Employee engagement is a goal every business strives to achieve and maintain, with various degrees of success. The main issue seems to be that the term “engagement” may mean one thing to the employer and another to employees, so let’s explain a bit here first.

Engagement does not equal happiness and satisfaction. An employee may be satisfied working a 9-5 schedule and getting a good salary without wishing for any additional challenge. The opposite is also often the case for people with different preferences.

Engagement is paramount for employee motivation and directly affects their performance. In simplest terms, when an employee’s goals and vision coincide with the business, engagement is a given. An engaged employee will always experience business success as their own, as they know all too well how much hard work they have put up with to make the result happen.

Basically, when an employee shares the same vision as the company, their motivation will surge. On top of that, it is important to remember that engaged employees enjoy sharing ideas and cooperating with their colleagues, so you should make that happen.

While businesses typically advertise an inclusive environment as the solution to this issue (and every other, besides), we’d argue that new tech is what frontline employees need.

It’s rather alarming to see how far behind frontline teams are in this regard, as opposed to remote teams and office workers.

Drive Engagement From Day One: Provide Proper Onboarding Training

Onboarding training is a must for every company, as it is only to be expected that new and transfer hires aren’t familiar with company ideas, goals, vision, and mission.

Needless to say, you should communicate these clearly and ensure that employees understand what is expected of them and how to achieve it.

The business model as we know it today is rapidly changing. Your workforce may range from seasoned workers to expats working overseas for the first time. That’s why it’s crucial to properly explain everything so that everyone is on the same page.

Finally, include them in the whole process. Ask them for ideas and input and demonstrate a determination to follow through by implementing the best of ideas. After all, business growth is only possible through a joint effort of everyone, so why not start by including everyone from day one?

Engaging Frontline Employees

Certain roles are easier to integrate than others. It is often the case that remote teams achieve high engagement levels and communicate more efficiently simply because they are used to remote work and working with people from around the globe.

When it comes to frontline employees, the task is more challenging, firstly because construction projects are complex and take more time compared to, say, SEO efforts and secondly, because not all frontline workers are used to innovation.

Field Service Management Trends

Needless to say, the use of new tech is a must because not only will it make field service projects easier for everyone involved, but it will also simplify the steps that can be simplified.

Here are some current trends to help you get the idea:

•         Internet of Things for asset management
•         Cloud-based software for remote work
•         Artificial intelligence for business automation
•         Inventory management software for supply chains

Other trends may also come to mind, too, so keep an eye on the trends, especially in regard to job scheduling technology.

Field Service Management Software

Field management is a tough job with many smaller and bigger steps during any of which a lot can go wrong. To begin with, many people are involved in a construction project so the chance of someone making a mistake is high.

Luckily, technology is here to help. There are really all kinds of apps that will make things easier and help you with keeping track of literally all business processes and project development phases from start to finish.

A business consultancy firm specializing in business development can help you utilize these tools more effectively to streamline operations, optimize workflows, and ensure comprehensive oversight across various aspects of your company’s endeavors.

Here are some ideas on what you can use:

•         Field measurement software (the necessary features include task checklists, price estimation services, OHS checklists and JSAs, invoices (especially online invoice benefits), on-site card payments, and photo recording and uploading)
•         Project bidding apps (e.g. SmartBid)
•         Construction project management apps (e.g. Autodesk Build)
•         Construction time tracking apps (e.g. ClockShark )         
•         Interior and exterior visual data apps (e.g. DroneDeploy)
•         Construction safety apps (e.g. Safety Meeting)
•         Accounting apps (e.g. Sage 100 Contractor )
•         Tool tracking apps (e.g. ShareMyToolbox )
•         Fleet tracking apps (e.g. Fleetio)

Specific points of interest include technology for delivery drivers, construction technology, and top manufacturing tech.

Construction Project Checklists

As you can see, the simpler the complex construction phases can be, the more employees will get to actually do their jobs without having to waste time on unnecessary steps.

It is, therefore, crucial, to make use of construction project checklists as they deal with all 5 stages of the project:

Initiation

Assessment of the project followed by a request for proposal. Detail the following:

•         Whether you have sufficient time to go through with the project
•         Whether the quality of your services meets the client’s requirements
•         Whether you have sufficient resources available for the project

Planning

Initial planning of the project if the bid is won. May include drafts with details following immediately afterward.

Execution

The actual construction phase of the project. Include everything necessary to execute the project from start to finish.

Control

Detail how to best monitor the project’s progress. Include all ideas and steps necessary.

Closing

Finishing and delivering the project with all the perplexities, including payment and review. 

Provide Proper Training

With all these apps, it goes without saying that you must make an effort to provide proper training for your frontline employees. Do not expect that everyone will be familiar with even the most popular of tools regardless of their previous experience as trends do change all the time.

Proper training is essential, but it is no less important to allow your employees the time to go through the tools required on their own terms. Do not overload them with information as that is likely to create the opposite effect to engagement. That much, at least, should be clear to any seasoned manager.

Tech Edge: An Overview

There is more to employee engagement than meets the eye and nowhere is this fact more obvious than in case of frontline workers. It is only natural that it is so, if you think a bit about it, as these people come from different walks of life and need to cooperate with diametrically different co-workers.

There is also lots of management to deal with when it comes to construction work and employees may need extra time to get used to the apps and tools used.

Make sure to provide proper training and encourage communication. After all, employees who communicate well will always be able to brainstorm ideas even when a problem arises.