As we start to look beyond Lockdown and Government restrictions, many construction businesses will be sighing a note of relief. After all, the sector was one of the hardest to be hit by Covid-19. But there are positive key learnings that can be made from the pandemic, particularly how technology and IT Managed Services in construction helps drive success.

For some construction businesses, enhancing and updating their IT infrastructure was previously a slow and neglected process. With ambitious Government targets and tight deadlines, it was never top of the agenda. Many businesses did not realise the impact it could have.

But, when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, it soon became clear that digital transformation was key to ensuring the smooth running of operations. Technology became vital in supporting staff productivity, accelerating growth and most importantly, shaping the business for the future.

As we enter a post-Covid-19 era, the importance of digital transformation should not be forgotten. We outline our top tech tips on which technology to consider after lockdown ends.

Get flexible and agile

In a post-Covid-19 era, many office-based employees, who have become accustomed to working from home, will prefer hybrid working. Technology needs to reflect this new way of working, to ensure that employees can work from anywhere without issues.

Flexible connectivity solutions such as Cloud will be paramount to this, especially in construction, as the digital infrastructure hosts some or all of a business’ applications and resources in a cloud platform. The benefits of Cloud are many, but, in particular, it enables each employee to operate, share and access documents, from any device and location. For instance, a site manager out in the field can access plans on a portable tablet but an employee working in admin will find it easy to access the same document on a laptop working at home. This benefits each employees’ needs and requirements and especially supports a hybrid way of working.

It’s all about teamwork

The Covid-19 pandemic also highlighted that planners, architects and developers do not need to spend time and money travelling to building sites, to achieve results. Technology has evolved now to the point where virtual calling and video conferencing is just as productive as being on site in person. Video tools, such as Microsoft Teams, allows virtual meetings to be held with employees calling in from any location.

Most notably though, video conferencing tools enables contractors and managers to observe walk-through tours and see progress without being there in person. They can provide observations, offer advice and make recommendations, providing a greater probability of successfully completing each project on time and on budget.

Don’t get overwhelmed

In a post-Covid era, the number of build projects will start to increase, as social distancing guidelines are reduced, and more work can be undertaken. With each new location comes the need for reliable connectivity and tools. Whether it is basic broadband or Wi-Fi, it’s important to consider what IT tools are needed for each site.

It also needs to be considered that, with each new project and build, additional devices and increased traffic loads could overwhelm a network, if not managed correctly. An SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) solution is the next generation of WAN technology and can support cloud capabilities and the growing demand in project requirements. The solution provides an overlay to an existing network giving complete control and visibility regardless of where the traffic originates. It is vital in enabling construction businesses flex to new challenges, as project demand increases.

Get Fit for the Future with IT Managed Services for Construction

Technology and IT Managed Services for construction is always evolving and many businesses can fall behind if they are not kept abreast of these changes.

As a leading IT Managed Services provider for the construction industry, we work in partnership with businesses to provide a tailored recommendations and advice on the best IT solutions to meet growing demand, objectives, and strategies. We can also monitor and review an organisation’s IT infrastructure regularly, highlighting when an upgrade may be required.

There is no doubt that 2021 will see it greatest advancement of technology in business yet and by ensuring that the right technology solutions are in place, business owners and CIOs can ensure that they have a successful IT infrastructure. This will ensure productivity for site and office workers, save time and costs, and ultimately, help projects be completed on time to a high standard.

If you would like to speak to us about helping your business get fit for the future, sign up for a free consultation today by clicking here.