The COVID-19 effect on construction in the US will not be fully understood for some time, as even the immediate effects vary across the country. In some states, construction has been unaffected, others halted all together or only projects deemed essential were permitted to continue, but even then, definitions of essential varied. And in the areas where all or essential construction continued, there were significant impacts on schedule and productivity.
During the first few weeks of stay-at-home orders, many major projects across the US found installation productivity fell dramatically as adjustments were made to accommodate new work requirements. There were immediate effects from manpower fluctuations due to absenteeism from fear of exposure, separation and spacing requirements, jobsite transportation issues, daily temperature and health screenings that delay the start of work, the need for separate walkways or one-way stairways challenged onsite mobilization, and strict sanitization requirements affected even the smallest task. All things considered, it simply takes longer to do the same work today as it did two months ago.
So where do we go from here? My recommendation is to be transparent with everyone (associates, customers, suppliers), understanding there will be a need for adjustments to processes, new solutions, and an increased focus on maximizing productivity will be more important than ever. In short, adapt and innovate.
Have you engaged your customers about what they are thinking? In addition to expected changes in construction, a company's use of their current space may need immediate changes in access to power and data for new working environments. You should be having those conversations now and come back to them with solutions before the return to facilities.
Lean on suppliers to make you aware of the things that offer fast deployment and offer productivity gains to meet new requirements too. Contractors who have not already mastered prefab and offsite construction manufacturing will need to accelerate their adoption of the practices. Offsite environments offer more control of cleanliness, hygiene and spacing as well as safety and quality. Bringing systems to sites that are ready to be put in place will enable better control in an environment where fewer people will be required to do more.
Of course, the business implications affect all of us. Will the urbanization trend reverse, creating chaos in planning and building? It’s too early to know. But we also need to consider the medical and human implications too. Until there is a vaccine or herd immunity, the COVID-19 threat will stay with us and the fear of illness will continue to affect productivity and absenteeism. The psychological effects of the quarantine, shutdown, economic impacts and the loss of family, friends, co-workers and loved ones will not be fully realized for some time. These things will create new and unknown challenges.
But there is a sense of comradery, even a strength in figuring it out together, and we must be “all-in” together to solve problems, increase productivity, stay profitable and meet our customers’ needs. Stay vigilant, safe and be well.
*Install productivity is the amount of work installed per hour working directly on a task. This does not include the time consumed by screenings, transportation issues, material issues, cleaning, hygiene and sanitization.
About Steve Killius
Steve Killius serves as the Vice President of Contractor Industry Affairs and Programs for Legrand North and Central Americas, Electrical Wiring Systems Division. Killius manages outreach to the electrical contractor community, providing support to and through industry associations, foundations and electrical apprenticeship programs in the US. For more information on Legrand’s productivity-enhancing solutions visit, www.legrand.us.
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