My earlier article Construction Industry: Talent Management Primer I highlighted on certain issues that are so critical for the growth, stability and maturity of the industry. Let me give you an inside view of the industry (as close as it can get).
The industry is actually disorganized. There's not much of effort that goes in doing something that I one may appreciate. Let me analyze that for you. In this industry all that matters is:
1) Amount of concreting done per day
2) Number of labors in the site (augment when client is around)
3) Do not sort out any labor issues, including the licenses
4) Ensure that the production should happen without fail and ensure that if the batching plant is suppose to give 60 MQ per hour (One can get around 45 at the best) show the production and charge the client. You know client billing / subcontractor billing
5) All labor colonies are always in shits and shambles
6) Mess facility offered to the engineers and supervisors are pathetic
7) No one speaks to the Project Manager as he has iron hands and can do any damage
8) Don't care about quality and project delays, money will be made through litigations, arbitrations and insurance
9) Entertain key client contracts and never furnish a proper MIS
10) Allow people to get closer to a ring and then allow the ones who are really close to do things that justifies
11) A junior engineer and a senior engineer and construction manager’s salary are almost at par at times
12) Mechanical is the most unlooked after department
13) Machine maintenance only happens for books and fuel. (You know what I am referring to)
14) No regular updates to the senior management to the client
15) Accidents are a norm. Always buy low quality gears
16) Compromise if it is necessary to avoid the axe
17) Hiring of engineers: Almost all junior engineers are jokes, they are there because they are required for client contracts
18) Gross violations of labor laws and other administrative laws
19) One who is doing well always gets the backseat
20) The only person who makes sense in this industry who can take all the shit and can make money for himself/herself (though this gender is rarity)
21) It's not at all man's world. It's a money making world by compromising
And there are many more.
This all stems from poor practices that have been carried out for decades. Most of these companies are family owned and they have no clue about what needs to be done. They just don't care.
This needs to stop. The companies needs to pull there socks back. This are hard times and hard times one cannot get away by doing any thing. It's the time the companies need to put in practice that can take them to a level higher.
More on that later.
PS: Get the HR guys! That's the only way one can solve this issues.
PPS: Doing business properly can still fetch/make money
