Technological advancements are transforming how construction projects are planned, managed, and executed. While these advancements open a world of possibilities, their impact cannot be maximized if your workforce isn’t adopting them.

You could invest in state-of-the-art project management tools, cloud-based software, and automated equipment, but if your people lack the skills to utilize these tools to their full potential, you cannot reap the full benefits of your investment.

So, how can you maximize the impact and ROI of your technology investments? By prioritizing employee training and skill development.

Maximizing Technology Investments Through Training

Forty-three percent of contractors surveyed in the 2024 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook reported that their top IT challenge is finding the time to implement and train on new technology. While balancing daily responsibilities with learning a new system can be difficult, this process is essential for successful technology adoption.

If employees don’t know how to effectively use a technology, then they are less likely to use it. Training should be integrated into the technology implementation process, ensuring that employees gain hands-on experience and become proficient in the new system before they are expected to make a switch. This enables them to utilize the new system confidently and helps ensure that your businesses can realize all the benefits of your technology investment.  

Incorporating Training into Your Business DNA

Training and skill development shouldn't only be prioritized when new solutions are implemented. They should become a continuous part of business operations. Here are a few ways you can embed training into your company culture:

1. Offer On-Demand Training
   While initial technology training provides a solid foundation, on-demand training should be available to all employees to ensure that they can continuously refine their skills. This is valuable in providing quick refreshers or helping workers explore additional features of the software at their own pace. Having these resources available on-demand can increase employee usage and engagement with new technology, helping to improve overall efficiency and job satisfaction.
    
2. Encourage Cross-Training
   Cross-training enables employees to expand their knowledge beyond their specific roles and delivers greater visibility across various functions. When employees have a better understanding of their peers’ roles it can foster a greater sense of collaboration and deeper understanding into how their work fits into broader business goals. Cross-training can also help minimize business disruptions. For example, if a payroll administrator is out on vacation, another team member can seamlessly step in to cover while they are out.
    
3. Foster Continuous Learning and Development
   Construction businesses should inform employees of available certification programs and continuous learning opportunities and incentivize them to participate and advance their skills. These programs not only deliver immediate benefits in software proficiency and skill development, but they set employees up for future growth. Such initiatives can also help foster a culture of growth within your company, leading to a more tech-savvy and adaptable workforce.

Prioritizing Employee Growth

In addition to operational benefits, skill development plays a pivotal role in employee retention and satisfaction. When employees are provided with opportunities for professional growth, they are more likely to stay engaged, loyal, and motivated. This can in turn result in higher productivity and better project outcomes.

It is also important to regularly check in with employees when it comes to their career goals. By providing the training and development employees need to achieve these goals as well as a clearly outlined career path, you can support employee retention and career progression.

Conclusion

Staying ahead of the ever-evolving construction landscape requires more than just adopting the latest technology. You must equip teams with the training and development they need to increase efficiency, improve job satisfaction, and prepare for future opportunities. Prioritizing workforce development can have a big impact on both individual employee growth as well as overall business outcomes. Developing a capable, confident, and continuously improving workforce will help put your business in the best position to succeed.