The lean movement is transforming businesses across industries. From marketing to manufacturing, companies are revolutionizing their processes by identifying and eliminating wasted resources.

Lean is about efficiency and, according to the Lean Construction Institute, the industry is in desperate need of an efficiency overall.

LCI reports that while labour efficiency has doubled since the 1960s, construction has failed to keep up. In the US, approximately 70% of construction projects are late and over-budget.

Enter lean construction. Lean construction is a form of project management that deals with supply-chain inefficiencies and aims to improve productivity by:

  • Streamlining planning & workflow to ensure that the project stays on track and on time
  • Optimizing project-level processes rather than individual tasks to reduce waste
  • Defining, communicating and delivering the value of the project to the customer
  • Ensuring a continuous flow of collaboration and communication
  • Decentralizing the decision-making process

Lean Results

Firms across North America are adopting lean construction practices, and statistics show that lean is proving indispensable for project success.

“High Lean intensity projects [are] three times more likely to complete ahead of schedule and two times more likely to complete under budget” says LCI, emphasizing the importance of early and frequent collaboration with stakeholders.

Roadblocks to Going Lean

But how can executives implement lean principles into their workflow to help manage daily challenges? The answer: technology. The right technology has the power to maximize results with fewer resources, making powerful tech a key element in lean strategies.

Take recruitment, for example. Talent shortages are inevitable, but you can make the most of the employees you do have with advanced collaboration tools and quick reporting software. You can also standardize your entire onboarding process so that you develop a consistent approach for retaining new talent.

The Lean Software Solution

The modern construction software industry is becoming more niche, more interconnected and more streamlined all the time, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by choice. The most important thing to remember: a solution built solely for your industry will most likely offer a “leaner” tool set. Construction-specific software is geared to solve every-day jobsite problems so that your team can get the job done in less time.

Want to make the most of what you have and prepare for the future? Read more about implementing lean efficiency into your business.