Drivers for change

The construction industry is being exhorted to change its ways. This has been going on for some time, but it seems that the calls to improve are growing stronger. The Best Practice programme recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, and was also rechristened Constructing Excellence – which will combine Rethinking Construction and Construction Best Practice.

The combination of these bodies gives Constructing Excellence greater weight and should result in a more focused approach to creating a more efficient construction industry. The vision from government is that the UK will have a world-beating construction industry. And as the our biggest client, they have a vested interest in seeing that happen.

The new head of Constructing Excellence, Professor Dennis Lenard said on his appointment: "The intention is to work closely with the strategic forum to accelerate change and create sustainable construction businesses throughout the entire supply chain and across the whole sector. Fundamentally, we will provide a framework for UK construction organisations of all sizes to emerge as world leaders."

Do we want to change?
This is all very well, but there seems to be a strong resistance to change in the construction industry. Why does this sector want to hang on to doing things the same old way? Our current state of affairs isn't particularly healthy.

If we go back to the Rethinking Construction report, it's an important reminder of why government wants to see radical change. The report said: "The construction industry's main clients take the view that the UK construction industry does not deliver consistent quality and value for money. Too often the performance of the industry is unreliable, projects run neither to time nor budget and too much effort and resource is invested in making good defects, premature repair and replacement and in litigation."

So those at the top want to make UK construction the epitome of effectiveness, quality and profitablity. Is there any sign that those on the ground feel the same way? The answer is clearly, yes, there are organisations who don't view change as a threat, but see it as a way of strengthening their business. The Movement for Innovation programme highlighted many demonstration projects where the results of better working were amazing and resulted in an average rise of 10% in profitability for those involved.

Resistance is futile
Other reports also highlight the benefits of better working methods. As far back as 1997 BSRIA produced a report in which its researchers showed that key building services elements could be installed in less than 10% of conventionally accepted time frames.

The report made four recommendations for improvement: monitor processes and eliminate delays; innovate and improve the quality of products; pre-assemble as much as possible; and increase the rate of building by collaborating with others and aiming to be right first time.

These suggestions seem simple – and they have appeared time and again in other reports on improving construction – but they require a fundamental change in attitude at all levels of the industry. The barriers to change are high. Analysis of process is a rarity, so no one really knows where the problems originate. We are a cost driven industry and there is little incentive to collaborate with others in the supply chain. And the cost of improving is still seen as too high.

But continued resistance to change will be futile. Legislation such as Part L and the government's targets on C0₂ reduction require buildings to be more airtight and more energy efficient. It's impossible to achieve these objectives if current wasteful processes continue.

It's an old business adage that there are companies that make things happen, and those that wonder what happened. Unless you're embracing change, you may not be around for very much longer.

If you want to learn about new ways of working and managing change in your organisation, come along to BSj's Workshop on 11 March 2004. For more details see page 57 of this issue or call Marilyn Dent on 020 7560 4193.