PlanRadar Highlights The Need For Civil Firms To Put People At The Heart Of Digital Strategies

The past 18 months have been transformational in many ways. Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing safety legislation, and a squeeze on profit margins have been a catalyst for change, thereby leading to significant investments in new software.

It’s also put the spotlight on productivity and efficiency. According to ONS figures, productivity levels in construction have remained consistently below the UK average, until more recently.

New digital strategy

However, civil engineering is well placed to make adjustments, having consistently been the most productive sub-industry within the sector.

But, if a new digital strategy is to truly take hold and be embraced by its workforce, then it’s essential to be aware of common barriers to success – and how to overcome them. Matt Ryan, the UK Country Manager at PlanRadar, explains.

Supporting not replacing staff

For some, the news of incoming innovation can raise questions around job security

For some, the news of incoming innovation can raise questions around job security – will they eventually be replaced, will they need to get tech-savvy or even retrain? Yet, it’s simple to see where so many go wrong and it’s about tackling this human, culture-driven factor head-on. Here, communication is critical and it’s about talking to the workforce and pinpointing where uncertainty or apprehension might lie, before a full roll-out begins.

Take the time to show how each business area can improve and develop specific examples of how it will help and not hinder their day-to-day functions. Importantly, staff will want to know how it can benefit them directly. They’ll want to know that their voices are heard.

Train with the experts

It’s likely that in some cases, workers who have made their way through the ranks are more familiar with an analog approach and the idea of working with tech tools daily is a worrying prospect. But, as it is known, it needn’t be painful – most modern con-tech tools have been explicitly designed with that functionality in mind, using existing hardware, such as phones or tablets for ease of use.

Asking the supplier or provider to train the workforce directly will help deliver the best results and increase the likelihood of full adoption. It’s vital to retain patience and compassion, during this process, as inevitably, speeds at which people learn vary, no matter how user-friendly the tech may be.

Ambassadors to spearhead change

‘Ambassadors’ or dedicated teams responsible for pushing the use of new tech within organizations can also drive success. Staffs then have ‘go-to’ contacts for queries, thus maintaining momentum.

This was seen in practice with Geoffrey Robinson Ltd, which has 220 staff. It successfully used a specialist team to coach staff and ensured they had access to the latest plans, forms, documents and other necessary information.

A phased approach

Having a plan to roll out a new digital strategy can prevent headaches further down the line

Having a plan to roll out a new digital strategy can prevent headaches further down the line. If springing new technology onto a busy workforce without proper prep, it won’t go well, so use time-based project management.

There is proof of this in practice. National Highways in its ‘Digital Roads 2025’ strategy is doing just that. Splitting into three core themes, ‘Design and Construction’, ‘Digital Operations’ and ‘Digital Customers’, the strategy plans to revolutionize its working practices through digital means, in order to reduce the need for time consuming and costly on-site inspections, prevent unnecessary delays and reduce emissions generated by roadworks.

The ongoing process

Finally, this is not a single, one-off moment; implementing new tech is ongoing. Once the technology is in play, take time to review it and ask for honest feedback from users, in order to find out where the sticking points are.

Work with the supplier to iron out any issues – because after all, everyone wants to achieve maximum value.