Behind the business: How to build a fun company culture in construction (Part 3 of 5)

Behind the Business series: In this third entry with Cardinal Crest, you’ll learn the features of a toxic workplace and how to create a positive working environment. Keeping employees engaged contributes to quality projects and happy clients.

Missed the last post? Check out part 2: How to get clients to make decisions faster with construction selections.

Amid a labor shortage, it becomes even more critical to keep talented employees on the payroll.

Losing a highly skilled employee – or even worse, multiple employees – during a project is devastating to timelines. It can halt work for months and create a road block for project managers.

Construction workers experience work-related injuries higher than any industry according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Knowing this, people continued to show up and worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. However, employees started losing faith in their companies and chose to leave.

Employees quit for a variety of reasons, such as burnout, toxic work environments or manager behavior. Therefore, building and maintaining a positive company culture is crucial in today’s day and age.

Joe Christensen, owner of Cardinal Crest Homes, knows everything doesn’t always go as planned during a build. But this doesn’t stop him from having a good time on the job site.  

To help you understand how to create a positive company culture, let’s talk about what company culture is, problems you might face and how to address them.

What is company culture?

Company culture is a set of shared core values that employees embody. It’s an understanding of how the company operates. Aspects of company culture are the beliefs of the organization represented through words and actions, ideas of what’s important and expectations of acceptable behavior.

The purpose of having defined company values is to ensure how the organization reaches goals as well as responds to adversity. A strong culture allows employees to become more engaged, increases productivity and retains talent. When the values of a construction company aren’t defined, it causes employees to question leadership and the decisions being made.

Think of company culture as the foundation of a house. If the organization is shaky from the start, there’s a chance the entire build will crumble due to a weak infrastructure. The fault in a weak company culture can lead to impacts on mental health of employees and the bottom line.

While you can’t remove stress from the work environment, you’re able to control how you respond to specific issues.

Problems in construction culture

Regardless of the industry, all work comes with its own set of challenges. Specific to the construction industry, the issues related to poor company culture impact the safety and health of your employees.

1. Burnout

During the height of the pandemic, burnout became a buzzword. More and more people were pointing to long work hours and outside stressors leading to spells of fatigue and irritability. Depression and anxiety combined with long workdays can lead to a lack of sleep – a dangerous combination on a construction site.

2. Toxic work environments

A leading factor causing employees to quit is a toxic work culture. In the field or office, toxicity can take shape in several ways. Long work hours, poor communication, passing blame, bullying or hazing are a few examples of a toxic work environment.

3. Mental health stigma

There are many hazards in the construction industry: falls, electrocution, struck-bys and caught-ins. However, construction workers struggling with mental health continues to be an ever-present danger. In some organizations, there’s this philosophy of doing the work you’re paid to do and to not complain.

A study reported nearly 60% of crew members struggled with mental health and didn’t feel confident talking to their employers in fear of consequences. Without being able to address their mental health, construction workers turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

How to foster a positive work environment

Leaders are the symbol of company culture and must set a good example in how they behave. Productivity, morale, construction efficiency and safety are due to improve when it’s not all work, no play. Having fun while at work can prove beneficial to the company’s interest.

1. Focus on wellbeing

Regardless of the bottom line, your priority as a company should be the safety and wellness of your employees. Lately, employees are looking for more than a paycheck. They’re looking for companies that respect them and their lives outside of work. Talking to employees about their family, hobbies, interests, etc. shows you care and helps create a sense of belonging within the organization.

2. Recognize employees

When you see employees embodying company values, make sure they are aware. Some people are a bit shy when receiving recognition, so it’s important you ask them first how they want to be recognized. Regardless, getting a pat on the back for a job well done shows employees are seen working hard.

3. Engage in transparent communication

Secrets are a waste of time. With how often projects change, employees expect leaders to be transparent. Trust your staff and crew to take in any news, regardless of how good or bad it may be. Opening communication can generate a sense of collaboration, mentorship and inspiration. Engaged employees who are invested want to your construction business grow.

Collaborate with your team

Use construction management software like Buildertrend to connect instantly and keep track of projects you’re currently working on. Employees crave freedom and self-control, so give them the ability to clock in and out with Time Clock and stay on top of tasks with To-Dos.

Schedule a demo today to learn how Buildertrend can aid in combating a toxic work environment.

More content is in the works with Cardinal Crest Home. Next time, we’ll talk about how they continue to keep clients first.