Amid labor shortages, reduced hours and supply chain delays, field workforce manager “burnout” is increasingly becoming a cause for concern, according to some companies on this year’s list of ENR’s Top 600 Specialty Contractors.
“Well organized, clean and safe workplaces allow us [field leaders] and field forces to be effective and efficient,” says Paul Wiederhold, chief operating officer of SPC Mechanical, ranked No. 225 on this year’s Top 600 list. “A chaotic site is a leading indicator that we won’t have the desired result.”
Superintendents and other field leaders are often feeling the brunt of construction challenges across the industry, with the top 600 companies saying dwindling labor pools have put even greater strain on their already demanding role .
“One of the challenges we’re seeing in the workplace is that customers want real-time information and job updates,” says Mark Ward, general manager of Ward Electric, No. 339. “While this is possible, it presents challenges” .
As a result, companies are looking to retool workplace leaders to embrace technology and focus on problem solving. Ward adds that the company’s adoption of new technology and increased workforce training has helped improve workplace productivity with “a focus on safety and quality.”
Wayne Brother Cos., ranked No. 182, says it has also invested in a robust training program to combat field manager burnout in their workplaces. “What we’ve found is if we can give them the skills and confidence to handle high-stress situations, so they experience less frustration and mental fatigue, which leads to less burnout,” says HR director Joel Riddle. He explains that the training includes monthly sessions on conflict resolution, stress management and Emotional Intelligence.
After showing positive reception at some of the company’s workplaces, Riddle says there are plans to roll out the program company-wide. The “unintended consequence” is that the program “creates a sense of purpose and engagement, further reducing attrition and decreasing turnover,” he adds.
Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group #312 says simply acknowledging employee burnout can go a long way. The company has found that having field leaders “home for vacations, company events and, more often, in general has helped minimize burnout,” says Paul Blanford, director of the maintenance division of ‘inspections. “We realize that extended travel is difficult for families and we do everything we can to recognize and mitigate this.”
Network management skills
Poynter president Joseph Lansdell says his success in managing burnout “stems from our company’s ability to maintain an open-door policy” throughout its growth. The open-door policy has given field leader Kyle Wilson insight into who needs breaks from travel and big projects, and additional on-site support,” Lansdell says. “While finding the right people for the right job is always a challenge, having open conversations between our field and the management team has allowed us to avoid unnecessary burnout where possible.”
The company also conducts two annual trainings to review and update management strategies, including technology adoption. “These are designed to provide valuable on-site tools for management, introduce new technologies and provide a broader view of the business,” says Lansdell. .
Craftsmen with Poynter assemble an industrial HVAC duct system at IU Health University Hospital in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.
Photo courtesy of Poynter
Communication and critical skills can be a challenge for field leaders in managing workplaces and teams, adds Congruex’s Christine Washington. Specialist contractor #58 offers a 12-month manager development program for high-potential front-line managers to develop the skills they need. lead high performance teams and projects. “Our curriculum includes topics such as emotional intelligence, time management and other modules that develop management skills and healthy habits for dealing with stress to help prevent burnout,” she says.A similar approach is benefiting workplace leaders at National Construction Enterprises Inc., says CEO Pino Mancina. “Management training, dispute resolution and the provision of additional field supervision have stretched the workplace leaders a bit,” he says. “This is a necessity because the complexities of the projects require it [them] spend several hours each day in coordination meetings.” The specialty contractor is ranked No. 146 on ENR’s Top 600 list.
Changing expectations
Baker Construction Enterprises CEO Karl H. Watson Jr. says he’s investing heavily in all aspects of the company’s talent pipeline to train workers in the areas where they’re needed most. In fact, this has changed the way the company hires to focus more on potential.
“We are expanding our internship programs and offering job shadowing opportunities for high school students. We’re also putting more resources into developing those new to the workforce and those with more experience,” he says. “This fall, we started rolling out what we call the Five Tours program, which exposes new colleagues to work in all aspects of our business. We are also expanding ours [field] leadership training programs to provide more structure and support for those willing to take on greater responsibility. Programs like these reinforce our emphasis that the next best move isn’t always on the way; sometimes it’s lateral.”
For Associated Construction and Engineering, “a happy worker is a productive worker,” says burnout-related President and CEO Larry Wombles. “Find work to keep them close to home close to family.”
He says the company’s “big hurdle” has become talent poaching, noting that “others are increasingly bidding to hire talent they can’t find, train and retain.”
The top 600 companies say addressing burnout and related challenges illustrates how employers can show they care and help retain talent. “Burnout is a real problem,” says BMWC President and CEO Chris Buckman. “The industries we work in are under pressure to deliver their facilities faster than ever before, and that pressure is transmitted to our employees. Fortunately, our field construction supervisors and the entire BMWC team are motivated to deliver projects on time”.
Buckman attributes the company’s success to a focus on providing “safe and reliable solutions to the most complex construction projects.” The specialist company ranks 72nd on the top 600 list. “We have fatigue management policies that ensure our team can have time off during extended work hours,” he says. “We understand the importance of recharging your battery and try to enable that time to the maximum.”
