Construction Industry Leaders Not Walking the Walk

When it comes to prioritising safety in the construction industry, “the gap between what is said and what is actually done is alarming,” according to the authors of a new report.

The 2019 People In Construction Report (PICR) involved surveying nearly 500 construction professionals worldwide, to get a better sense of what organisations could be doing to improve worker retention, productivity, and overall workplace culture.

Ninety percent of all respondents reported safety as a top priority. Interestingly, this was lowest at the executive level – 85 percent. This compared to to 97 percent of office operations and 93 percent of field supervisors.

However, the report noted that the disappointing results were in safety execution.

“Seventy-eight percent of those surveyed said they consistently work safely, but only 68 percent of field supervision could say the same.”

“That’s approximately 1 in 3 field supervisors recognising that they don’t prioritise the safety of their employees.”

These results were slightly better in the office, with 78 percent of all respondents and 75 percent of executives reporting that they consistently work safely. but the gap between what is said and what is actually done is alarming.

The authors also noted that interestingly, although over 90 percent of respondents said they had the right materials and equipment to do their job correctly, only 63 percent (and only 50 percent among field supervisors) reported being set up for success every day.

“If they have the materials and equipment to do the job, one might assume they are set up for success. However, post-survey interviews indicate this low score is attributed to lack of information, too-frequent changes in the plan, lack of coordination with other trades, and labor challenges.”

The authors also outline what they believe to be the three building blocks of a great workplace culture: – trust in one’s immediate supervisor – pride in the firm and what it does at work and outside of work – and camaraderie with coworkers.