Construction is Hard: Presented by RIVET

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This special episode features the construction Workforce Management Champions group, an incredible group of electrical and mechanical contractors partnering with RIVET. The group discusses project managers and their role in labor management, succession, what keeps them up at night and how to make a case for Workforce Management for other contractors to consider.

Hosts Brian Witt and Gary Fuchs from RIVET are joined by: Workforce Manager Andrew Aker from Interstates, Director of Construction Kyle Sutter from Westphal & Co., Vice President Technology Steven Drouin from Interstate Electrical Services, President Kevin Michel from Xcel Mechanical Systems, and CEO Ryan Meitl from RIVET.

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Brian and Gary discuss adopting Workforce Management transformation among construction contractors and the importance of team buy-in, with new co-host Dustin Acker, RIVET Implementation Manager.

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The Hot Seat is a burden disguised as a promotion. Some shops call it Director of Field Force. Others, Superintendent. Regardless of the name, it’s a tough job. How long can you ride the lightning before burning out?

It doesn’t have to be this way. Becoming the company firefighter isn't something you'll just have to accept because, well, construction is hard. Hopping from job site to job site to job site fixing labor problems doesn't have to be the norm.

"A little fire prevention helps. The fires aren't roaring up everywhere you look because you're doing a better job managing. That alleviates the burden on that individual quite a bit." – Gary Fuchs

A Workforce Management platform can help prevent losing your most experienced employees to extreme stress. This week, Brian Witt and Gary Fuchs offer their insights on one of the most exhausting jobs for a contractor.

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Building your own Workforce Management platform is expensive. On top of that, makeshift scheduling tools can’t withstand the test of time and will leave you in a lurch when they inevitably fail. Your people will find the limitations of your software far faster than you expect.  It’s a lot harder than it might seem too, because writing spreadsheet macros doesn't necessarily translate to building and maintaining a piece of software. This week's episode takes a deep dive on the hidden hardships of building your own WFM tool.

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Let’s talk about Superintendents. Who are they, and what do they do? This episode is dedicated to the hardworking people in this mission-critical role that are notoriously burdened by administrative tasks and outdated tools to do their job. 

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The devil is in the details. This episode of Construction is Hard takes a look at the perils of runaway detailing budgets.

You probably know a Two Week Thomas. Ask him how much longer he’s on a project, and he’ll always give the same answer: Two weeks.

“He becomes the guy in the trailer and he's doing all kinds of things. He's emptying the garbage, you know, he's keeping the copier full of paper. He's sweeping the floors.

He's doing everything, right? He’s running out in the field to answer field questions. He has no real incentive to come off the job. They need him there. He knows he's needed there.”

He’s sinking your detailing budget.

This season is all about "lumps of coal," AKA actionable insights that can lead to better business outcomes. For more about Two Week Thomas and life before AutoCAD, listen to the latest episode of Construction is Hard.

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We continue our chat with Toby Mitchell from Classic Electric & Consulting about tech adoption for contractors. They dive into how software companies are perceived and how important it is to ensure contractors are the right fit for adopting a tool — or it results in a “failed marriage.” 

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Season 2 is here, and this time we brought a friend! Hosts Brian Witt and Gary Fuchs are joined by Toby Mitchell, president of Classic Electric & Consulting. Toby shares insights from his paper, providing a simplified guideline and a starting point for contractors who need a roadmap to make confident decisions when adopting new technology. 

Visit www.constructionishard.com to read the full article or to listen to more episodes.

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In the season one finale, Brian & Gary go deep on R.O.I. — return on investment. When you marry Workforce Management principles with a tool fit to the task, you open doors to achieving profits and efficiencies that couldn’t have possibly existed before. 

Learn the differences between Hard R.O.I. and Soft R.O.I., and how changing up your reporting style can make everyone’s life easier.

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You’ve implemented the six pillars of Workforce Management. Now what? Sticking to it with a Workforce Management platform, ensuring strict processes and guardrails are in place across the organization to keep things running smoothly. Join Brian & Gary for a conversation all about Discipline. 

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