How To Get Site Teams to Use New Software

It is a fact of life in construction that a proportion of your workforce will be unfamiliar with digital tools and may not have the training or ability to use them properly. However, you don’t need a workforce comprised of IT experts. You just need people to be comfortable using the technology.

That means you can aim to upskill a reasonable amount without committing to an overwhelming training programme which may put people off and harm adoption of the new software.

Key to bringing your team along and getting real buy-in is starting small. There is no need to introduce every single software feature at the same time. Start with a single feature which is simple to understand and has clear benefits.

For example, you could implement standardised site inspections with a clear, easy sign off process; or you could start everyone off by assigning tasks via their devices, then asking them to send pictures back when the work is complete.

At all stages, it’s important to emphasise how using software benefits your team. They need to understand why it’s important for them to learn and use the technology so that they are motivated to do so of their own accord.

If you can demonstrate how you are saving people time, reducing their administration burden or making their existing tasks easier to complete, it will go a long way to increasing adoption. Creating a positive mindset is just as important as practical skills.

When introducing software to site teams, you should provide consistent training and learning time. They need space to get used to the new software, try it out and ask questions. If you try and rush it, or provide inadequate explanation, you are creating the conditions for confusion or apathy towards the new tools.

This should include proactively reaching out to your team on a regular basis to find out how the software is working for them in real-life conditions. Taking their experiences on board and using them to refine your practices is a key way to improve adoption and make the tools work as efficiently as possible.

Finally, the senior team and supervisors should always lead by example. The conduct and work ethic of the people in charge sets the tone for the whole site. That’s nothing new and applies in all areas of construction – including technology.

You need your supervisors to be champions of the new software who actively preach its benefits to your site teams. Embedding digital tools as part of your company culture from the top down leaves no room for misunderstandings or doubt about whether your site team should adopt it.