Businesses are just beginning to come to grips with the new coronavirus-dictated realities of social distancing and working remotely. Contractors are in an unprecedented situation. The need to communicate with team members, subcontractors and owners has never been more acute or fraught with stress and concern.
How leaders express themselves during a crisis is extremely important. Even more so, is reaching the individuals who need to receive your information.
So, how well is your communication platform serving you? For instance, can you immediately reach all team members with the info and updates they need? Are your superintendents able to easily and accurately record all work crews, activities, inspections, and deliveries that occur on the jobsite each day, in case individuals need to be contacted later about possible coronavirus exposure? Can you provide clients and owners with daily or weekly reports that detail work completed and schedule updates?
Communication tools are typically part of project management software. If the coronavirus situation has exposed gaps in your current project management and communication platform, you may have a previously unrecognized risk that must be mitigated. If so, use some of your coronavirus downtime or that of your team to consider alternatives.
Most importantly, reach out to your team, subcontractors and owners by phone and email. Stay in touch often. Share what you know as soon as you know it. Above all, ask how you can help. Use every communication tool at your disposal to sustain your valuable high-touch relationships in this no-touch environment. Stay safe. Be well. Reach out.