Masonry Magazine June 1998 Page. 17
Training and Supervisory Skills
Companies need to invest in the development and supervisory personnel in skills such as effective leading and motivating their people. However, only 12.5 percent of responding companies provide training internally in leadership/supervisory skills.
Planning and Scheduling
Effective planning and scheduling ranked second in this year's survey, after being the first in 1990 and 1992. These two factors are closely related to productivity. While companies identified the need for better planning and scheduling in the survey-almost half said that better supervisory training would improve field productivity by 10-19 percent (19 percent answered 5-9 percent) and that more effective planning would improve their productivity by 10-19 percent (22 percent by 5-9 percent) - it doesn't appear companies are doing much to upgrade training in these areas. Only 13 percent of companies conduct training internally in project management techniques, and slightly less (12.5 percent) provide training in project management and leadership/supervisory skills from external sources. While companies do provide training for employees on this issue through external sources seminars, consultants, trade associations, etc. planning and scheduling skills certainly merit greater attention and investment in training.
Effective Communication
Even with the influx of new technology and communication tools pagers, cellular phones, e-mail good communication remains a major challenge facing management in the construction industry (as in many industries). Communication issues arise between levels of management, between management and the field, and with other contractors working on the same project. This lack of coordination with other construction companies was cited as a major factor affecting productivity.
Training in the Construction Industry
Despite companies' recognition of the shortage of qualified tradespeople, training for supervisors/management made greater strides than did training for technical/craft personnel. Supervisory and management personnel receive 12 percent more training than employees in technical and craft fields. This increase in training for mid- and senior-level management is appropriate given it ranked as the third greatest challenge facing the industry. Senior executives and business development personnel were the most likely to receive training from external sources in-house seminars conducted by external consultants, public seminars, and seminars sponsored by industry/trade associations. Apart from the senior executive level, most of the training provided in the construction industry is done informally through "on-the-job instruction" or is provided by a supervisor or peer. This is particularly true for craft and trade workers and smaller companies. A smaller percentage of companies offer in-house seminars by internal trainers or outside consultants. Industry or trade associations are a third source of training for employees. Enhancement or formalization of training for trade and craft workers needs to "top the agenda" in providing the skilled crafts- and tradespeople the industry needs. While many construction firms are providing some type of formal or informal training for employees, the importance of training seems relatively low, given the challenge of finding quality management and technical employees. Compare the construction industry's response with the status of training in other industries (as reported in Training magazine's "Industry Report 1997: A statistical picture of employer-sponsored training in the United States," October 1997):
92 percent of companies provide training in management skills/development.
91 percent train in technical skills/development.
88 percent provide training in supervisory skills.
88 percent have training in communication skills.
81 percent provide executive development.
70 percent train in employee/labor relations.
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