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Construction resource management – 101 guide

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Benefits of Construction Resource Management

Construction is a tough business, due to all the variables that occur from the inception of the project all the way to the end when the last payment is received.  Trying to keep track of it all can be overwhelming, which is why many companies choose to have construction resource management in place.  Those who work within this team are responsible for being prepared for any issues that arise at any time during the project.  Some of those issues may include the weather, price changes, hiring temporary workers, and safety compliance.
Everyone within construction resource management needs to be organized, capable of making quick decisions, and excellent at communicating with everyone involved with the project.  Of course, as they are doing all this, they are attempting to keep the current project on time and on budget without ever cutting corners on quality.
Here are 3 situations where construction resource management is helpful for companies:

  1. Availability of Resources

A construction resource manager can make sure that the proper resources are available when they are needed.  They can even ensure that the amount of money that is being spent on all those resources is reasonable.  While it is always impossible to be completely accurate on budgets months ahead of schedule, construction resource management can actually help keep companies more on track.

Construction resource managers can keep track of where each resource is and point out when items need to be changed due to the fact that a piece of equipment cannot be in two different locations at one time.  These managers can also spot errors that include part time contractors scheduled to work eight-hour days seven days in a row, which is not possible.  It is all these small details that normally go unnoticed that construction resource managers are trained to spot and solve prior to them becoming problematic.

  1. Diversify the Resources

Training and retraining employees can cost a company lots of time and money, which is why construction resource managers always try to diversify their resources.  This will include hiring full-time employees that can work on a current job, as well as numerous jobs in the future.  Part-timers can also fill those same roles in a more limited capacity, while being able to be called upon when a company has extra work available.  Those part-timers can also be turned into full-time positions for short amounts of time if necessary and the worker agrees to the new work schedule.

Enhancing the skill levels of employees is another way that construction resource managers diversify their resources.  For example, only having one employee that knows how to sheet rock is never a good idea.  If that employee gets injured or sick, the entire project could be on hold until another employee is found.  However, by allowing numerous people to be trained for the same position, a worker can be called in immediately to continue the job.  This also allows workers to expand on their knowledge and grow within the company they are working with.

  1. Ensure that Machinery Maintenance is Completed Regularly, and Safety Standards are Met

Saving money is the number one goal amongst construction companies, but that doesn’t mean that the safety of the workers should ever be compromised.  Construction resource managers can make sure that the proper individuals are in charge of maintaining the machines that are being used.  The managers are also responsible for making sure that each machine has received the proper certification if necessary or that it isn’t used if it has any safety issues.

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Most construction resource managers will invest the money in having their machinery serviced as well, so they can guarantee that everything is working properly and that employees will be safe when using them.

Companies who utilize construction resource management teams notice plenty of benefits.  A few of these benefits include:

  • Improved Accountability – Construction resource managers can easily find missing tools or equipment because they know who had it last.
  • Improved Productivity – Managers can utilize the resources that they have to make sure that all equipment and tools are where they need to be when they are needed. This ensures that employees are not waiting around for what they need or searching for it before they can get started.
  • Improved Maintenance – Construction resource managers keep track of the maintenance of all the equipment, therefore they are the people that will know when something is due for inspection or certification.
  • Improved Profits – Since construction resource managers keep track of everything from workers to equipment and tools, they can improve the profits of a company. There will be fewer interruptions during the project, and less downtime means less money spent.

Not every company has deemed it necessary to hire construction resource management teams, but after seeing these benefits they will understand that it can help improve their bottom line.