5 ways to run better construction meetings

There are board meetings – and then there are bored meetings.

We’ve all been there. The meeting that never ended. The one that could have been an email. The agenda? Not present. A person who seems to be in charge? Absent, too.

Even in the construction industry, where the majority of time is spent on job sites, meetings are inescapable in today’s world of work. However, inescapable doesn’t have to mean inefficient. After all, there is plenty of good to be had from construction meetings. Problem-solving. Team alignment. Bonding and celebration. (Seriously, c’mon, who doesn’t love a good party?)

Construction meetings play a critical role on job sites. They don’t just facilitate project discussion and alignment — they’re conducive to establishing solid contractor-customer relationships and lay the foundation for future deliberation (and more construction meetings).

Instead of continuing to meet and meet … then meet again … and simply cross your fingers and wish for the best, it’s time you maximize construction meetings. Your team (and your already packed schedule) will thank you for making better use of time.

Whether it’s a weekly update, you’re kicking off a new build or it’s a quick huddle with just a few key players, here are five ways for contractors to run better project team meetings. And we know business has gone virtual amid the COVID-19 pandemic, too. That’s why all these tips should work for our new world of video conferencing as well.

1) Set your construction meeting agenda – and stick to it

The construction meeting agenda is our first point, but you’d be wrong to assume it’s step one in holding a good meeting. You should first make sure there is a clear objective. A reason to actually meet. Ask yourself, “By the end of the meeting, I want the group to …”.  However you fill in that blank should determine your agenda.

Another pro tip when it comes to agenda setting: Don’t wait until the last minute. Create discussion points far enough in advance that you can send them to all attendees at least 24 hours prior to getting together.

The best agendas also have pre-determined time limits assigned to each section. This keeps the conversation moving forward and ensures things end on time. Nobody likes a never-ending, three-hour meeting. Can someone say, “potty break, please!”

2) Include the right people in construction meetings

Getting invited to a party nobody wants you at? Awkward. Getting invited to a meeting but you’re not sure how to contribute? Professionally humiliating.

When it comes to meetings, sometimes less is more. Do your best to include only the key decision-makers and team members who might have important insights. Encourage contributions from everyone, too, and leave time for questions. Having the right people in the room and then empowering them to speak up is what differentiates a meeting from a lecture.

3) Invite tech to the table

In conjunction with our last point, sometimes you have to think beyond just butts in chairs at a construction meeting. It’s not the who that’s important but the what. As in, what is helping run the meeting.

That’s where tech (like construction project management software) comes in. Homebuilder apps like Buildertrend are good for more than keeping projects progressing. They are your true single solution to making your business better.

Once you’ve set the perfect construction meeting agenda and assembled your meeting super team, don’t leave tech in the toolbelt. Give it a chance to shine in the conference team, too. Pulling up features like the Schedule, Budget and CRM give you unique insights that are more than worth discussing as a group.

When you make digital platforms the one place you manage every step of the construction process, software for builders or remodelers can’t miss the golden ticket to your meetings. It’s the only way you and your team are able to really know a job’s status together. Are we on track? How much money is being made? Where are leads coming from? Let software tell you all this – and more.

4) Use those note-taking skills

Think note-taking is just for college students and stenographers? Think again.

How many construction meetings have you been to and you forgot what was discussed the minute you walked out the room? Admit it. We’re all guilty of this “in one ear and out the other” mentality. That’s why every good construction meeting is made great when one of the attendees is dubbed the official note-taker.

No, it doesn’t have to be an office assistant, intern or the newest hire to your crew who takes on this role either. On the contrary, it should often be one of the leaders or project managers in the room. Afterwards, they can then edit to illustrate key talking points and share need-to-know info. That’s what we call leadership taking the lead.

Good notes, or meeting minutes, serve to keep everyone on the same page and that details won’t be misinterpreted either. Buildertrend’s Daily Logs feature could be used for this purpose. Add notes there by job and date to easily share and keep everything in the same place.

5) End every construction meeting with an action plan

The last few minutes of any meeting are often the most important. Think of it as saving the best for last. Now is the time to summarize the discussion and decide what comes next. Who is responsible for what? Deadlines? Is another meeting required? If you don’t answer these questions, all of that time you just spent together might have been a waste.

Tech can help you keep track of this, too. Construction software comes built in with features that let you assign tasks to different members of your team. Take Buildertrend’s To-Do’s tool, for example. This allows builders to create punch lists for themselves, subs and employees all in one place.

Manage construction meetings with Buildertrend

Buildertrend isn’t just construction project management software. It’s people management software, too. That’s why you need this smart, savvy solution to make everything about your business better – including meetings

To get started, schedule a demo with a member of our team today.

This is one meeting you don’t want to miss!