defined schedule will help ensure the company has the information it needs when a phone is lost, stolen, dropped on a jobsite or the employee is no longer with the company. One critical piece of documentation could be all that is necessary to end a dispute.
Keep and organize the documentation
Some parties go to great lengths to document its communication on a job but do not keep the documentation in one place or in an organized manner. A clearly established system regarding what should be documented, who is in charge of documenting it, where the documentation should go and how long it should be kept helps ensure important documentation is available and easier to digest.
Establish appropriate subjects and timelines of communication
Different parties on a job often have a variety of opinions regarding which information they should receive and when they should receive it. Establish how often is communication necessary and which sort of information the party should receive, and stick to the communication subjects and schedule.
Be clear and concise
Be clear and concise in communications. Keep written communications focused on facts and circumstances. If possible, use numbers or bullets to help organize different subjects or questions. The goal of written communication is to make the reader understand the message with as little effort as possible on the reader. Being clear and concise can assist in effectively communicating the company’s message and often results in a more effective response from the reader since it was easier to understand.
