In this episode Brad Humphrey, the Contractor’s Best Friend, sits down for Part 1 of a three part series with Quentin Kersh, a concrete construction professional out of Queensland, Australia, to discuss working with new employees. Enjoy!
[AUDIO] Benefits to Written Procedures
What moves a Work Process to a Work Procedure is the step-by-step efforts that must be made in order to be successful. So, in short, a Work Process names what we do, while Work Procedures document “How” we do it.
Learn more in this episode from Brad Humphrey, the Contractor’s Best Friend!
[TRANSCRIPT]
Benefits to Written Procedures
Recently, I was asked to facilitate a meeting of field leaders with the objective of writing and updating work procedures. Besides being a grueling experience, for all involved, I assure you, the benefits will be realized.
Before I share some real benefits to having written Work Procedures, let me briefly provide a some small, but important differences between Work Processes and Work Procedures.
Work Processes represent the many efforts we do to complete our projects. For example, we may have any number of work processes, similar to a few examples below, including:
- Loading & Tying Down Equipment
- Site Preparation
- Forming Steps and Ramps
- Grout Preparations
- Clean-up of Equipment & Tools
- Preparing Site for Safe Work Flow
- Site Housekeeping
- Securing Needed Tools & Components from Tool Crib
Any contractor may have thirty, fifty, even a hundred or more Work Processes for the field. Even Estimating, Accounting, Business Development, and HR have a multitude of work processes that must be followed.
What moves a Work Process to a Work Procedure is the step-by-step efforts that must be made in order to be successful. So, in short, a Work Process names what we do, while Work Procedures document “How” we do it.
And it is in the process of documenting the step-by-step Work Procedures that many successful contractors have painfully, and patiently, brought discipline and differentiation to their company. Many contractors, who fail in this effort, will forever be frustrated with the many different means of accomplishing work. As long as you have accountable and knowledgeable leader doing what needs to be done, you’re good. But, you may also be on “borrowed time” before that crew leader is gone, and the next leader may have other ideas about how to perform the work.
Here in lies one of the benefits to having documented Work Procedures. So, let’s share a few benefits to making the time, and enduring the frustration, to making Work Procedures formal and used faithfully.
Benefits from Having Documented Work Procedures:
- Commits your company to how, “We do it here.”
- Allows your best performers to review and update when needed.
- Prevents any leader from just doing what they feel like doing.
- More quickly educates new workers, and leaders, to how your company performs the same Work Processes at their last employment.
- Serves as a training document.
- Serves as an accountability document, to make sure workers are following what the company has designed.
- Ensures that your different workers and crews, working on different projects, are all performing the same Work Procedures.
- Provides greater flexibility and options for project schedulers in moving needed workers to other projects or crews, knowing that they are all using same Work Procedures.
- Builds a consistent experience for customers, suppliers, other contractors, etc.
- Allows quicker solutions to process challenges because all the leaders are working from the same Work Procedures.
- Speeds up communication between office and field staff when addressing confusion on required processes.
- Provides confirmation if more than one crew is succeeding or suffering from the same Work Procedure. If it’s not working for everyone…may be time to address needed changes.
- Company projects should realize greater productivity, less “re-work,” better utilization of manpower and resources, and, in the end, growing profitability!
Now, realizing any of benefits listed above comes at a price. It takes time to document Work Processes and Work Procedures. But the benefits, as shared above, can be achieved.
A few suggestions on how to make the actual documentation process smoother, more accurate, and “humane” for those completing the documents are in order. Try integrating a few important techniques that can keep those documenting from going crazy.
- First, spell out what the formal Work Processes are in the company.
- Select 2-5 individuals, the most familiar with the Work Process, and that have proven record for consistency and “brains.”
- Let this team know that what they are about to begin will make the company better, workers more consistent, and separate our company from the competitors.
- Map out a simple Flow Chart that captures 7-11 boxes that provide a “high level” of major contribution to one selected Work Process.
- Take one Work Process, and begin listing the needed actions to effectively complete each “box” of the process.
- Use a Word Document format, or similar, to record all the needed steps of completion.
- Encourage the team to discuss the steps, balancing between recording how often a worker is to take breathes and overlooking things like starting points and end points. (Just joking on the number of breaths a worker takes.).
The final steps should be detailed to the level that the leaders feel that things need to be followed and taught. This is where the stress comes, “How much is too much detail?
Without being overly detailed, realize that some of the Work Process may have more or less detailed in the Work Procedures, depending on what has been the history of the company. If anyone process hasn’t experienced too much quality challenges, then perhaps a less than anal look is adequate. If a process has been very troubling, I would encourage more detail.
Even following every suggestion in this article will still not result in a painless effort to bring formality to your Work Processes and Work Procedures, BUT…it might just put more responsibility and accountability into your people. And that’s got to translate into a more productive and profitable company.
Brad Humphrey
The Contractor’s Best Friend
How to Address the GC Superintendent
Increasingly, the manner in how a Crew Foreman interacts with a Superintendent on a construction site has become a more important activity. When a Sub-Trade Specialist is under the leadership, and contracted to complete work for a General Contractor, the smart Foreman realizes that his relationship established with the Project’s Senior Field Leader is one that needs to be positive, proactive, and polished.
In this article I’d like to address how a Crew Foreman, representing a Sub-Trade Specialist, can project a positive presence, be proactive in connecting with their Project Superintendent, and to bring more “spit polish” to their efforts. In some cases, the Foreman will need to engage and have good relationships with the Superintendent and the Project Manager. However, without having to record both roles throughout this article, I’ve chosen to single out the Superintendent as a point of focus here.
Positive in Presence
This is where first and lasting impressions are made. The Sub-Contractor Foreman can actually have less experience or knowledge, than the GC Superintendent would want, but if the Foreman’s attitude is upbeat, positive, and committed to the completion of their portion of the project, they will win many “indulgences” from the Superintendent. This same Superintendent, who is often irritable and negative in their behavior, will often soften up for the Foreman who presents a positive and upbeat manner at the site.
Consider a few Positive Actions to Win Over the Superintendent
- Introducing yourself to the Superintendent upon first arrival. Don’t wait for them to come find you. They hate tracking down field leaders.
- When you meet the Superintendent, shake their hand and look at them confidently. No handshake or the lack of eye contact signals weaknesses, being unprepared, and “I really don’t want to be here.”
- Make it a habit to always start your arrival each day with a, “How’s it going?” with the Superintendent, followed up by a, “Anything new developed?”
- Monday arrival should include the “look ahead” for that week of work. Most Sub-Trades are afraid to share their plan, and for those who do provide a schedule, it will make the Superintendent’s day.
- When the Superintendent, or others, bring a negative situation to you throughout the week, adapt more of an attitude that includes, “OK, that doesn’t sound great but let’s give our best shot here and see what we can come up with to solve the issue.” Superintendents love the Foreman who sees problems as opportunities to correct.
- Let the Superintendent be the first to know when good news is experienced.
- When you are about to wrap up an important portion of the work, invite the Superintendent to perform the last task. Trust me, Superintendents will love putting in the last nail or screw, stripping the last form, installing the final finish of trim, etc.
- Once in a while, bring donuts to a meeting.
- If your team is celebrating with a lunch, invite the Superintendent to participate.
- Be sure to introduce the Superintendent to your workers when the opportunities are presented.
- Always drop by the Superintendent’s office on the way out every day. If he or she is there, make some small talk for a few minutes. Include sharing what you got completed and where you would like to start the next morning.
Never turn away from making a good impression on your Superintendent, without becoming a stage actor. There will be enough opportunities for such good image making, just be patient.
Proactive in Connecting
Being positive is important but actually engaging the Superintendent requires an intentional effort. One that impresses the Superintendent that you have a focus, a plan, and want a relationship based on transparency and trust. Your proactive efforts to connect with the Superintendent will return huge favors and a reputation as their “preferred contractor.”
Consider a few Proactive Actions When Connecting with the Superintendent
- When giving the Superintendent your week’s schedule (aka, the Look-Ahead), be sure to point out what actions would assist you meeting the schedule that the Superintendent can assist you with. This builds a little commitment from the Superintendent to you.
- Keep your Superintendent updated; such proactivity will make the Superintendent an early fan of yours. Most Foremen tend to avoid their Job-Site Superintendent and that’s exactly the wrong thing to do.
- Be consistent on making your crew’s work area the cleanest on the site. It’s still very common that a contractor will leave their area filled with paper, material wrap, excess material strewn throughout their work area, etc.
- Part of updating, be sure to provide a mid-day update about 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM. Most Superintendents want to get an idea of where the productivity will be by 4:00 PM. Make an extra effort to give them your best estimate of where your crew will finish up the day.
- During weekly meetings with the Superintendent, and other trade Foremen, be a good listener, take notes, and engage the discussion periodically. Offer to assist another contractor. Such an effort sends signals that you are a team player.
- Ask the Superintendent to come by and inspect some of the early efforts of your workers. Better to get the Superintendent’s thoughts on “good/not good” early. This effort also sends a signal to the Superintendent that you are not timid of having their presence and honest assessment.
- Work to develop a daily “hi-lo” update for the Superintendent and deliver it verbally near the end of the day. Share 2-3 “High-lights” of the day and “2-3 Low-lights” that need to be addressed.
- When a challenging issue arises, especially one that the Superintendent knows about, take the lead on trying to resolve the issue. Take up the challenge to the Superintendent, letting them know that you are “on it.”
- Place some simple “signage” of your work area that better communicates where tools and materials are to be kept, organized, etc. This is really a big deal for many Superintendents as they like to see organization from their contractors.
There are a host of other proactive efforts that you can take as a Field Leader when reporting to a Project Superintendent, but the primary focus should be that if you are proactive about getting in, performing and promoting a quality and safe work site, and over-communicating your progress. If done, you will find even the most negative Superintendent cutting some slack for you and your crew.
Polished Engagement
The word polished, as used here, is intended to represent a more professional image to the Superintendents you will work with during your career. Quite honestly, many General Contractor Superintendents have a very low impression of many Sub-Trade Foremen, so it’s critical that we make a “polished” impression. Successfully accomplishing this, and the entire project becomes a more pleasant experience.
Consider a Few Efforts to Polish Your Reputation with a Superintendent
- Be the first to introduce yourself and to shake the Superintendent’s hand…but demonstrate the same respect for the Superintendent each day. If the Superintendent is comfortable with calling him by his first name, use it. However, if you don’t know, address the Superintendent as “Mr. Jones” until he instructs otherwise. If the Superintendent is female, “Ms. Jones” should be used also until she says otherwise.
- If the Superintendent brings some bad news or challenges to you, accept the input and thank them for their quick and honest information.
- When you run into a challenge, first think through 2-3 options of solutions and then take the problem to the Superintendent. There is more respect given to you if you will always think about potential solutions to challenges your crew is facing.
- Never be slow about giving the Superintendent one of your company’s hats or T-shirts.
- Upon presenting the Superintendent with your schedule for the week, allow them to assess it quickly to see if it’s doable in their eyes. If not, quickly inquire as to what you can do to adjust the schedule if needed.
- If the Superintendent brings a request for something on your company’s part, that you know will not be received well, redirect the Superintendent with, “Well, Ken I know I will need to discuss that with my ‘boss.’ I’ll let them know that we want to do it but give me some time to contact leader and see about the possibility as we’ve discussed, or a better option if needed.”
- If the Superintendent puts you on the spot for an answer…NOW…divert. Never take their applied pressure to say something you may later regret. This is a little dicey to address, but you do not want to be “used” by the Superintendent against your own company. And believe me, some Superintendents are great at getting a “Yes” from the Foreman that conflicts with the “No” that they will receive from the Foreman’s boss. Don’t commit to a pressured request when you know that your leader will disagree. Simply hold your ground and inform the Superintendent that you will bring the need to your leader ASAP…if not sooner!
- Never be afraid to have your workers pick up a little trash from other contractors. While you don’t want to purposely bring attention to the Superintendent that you are doing this, it is noticed by the Superintendent more than you think.
- No matter the Superintendent’s “temperature,” remain calm and cool headed. Even if he, or she, is shooting you with every creative and dirty phrase known to man, stay poised. Responding back in the same manner will never allow you to win points with the Superintendent. Even the meanest Superintendent will circle back around and apologize to that Foreman who “took it” and didn’t respond in kind.
Putting the “polish” on your efforts can certainly make you the “Preferred Foreman” in the eyes of the GC Superintendent. And in this way, your polishing efforts may make your company the Preferred Contractor, often leading to winning more work.
Today’s Superintendent often carries more issues and challenges than in past years. Between receiving project drawings that are seldom accurate or available at the start of the project, to increased visits by OSHA, and greater scrutiny by city, county, and state inspectors, their tension level is at an all-time high. Plus, their dealing with Sub-Contractors who are themselves struggling with some of the same organizations PLUS trying to find skilled workers, any construction site can become a toxic melting pot just waiting to release its workplace poisons.
If you are a Foreman, trying to find more ideas on how to get along with the Superintendent on your project, then your review of the Positive, Proactive, and Polished efforts provided earlier may assist you. Even if you are a Foreman leading a self-performing crew for a project that your company is the General Contractor, the actions presented above are still effective!
Determine today to make a more intentional effort to be Positive, Proactive, and Polished. The successful execution of the three will win you more fans, more work, and a reputation that will pay handsomely!
Here’s to giving those Superintendents your best shot!
Brad Humphrey
The Contractor’s Best Friend ™
