Delegation in construction: how to do it right

Delegation is a key skill for residential contractors. It allows you to distribute tasks and responsibilities among your team members and grow your business. Sounds simple, right? Letting go of responsibilities can be hard.

Delegation is easier said than done, especially when skilled labor is hard to find. That’s why we’ve put together this ultimate guide to help business owners and residential builders improve their delegation skills for their businesses.

What is Delegation?

Delegation is the act of assigning specific tasks and responsibilities to different people within a construction project team. It means giving team members the authority and responsibility to do certain things to help the project succeed.

But delegation is more than just handing off tasks. Successful delegation requires:

• Knowing Team Strengths: Understanding the skills, expertise and roles of each team member so tasks are assigned to the right people.
• Clear Communication: Giving clear instructions and expectations so there’s no confusion.
• Trust and Empowerment: Trusting team members to do the task well will boost their confidence and performance.
• Follow-Up and Support: Checking in and supporting when needed to ensure tasks get done.

Delegation in Construction

In the busy and complex world of construction, delegation is important for:

• Time Management: Business owners have multiple hats to wear. Delegation gives them time to focus on planning and business growth.
• Expertise Utilization: Team members have specialized skills that can be used more effectively when tasks are delegated correctly.
• Employee Development: Delegation gives team members the opportunity to develop new skills and advance their career.
• Risk Reduction: By spreading the load, the business reduces the risk of being too dependent on one person.

Delegation Benefits for Construction Projects

By sharing the load across your team, your business will experience many benefits including improved efficiency, better team dynamics and better project outcomes.

How Delegation Improves Efficiency

1. Resource Allocation

Delegation balances your team’s workload, reduces burnout and increases productivity. When tasks are assigned to each team member according to their capacity and skills, projects run smoother. No one team member is overwhelmed so the work environment is healthier and overall performance is better.

2. Work Overlaps

Without delegation, confusion and duplication of work can occur. Multiple team members can work on the same task without knowing it, wasting time and resources. Delegation reduces miscommunication and overlapping work by defining who does what.

3. Quality Control

Delegating tasks gives more time for quality inspections and control. Project managers can focus on the overall project quality and if any issues arise they can be addressed quickly. This means better outcomes and happier clients.

4. Scalability

Delegation enables your business to take on bigger and more complex projects. By giving your team the ability to do tasks independently you can manage multiple projects at once and support overall growth and expansion. In a competitive industry where bigger projects can make a big difference to your bottom line, this is key.

5. Risk Management

Focusing on safety and compliance reduces your business’s exposure to accidents, disputes and legal liabilities. Delegation allows you to assign someone to monitor safety protocols and regulatory compliance and reduce the risk. Proactively managing these reduces your business’s reputation and financial risk.

6. Strategic Initiatives

Delegation gives business owners time to focus on higher-level tasks like:

• Project Planning: Planning for current and future projects.
• Process Improvements: Identifying and fixing inefficiencies.
• Recruitment: Attracting and retaining top talent.
• Staying up to date with Industry Trends: Keeping up with new technologies, materials and methods to stay competitive.

How Delegation Builds Up Your Team

1. Morale

Giving your team the ability to do big tasks builds trust and confidence. When employees feel their input is valued, it creates a positive work environment. This can lead to increased motivation, job satisfaction and team cohesion.

2. Coordination

Giving tasks to the right people improves productivity and communication between office staff and site staff. Clear roles and responsibilities means smoother project workflows and better relationships between all stakeholders. Less delays and errors means projects get completed.

3. Retention

Delegation can lead to higher job satisfaction, which means higher employee retention. Employees who feel trusted and valued are more likely to stay with the business long term, reducing turnover costs and continuity on projects. A stable workforce means consistent quality and efficiency.

Delegation Challenges and How to Overcome Them

While the benefits of delegation are obvious, many construction business owners struggle to implement delegation.

1. Can’t Let Go

Business owners feel no one can do certain tasks as well as they can. To overcome this, you need to build trust in your team and understand delegation is key to growth.

Solution: Start by delegating small tasks and gradually increase responsibility as trust builds. Provide training and resources so your team is ready.

2. Lack of Clear Communication

Miscommunication can occur if expectations aren’t clear.

Solution: Provide detailed instructions, set clear goals and open lines of communication. Encourage team members to ask questions and provide feedback.

3. Not Monitoring

Delegation doesn’t equate to giving up responsibility. Without adequate oversight, task may not be completed as anticipated. 

Solution: Have regular check-ins and progress reports so you can stay informed and offer support when needed.

4. Overwhelming Staff

Solution: Check each team members workload before assigning new tasks. Delegation should be balanced and manageable.

Delegation Tips for Your Construction Team

Delegation can transform your business. Here are some practical tips to delegate within your team.

1. Use Project Management Tools to Succeed

Many construction owners struggle with delegation because they don’t have tools that allow their team to access, track and manage project information.

With Bolster’s platform everyone can:

• Access Project Documentation: Centralised storage means all team members have the latest information.
• Communicate: Built in messaging and notification systems keep everyone informed.
• Monitor Milestones: Track in real time and adjust plans as needed.
  
  

So you won’t have to redo work that’s been delegated and you’ll have peace of mind knowing tasks are getting done efficiently.

Consider investing in construction management software like Bolster that has all these features and is mobile so your team can stay connected wherever they are.

Bolster’s Features:

• Real-Time Collaboration: Team members can collaborate on documents and plans at the same time.
• Customization: Tailor the platform to your business processes.
• Integration: Integrate with other tools and software you use for seamless operation.
• Security: Protect sensitive information with robust security features.

2. Action Plans, Project Goals, Accountability

Clear communication with your team is as important as with clients and subcontractors. When delegating tasks be clear about:

• Expectations: What does success look like for each task.
• Timelines: Set realistic deadlines and milestones.
• Desired Outcomes: Explain why the task is important and how it fits into the bigger picture.

This clarity eliminates confusion around responsibilities and deadlines. It also gives team members ownership.

Having Regular Meetings

While things will go wrong, having a transparent forum for accountability means you can identify and fix issues quickly. Having regular meetings can:

• Daily Huddles: Short meetings to align on daily priorities.
• Weekly Reviews: Review against weekly goals.
• Monthly Strategy Sessions: Review long-term goals and adjust.
  
  These meetings encourage open communication and collaborative problem-solving.
  
  

3. Monitor Against Milestones

Accountability means tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) for success. Delegating tasks should give you more time to focus on measuring and reporting those KPIs.

Construction KPIs

• Downtime Percentages: Measure efficiency and identify bottlenecks.
• Supply Delivery Rates: Ensure materials are available when needed.
• Rework Costs: Measure costs due to errors or changes.
• Income per Labor Hour: Measure profitability against labor costs.
• Incident Rates: Measure safety incidents to improve processes.

Reviewing project documentation and financial reports regularly will give you an understanding of cash flow and profit margins to inform future project decisions and contract negotiations.

Tracking KPIs with Bolster

Bolster’s platform can help you track these KPIs by:

• Real Time Data: Get live project metrics.
• Reports: Customise reports to focus on the KPIs that matter to your business.
• Trends: Analyse historical data.

4. Invest in Training

Your team needs continuous training. The more skilled your team, the more responsibilities they can take on and career growth opportunities.

Types of Training

• Role-Based Training: Training for project managers, office staff, designers, and salespeople.
• Technical Workshops: Hands-on training for construction crews on new equipment or techniques.
• Software Training: Make sure all team members are trained on tools like Bolster.

Why Invest in Training

• Better Skills: Improves quality and efficiency of work.
• Employee Satisfaction: Shows you care about employee growth, this boosts morale.
• Adaptability: Prepares your team for new challenges and technologies.

Training with Bolster

Bolster offers training resources to help your team get the most out of the platform including:

• Webinars: Live sessions on various features and best practices.
• Tutorials: Step-by-step guides on specific functions.
• Customer Support: Access to experts who can answer questions and help.
  
  
  

5. Encourage Feedback and Improvement

Collect Feedback

• Surveys: Collect input on processes and tools regularly.
• Suggestion Boxes: Allow anonymous submissions for feedback.
• Open-Door Policy: Encourage direct communication with leadership.

Act on Feedback

• Acknowledge Suggestions: Thank the staff for feedback and input. 
• Implement Changes: Make changes based on good feedback.
• Communicate Updates: Tell the team about changes and how their feedback contributed.

6. Celebrate Success

Recognizing your team’s efforts and achievements will boost morale and motivation.

Recognize Team Members

• Public Recognition: Mention in meetings or company communications..
• Incentives: Bonuses, gifts, or extra time off.
• Career Development Opportunities: Opportunities for advancement or specialist training.

Benefits of Recognition

• Higher Engagement: Employees feel valued and are more into their work.
• Better Performance: Recognition can drive excellence.
• Better Team Dynamics: Creates a positive and supportive work environment.

Delegating Better with Bolster

Construction owners can delegate better with Bolster’s platform, which has features to help with task management and delegation.

Bolster Features

Task Assignment

• Clear Delegation: Assign to specific team members or subcontractors.
• Responsibility Tracking: Who is responsible for each task and progress?
• Prioritization: Set task priorities to focus on areas that need the most attention.

Document Sharing

• Centralized Storage: Store all project documents in one place.
• Version Control: Team members get the latest documents.
• Access Control: Who can view or edit documents.

Deadline Setting

• Milestone Planning: Set project milestones and deadlines.
• Automated Reminders: Get notifications as deadlines approach.
• Flexible Scheduling: Update timelines as needed.

Mobile

• On-the-go: Use the Bolster app to stay connected anywhere.
• Real-time updates: Get notifications as project changes happen.
• Offline: Access important info even without internet.

Communication

• Messaging: Message team members within the platform.
• Notifications: Get task updates and project changes.
• Commenting: Leave notes on tasks or documents for clarification.

Financials

• Budget Tracking: See expenses vs budget in real-time.
• Expense tracking: Log expenses as they happen to keep records up to date.
• Payment Management: Manage invoices and payments to suppliers and subcontractors.

Collaboration

• Team Collaboration: Collaborate with team members and stakeholders.
• Shared Calendars: Sync calendars and deadlines across the team.
• Integrated Workflows: Align tasks and processes.

Reporting and Insights

• Custom Reports: Get reports to suit you.
• Data Visualisation: See data in charts and graphs.
• Performance Metrics: Measure team and project performance.

Delegating with Bolster

By using Bolster, construction owners can have a system for task assignment, monitoring and communication. This means:

• Better Project Management: Stay on top of everything without getting overwhelmed.
• Improved Collaboration: Teamwork and clear communication with team members and stakeholders.
• More Efficiency: Simplify processes and eliminate duplication.
• Better Decision Making: Real-time data to make informed decisions.

Delegation is key to construction management. By understanding delegation and overcoming common obstacles, construction business owners can:

• Be More Efficient: Utilise resources and reduce bottlenecks.
• Build Better Teams: Build trust, boost morale, and maintain retention.
• Grow Their Business: Free up time to focus on strategic initiatives and growth.

Tools like Bolster help with delegation. By having a platform for task management, communication, and collaboration Bolster allows construction leaders to delegate with ease.

Ready to change your delegation process and grow your construction business? Learn more about how Bolster can help you get the right balance of task ownership and delegation within your team.

Contact us today to book a demo and discover how Bolster can streamline your operations, improve team collaboration, and drive your business success.