Three months into 2020, the World Health Organization formally declared COVID-19 a pandemic, igniting a firestorm of global uncertainty and plunging the lives and livelihoods of individuals around the world into a crisis still unfolding two years later.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the construction sector, an industry historically sensitive to economic cycles and downturns. With most projects declared essential at the onset of the pandemic, construction contractors and companies had to contend with numerous operational challenges, including supply chain disruption, schedule delays, workforce reduction and decreases in productivity due to the implementation of new on-site health and safety measures – not to mention delays in acquiring permits, unavailability of financing and significant cash flow shortages.
This is not the first time economic instability has had a negative impact on the construction industry; in fact, construction was one of the hardest hit industries during the Great Recession of 2008. Amid the global financial crisis that resulted in the loss of over 350,000 construction and manufacturing jobs in Canada alone, McKinsey Managing Partner Ian Davis posited, "for some organizations, long-term survival is the only agenda item. Others are peering through the fog of uncertainty, thinking about how to position themselves once the crisis has passed and things return to normal." While this statement was made over a decade ago, Davis’ words still ring true today. It is becomingly abundantly clear that businesses across all sectors, including the construction industry, are facing a dramatic restructuring of operations and priorities in the "new normal" emerging out of the ashes of the pandemic.
Almost 24 months into this "new normal," many construction organizations have already established a multitude of plans pertaining to business continuity, employee health, and safety and emergency management. However, as executive teams and owners focus on returning their businesses to operational health, their most important resource – employees – often feel overlooked compared to revenues and profit margins. Drastic and dramatic changes in the workplace and worksites, including shutdowns and furloughs, have taken a toll on the productivity and mental health of workers industry wide. In the uncertain, chaotic and constantly evolving conditions produced by the pandemic, it is imperative to prioritize the implementation of timely, accurate and transparent employee communication plans and processes to ensure the health and happiness of employees, in addition to the company’s bottom line.
When formulating a plan for effective employee communications, three important factors need to be taken into consideration.
Read entire article the Spring/Summer 2022 edition of The Generals published by the OGCA