PTC260S Sept Assessment Reading Comprehension PDF

lOMoARcPSD|14051491 PTC260S Sept Assessment Reading Comprehension Professional & Technical Communication (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) Scan to open on Studocu Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or univ...

lOMoARcPSD|14051491 PTC260S Sept Assessment Reading Comprehension Professional & Technical Communication (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) Scan to open on Studocu Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by SP NDWANDWA ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|14051491 According to authors David Maxfield and Joseph Genny in a 2017 Harvard Business Review study of 1153 employees, 64% of remote employees felt that their office-based colleagues made changes to the project without communicating. Across different industries around the world, there are 2.7 billion workers - including those in the construction industry - who don’t work at a desk. And they don’t always feel consulted and included. Further, according to a study by FMI Corp in 2018, the construction industry is out of pocket to the tune of $177 billion every year because of miscommunication with the high costs attributed to the time that it takes to find important project information and conflict resolution. 1. The nature of construction means that employees often work remotely, far away from the corporate headquarters. Construction workers aren’t like office employees - they don’t have computers in front of them all day long where they can access the corporate intranet or receive emails. Workers on-site may have little-to-no contact at all with anyone from head office. Instead, they rely on their immediate supervisors for information. 2. When internal communication is ineffective in the construction industry, problems can arise that can result in major problems and delays on projects. This includes: Job dissatisfaction when employees are disengaged Higher staff turnover High absenteeism rates Downloaded by SP NDWANDWA ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|14051491 More workplace injuries A lack of clarity around issues on site Employees not understanding project and/or company goals, and so not meeting expectations Potential for legal issues to arise. 3. Working with these constraints and issues may be challenging, but proactively addressing them can have significant benefits for your company. Better communication will result in better construction project management - whether it’s a large project or a small one, it is critical that everyone is on the same page. Construction sites can have hundreds of employees working on them at any time, across a range of skill sets. Some of them may work for the company, some may be contractors or subcontractors. Not only can “information silos” develop, but the nature of this type of work can mean that silos develop within silos. 4. When communications with employees falls to managers on-site, there can be mixed outcomes. Someone may be an excellent engineer or builder, but it doesn’t mean they are naturally good communicators. Keeping everyone on the work site informed about issues and priorities can be the most challenging aspect of communication in the construction industry - especially when everyone there is remote from head office, on the frontline. Additional problems can arise when someone at corporate headquarters is making requests of staff on the ground that don’t accurately reflect what is happening at the job site because they are so removed from it. This can result in mistakes if they are working off outdated information or don’t completely understand local issues or can waste lots of time as employees on-site need to clarify 20 information give and temper expectations. 5. Construction sites are dangerous places. According to the International Labour Organization, when it comes to workplace accidents every year, the construction industry has a disproportionately higher rate. There are many factors involved in ensuring safety on the work site, but communication is one of the most critical elements. A study in 2019 by Dynamic Signal found 36% of employees had been placed in an unsafe situation as a result of poor communication in the construction industry. Good communication can help you to establish a workplace culture of health and safety awareness, ensure that potential hazards are identified and shared with employees quickly, and clear instructions are given so that safety procedures can be followed. 6. In the construction industry, information that needs to be shared with employees by its very nature may be highly technical and complex. Other times the language used may be full of jargon or misused terms. Plans and diagrams need to be clear. When information is too complicated and too dense, people tend not to read everything and important advice can be lost. Traditional communications may overlook workers on-site who have an important role to play to in project success. Intranet and email may be Downloaded by SP NDWANDWA ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|14051491 accessed only very occasionally by on-site employees - or maybe even not at all. This can lead to misinformation, missing information, or delays in information being conveyed. And when you’re relying on site managers to communicate with their people, it depends on how good individual managers are at communicating. On many sites, there are regular site meetings where information is shared and priorities are outlined. These may not always be effective, though. Common issues that can arise are: bored and disinterested staff who aren’t listening, people who don’t understand something but are afraid to ask questions, there’s no opportunity given to ask questions, there are personal conflicts that make it hard for people to speak up about issues. 7. The construction industry is an increasingly multicultural one. It’s not uncommon to find people from a variety of different cultural backgrounds working together on the same site. Language and cultural nuances can be a real problem in any workplace where this occurs. Even if employees speak a common language, there is scope for miscommunication as facts become lost in translation. It’s also possible to inadvertently cause offence. 8. Bad communication can spell disaster for your company when the stakes are high on expensive projects. Regardless of how big or small your projects are, ensuring that your internal communication processes are prioritised can lead to more favorable outcomes. Your construction projects are the result of significant financial or time investments, often on behalf of clients. It isn’t worth risking them, or the health and safety of your employees, because of ineffective communication. Committing to improving the way you communicate with on-site workers will help to deliver better outcomes for everyone. Adapted from (Construction Communication: Full Guide For Managers | DeskAlerts (alert- software.com) Caroline Duncan-Oct 15, 2020 Downloaded by SP NDWANDWA ([email protected])