When people look for future employers or organizations they’ll work with on a major project, they research carefully. A brand’s principles communicate what matters to leadership teams, but they shouldn’t remain words on a website. Read about the leading values construction companies should emulate on-site to showcase how their ethical priorities translate into action.
Why Values Matter on Construction Sites
Construction sites always have some level of risk due to the nature of the work. In 2022, 2.8 million workplace injuries occurred, but the construction industry doesn’t have to contribute to that figure significantly. When leadership teams prioritize their values through safety and efficiency upgrades on work sites, they make every project safer.
Brand principles also protect the work at hand. If everyone feels welcomed, communicates efficiently and trusts each other, they’ll stay on task effectively. It all comes down to the values motivating leaders in daily operations.
How to Define Your Company Values
Every business should have a core set of values. They inform consumers and employees about what they can expect when working with the enterprise, so consider things like:
- The guiding principles
- The long-term goals
- The standards for site safety
- The top qualities setting it apart from competitors
These ethics should be easily available on your website and wherever employees spend the most time. It reminds everyone why they chose to work with or for that organization. It also showcases what’s behind the leadership decisions, improving its on-site culture.
Core Values Construction Sites Should Emulate
These are some of the top values construction companies can emulate on-site to make their employees feel safer, welcomed and supported. Turning them into actionable steps will help it stand out amongst local competitors, fostering greater long-term success.
1. Safety
Construction teams don’t always prioritize safety measures long term. They might feel pressured to speed up their work, skipping protocols to save time. They could also only have outdated equipment that needs repairs, but the repairs never happen.
Every crew must emulate safety standards in everyday work on active sites. Layton Construction motivates its team members to do this by giving an annual award to the team that most consistently and effectively prioritized safety strategies on complex projects. Company-wide recognition boosts team morale, and motivates people at all levels to participate in and enforce safety efforts.
Those in leadership positions should personally ensure everyone is completing steps like machinery inspections or safety protocol reviews. People appreciate feeling valued and protected when team leaders demonstrate their commitment to a safe work environment.
2. Integrity
Integrity is another way to say your organization has strong moral values. It requires consistent action to uphold those standards through daily operational actions or procedures.
If a new hire faces repercussions for breaking a rule but someone higher up than them doesn’t, it communicates a broken system of morality in the workplace. Everyone should be held accountable for the sake of ethics rather than letting harmful actions slide due to who did them or the related profitability.
Integrity also means treating each team member equally. Puckett Machinery’s integrity specifies this powerful value by further outlining how leadership manages conflict fairly throughout the business. People don’t avoid responsibility due to their job title, making it a more trustworthy place for everyone employed there.
3. Diversity
The construction sector has historically underrepresented many demographics in its workforce. It’s crucial that any enterprise prioritizing diversity also allows it to thrive throughout the business. Marand Builders does this by maintaining a 50% diversity rate in its workforce while improving the 30% diversity rate in its supplier list. Considering both aspects transforms this value into an active commitment rather than an eventual promise.
People of all races, genders, religions and backgrounds should have safe access to ongoing work. For example, leadership that routinely keeps women in the workforce away from labor-intensive responsibilities is working against the values they supposedly hold. Diversity training may shed light on these habits to help every staff member feel welcome on-site.
Striving for values like diversity makes your brand more reputable. Local residents know you care about finding talent in anyone and employ people without unconscious biases. Research shows the majority of consumers want to support those prioritizing diversity of all kinds. It’s a great way to make this value actionable and impress potential clients.
4. Inclusivity
Inclusion is similar to diversity, but it focuses on including a workplace’s diverse demographics through action. The leadership team at Lueder Construction helps its diverse workforce rise through the company ladder with inclusive promotions and ongoing leadership training opportunities. It provides an upward mobility that’s necessary for maintaining diversity long term.
Accessibility audits are another great resource for double-checking this essential value beyond workforce demographics. The audit will point out potential accessibility issues leadership can fix quickly so every employee can do their work safely.
Site upgrades might include signs with multiple translations to accommodate staff who speak languages other than English. Brighter lights and braille on-site signage would assist those with vision impairments.
A key part of making an inclusive construction site is remembering to learn from people’s needs. Leadership teams could request recurring feedback from all staff members to see what’s working and what could improve. It’s an easy way to demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity while turning your ethics into actionable steps.
5. Communication
People can only stay safe and excel at their jobs if they get the information they need to thrive. Communication should be one of the top values construction companies emulate on-site. Safety briefings at the beginning of each shift would remind everyone how to protect themselves and their co-workers. Updated communication software or tools like radios also prevent miscommunication.
These efforts may seem small, but they affect all aspects of a construction firm. When everyone communicates better, workers stay safe and clients feel more included in their project progress. The brand becomes more reliable, leading to greater professional success.
Communication opens another possibility. If your enterprise prioritizes continuing education, a mentorship program like JE Dunn’s could also make sites more communicative. The brand mentors industry newcomers on sites and hires them after each person graduates the mentorship program.
As the mentees learn how sites function, existing employees benefit by listening to the lessons that refresh their knowledge. They can also participate in the mentoring, boosting team communication by ensuring everyone’s sticking with operational procedures.
Put Company Ethics Into Action
Construction companies should emulate their values on-site with ideas like these. First, define what matters most to your business. Afterward, you can strategize actionable steps for each value and make them happen daily at any active site. Employees and consumers appreciate these efforts because they make construction brands more trustworthy and welcoming.