Connected Construction: building a digital workspace for the future

Bricks and mortar will always be essential components of the construction industry. But in our increasingly digitised world, the most successful construction companies will be those that also build connectivity into their workplaces and enable employees to do their job effectively on the go. 

A digital workplace helps to streamline collaboration and communication across your business. So, whether you’re speaking to one of your onsite specialists on Teams or providing a financial update across multiple markets, employees need different digital tools to do their job effectively.

The building blocks of the future

Recent research from Gartner indicates that cloud technology will be the primary driver of business innovation by 2025 An adaptive digital workplace which is accessible at any time, on any device, and from anywhere in the world is now a crucial factor for any successful building site.

However, many construction companies need to catch up when it comes to adopting new tech solutions. With few integrated and industry-specific software options to choose from, almost a third of construction companies suffer from a lack of digital integration. Not only is this a security risk, but it also inhibits progress. In a recent survey, more than half (55%) of construction businesses said they do not employ an IT specialist. From a digital workspace view, this is starving teams of collaboration tools and preventing success.

Moving away from a paper based workforce

The construction business heavily relies on analogue systems, from work plans to time sheets. At a site level, admin and paperwork can take up almost half of a construction worker's week. The need to streamline and unify teams is becoming a necessity, not just a nice to have for modern businesses.

Another critical area to focus on is information flow control across construction businesses. With multiple projects running simultaneously, traditional project management software can be rigid and inefficient. Each business requires a unique set of tools, so it is essential to move away from traditional desktop-access applications to an “information anywhere” approach for employees.

What is Workspace 365?

We bring you in one place what’s relevant to you, uniting all your applications, and information in one personalised digital workplace.

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Driving efficiencies and connecting construction sites

By increasing efficiency throughout the organisation, business leaders can mitigate common human errors and prevent teams from sharing and working from out-of-date information. Adaptive digital workplace software can unite apps and documents into one Single Sign-On solution, which makes siloed, disparately stored information a thing of the past.

Adopting a digital workspace can be a more manageable option for many construction companies than a full-scale digital transformation. A digital workplace enables connected construction via 5G networks, making data safe and secure whilst also easily searchable. Documents can be stored in a single location in a digital workplace, so rather than hunting around in local drives, they can be found in an instant.

Easily accessible and reliable data is the cornerstone of a connected construction site. When employees are working across several locations, it’s vital that they can access data via digital technology such as 5G-enabled devices. Tools, equipment, and modelling results must be available in real-time dashboards – showing the project's status in real time. The ease of access empowers team leaders to deliver work plans and confidently meet their ambitions.

Steps for future success

It’s thought that by 2029, the global cloud computing market will be worth $376bn. Much of this market value can be linked to the efficiencies cloud computing drives in businesses. In construction, cost savings driven by efficiencies are a huge opportunity. The companies that adopt this digital technology first are likely to be the ones who thrive in the future.

Introducing a digital workspace, which brings web, apps, and documents together in one streamlined portal, is a reliable solution that can meet the needs of many different users. These workplace solutions can also reduce IT infrastructure costs. Data from Workspace365 suggests that by providing centralised information, these solutions can save employees up to 60 minutes per day. Crucially, by saving employees time and effort, more focus can be placed on delivering on-site client success.