Editor: Contrary to popular belief, a recent report has shown that the UK construction industry has been among the best at digital adoption. However, this has started to grind to a halt as a quarter (28%) of businesses in the sector believe digital transformation is easy for them to achieve.

While most firms recognise the importance of implementing new digital infrastructure, there are a variety of sector-specific barriers as most projects require the involvement of multiple stakeholders each with their own systems and ways of working. In many cases, the financial and time commitment required to streamline the volume of processes and systems prevents wide-scale adoption programmes from getting off the ground.

Additionally, many construction businesses are still reliant on traditional processes and paper-based systems that lack efficiency and productivity. Also, workers in this sector may not have had the opportunity to maximise their skills within emerging digital technology and administrative processes. This means many firms may prefer to stick with what is familiar, despite these systems being time-consuming and often complicated.

It’s crucial for firms to take stock of where efficiencies can be made and understand the capabilities of their team members. Once this is understood, businesses should provide effective training to keep employees engaged and excited throughout the change journey.

Highlighting focus areas that are high impact but cost effective is a quick and easy way to receive an almost instant return on a digital change programme while slowly introducing new methods to team members. For decision-makers in the sector, combining these quick-win areas with an employee advocacy strategy can help to smooth any internal resistance and ensure the successful pick-up of new ways of working.

As the nation continues to digitise, it’s vital the construction sector isn’t left behind. A robust digital infrastructure will boost efficiency and competitiveness within the industry as stakeholders continue to implement digital solutions for their business needs.

Eman Al-Hillawi, chief executive, Entec Si

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