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New Year’s Resolutions for Construction Managers

It’s the New Year, which means it is time for construction companies to assess their goals and get a fresh start.

Nearly half of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions – at least one – every January. That is about 130 million people who want to do better in 2022. While not all apply to the construction industry, many do, including better money management.

Most years come with a new set of goals and targets reflecting what was learned the previous year. These goals and targets typically focus on growth, money and numbers. Therefore, these resolutions have value.

While resolutions may seem somewhat generic initially, since you start with no real plan, they are about improvement and are worth your attention.

Consider the following resolutions for your construction company in 2022.

1. Add mental health counseling into your Health and Safety training standards. Unfortunately, this continues to affect workers at a higher rate than in other industries, including a higher rate of suicide. A mix of low job security, a male-dominated industry, long hours and a culture that demands strength have led to what some refer to as the silent epidemic in the construction world.

Every construction company needs a plan to bring mental health safety to the forefront in their health and safety training. Include a mental health responder, an open-door policy for communications and added mental health days and counseling into your benefits plan.

Taking these steps could help the industry break down the stigma of mental health and allow men to feel more relaxed about discussing their emotional well-being. You send a message that these are meaningful conversations when you combine the discussion of physical health with mental health. It shows that you encourage, support and welcome such discussions. It can save lives.

2. Strive for gender equality in your company. Gender equality in construction would be a true game-changer. Right now, less than 10% of the entire construction workforce is made up of women. As a result, they face higher injury rates, pay inequity, discrimination, exclusion and being passed up for promotions because they are female.

By prioritizing gender equality in the new year, you are benefitting the industry. Companies that put women in leadership positions will see more growth and earn more revenue. Gender equality also includes benefits for all employees, such as family care days and parental leave. It also provides a more welcoming environment.

Treating women as equals and providing a more welcoming environment could drastically positively impact

the industry in the future. Think about the labor shortage. Women make up about half of the available workers in this country, so using them in construction just makes good sense. They can be key in filling the skilled labor gap.

By creating a gender-equal construction environment, you could help break down barriers that keep women from joining this part of the workforce or from even studying trades in the first place.

Educate your employees and make it a companywide initiative to eliminate sexism and discrimination. Explain to them what sexism looks like and talk about issues such as “mansplaining.” Leaders must be the examples on how to welcome and treat female employees.

Make an actual effort to seek out female employees. Find resources on hiring women and challenge your company’s hiring practices. Address your own stigmas as the first step to making this positive change.

3. Ramp up your technology. Few industries are ramping up tech integration as much as the construction industry. While construction was slow to get on board, it is now speeding head-long into drone technology, virtual reality, telematics, building information modeling and every other type of technology out there.

Integrate and embrace technology to move your business forward.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.