How to improve an underperforming employees’ career in construction

It’s the moment every manager dreads. You have a construction worker who doesn’t seem to understand the work part of their job.

Chances are you as the manager or business owner aren’t the only one feeling frustrated. Are other crew members spending time each week correcting this person’s mistakes? Or are you losing clients because excellent service is being sacrificed? When it comes to addressing poor performance, it’s always best to stand up rather than shy away.

Does that mean it’s time to get rid of this inconsistent construction worker? Probably not. That might seem like the easy way out – but it’s not always the right way. We know that many teams in this industry are lean and mean. They’re small businesses just looking to make a big impact on their communities. This employee might have worked for you for years and you likely know them on a deeper level than if you were operating a Fortune 500 out of a skyrise.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to up the game of underperformers. Here are five ways to help boost their careers in construction:

1) Question yourself

Instead of automatically pointing fingers at any one employee, the best managers first look inward. Consider asking yourself these questions before labeling an employee as lazy or lethargic:

• Have they been told explicitly what you expect from them on the job site?
• Do they have the right resources to effectively do their jobs?
• Are any of your business’ processes standing in their way?
• Are they even aware they’re not meeting expectations?

Ideally, all employees should understand their daily responsibilities and have the appropriate tools to carry them out. However, most contractors are balancing multiple jobs simultaneously. Therefore, they lack the time to stay on top their team’s every move. That’s where project management software like Buildertrend can help.

The Tasks tool lets you assign punch lists to each employee with the click of a button. Scheduling lets the crew know where they need to be and when. All communication and expectations are centralized with the Daily Logs and Messages features.

Tech can take the work out of workforce management and put a rest to any productivity problems.

2) Give clear and consistent feedback

Never assume you know why an employee is underperforming. It’s best to check in on those that seemed checked out.

This can take the form of a weekly one-on-one where the conversation remains empathetic yet productive. One of the best ways to boost someone’s career in construction is to reduce the conversation gap. Actively listen to the issues they face, ask questions and then work with them to provide the support they need to succeed.

Just as important during these conversations is the ability to provide immediate and frequent feedback. Share specific examples of how projects could have gone better, and make it clear you want them to excel. Stick to the facts – don’t make issues personal – and describe the impact.

At this point, you may also keep a note of the conversation to outline what was discussed and any action plan to adjust their course.

3) Set performance goals together

The best construction workers are those that are motivated by something bigger than the daily minutiae. They need to understand the company’s mission – and how they help achieve it.

The best way to do that is by setting goals together. By tackling this as a team, employees are more committed, more involved and more likely to succeed. Creating SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely – goals together is better for their career in construction rather than simply dictating their own growth.

4) Provide appropriate training or mentorship

The best inspire others to be better. Sometimes good management is as simple as that. Since business owners might not have the time to serve as a mentor, this responsibility can be shared with your high achievers.

Pair employees who aren’t performing up to snuff with silent mentors. This is someone who can guide other crew members without making it too obvious they’re lending a helping hand. This aims to improve performance without adding pressure of having to live up to or impress a mentor.

5) Empower employees with more responsibility

Give more work to those who do less. Seems counterintuitive, right? Well, this might be just the fix.

If an employee feels underutilized or underchallenged, they might become stagnant. The solution could be as easy as finding a new way to motivate them. Despite an increase in workload, many people perform better when they feel their skills are being put to proper use and their impact is greater.

There is symbolic importance to this approach, too. Empowering underperforming employees with more to do shows you have not lost trust in them. You still believe in their ability to do great things. There’s no time to get stuck in the past of what didn’t go right. You’re correcting it by forging forward with new and exciting opportunities that benefit both the employee and your business.

A better system for better employee performance

So, how do you maximize a career in construction for those doing the bare minimum? It’s all about inspiring them with clear direction, feedback, goals and mentorship.

Software like Buildertrend can help. The leading construction job software is about more than improving your projects. It can improve your team, too. To see its impact in action, schedule a demo now.

A crew that communicates efficiently, gets right to work and completes jobs faster is the moment every manager dreams of.