With slightly different aims between operations and commercial teams, we give some top tips on improving teamwork in construction…
It is a common -and somewhat tired – joke of the construction industry that there is a clear divide between the relevant operations and commercial teams. The ops team often want the project completed as quickly as possible, while the commercial team want it done as cheaply as possible. These two variables unfortunately don’t go hand in hand easily. The key to getting a result that both sides would accept is teamwork, compromise and a little strategic planning. When both sides agree on one thing, construction work instantly becomes an overall safer and more pleasant environment.
So you ask yourself, how can accountabilities be shared?
This is an easy question to answer: Provide simple, but effective tools within the business/project structure. Tools, like drawings/programmes, don’t stand still, but are continuously revised during the life cycle of a project. So you ask yourself what can we introduce that requires the same revisions/interactions. It is important to understand that these tools are firstly only effective if both ops and commercial review & agree and secondly that they follow this procedure on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
The tools in question are:
- Risk register
- Procurement schedule
- Cost reports (sometimes known as CVR’s)
- Subcontractor performance
- Contract review meetings (with minutes)
Should you wish to discuss this topic further, please get in touch: grant@qsadvisor.com and a meeting can be arranged to show these tools to you and your organisation.
