Construction superintendents have an important job. From upper-level management to field crews, you have a lot of people (with very different needs) to keep happy. You also have to track and coordinate everything on the jobsite.
Want to know if you’d make a good superintendent? Here are five traits that you’ll need.
1. You have good writing and communication skills
Good construction superintendents are able to communicate well with everyone on their team. That means explaining all site duties and protocols to field workers and making sure they get the assistance they need. You should also be fluent enough with industry terminology to report on technical issues and developments from the jobsite.
Effective communication goes a long way on the jobsite. When more people are kept in the loop, you get better results from everyone working. Attaching photos and notes to daily reports is a great way to improve visibility to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Not sure what a good daily report looks like? Check out our construction daily report example.
2. You walk the walk—especially when it comes to safety
To excel in the construction industry, you need to prioritize safety on the jobsite. Superintendents are responsible for educating workers on proper safety protocols, which means you have to be an expert in the field yourself.
Good superintendents lead by example. By following the same protocols as your workers, they’ll be more inclined to adhere to the safety guidelines. That means less jobsite incidents and higher compliance.
3. You do your research before starting a new project
The best construction supervisors are always excited for new projects, but they come prepared every time. Before starting work at a new construction site, you’ll need to:
Visit the jobsite.
Identify any potential hazards or risks.
Line up a safety training program.
Get all the necessary permits.
You should also address any questions or concerns your crew may have. The best work is done when your workers are comfortable and safe on the jobsite.
4. You delegate tasks and empower your team
As a site supervisor, you can’t be everywhere at once. Delegating tasks to other workers will help you keep projects on track, and improve productivity.
Sharing the responsibilities will also help you build trust among your team. With more collaboration, your crews will feel empowered to share ways to improve projects. An effective supervisor implements good ideas, without sacrificing safety or industry standards.
5. You use construction software to manage your projects
There are a lot of construction management apps out there, but they’re not all equally effective. Different apps help you with different workflows, like daily reports, labor management, communication, or production tracking. Some are better than others for specific needs, though.
Raken prioritizes all of these things so you have what you need to improve operations on the jobsite. We even have a mobile app so that workers can enter reports and safety observations directly from the jobsite.
Managing your projects with construction software can vastly improve your documentation. With better field data, you can take your projects to the next level. Shifting away from paperwork will save you time and money in the long run, too.
Try Raken’s digital field tools for free
Streamlining your field workflows is easy with Raken. From daily reports to production tracking to budget management, you can do it all on the go.