Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Projects
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The construction industry employs 3.1 million workers in the United Kingdom and has been heavily impacted by COVID-19 in a way that will be seen in the months and years to come. To mitigate the impact and drive the recovery of the construction and built environment sectors, a strategy has been developed by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).
Titled Roadmap to Recovery, it gives a detailed description of the steps required to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on companies like R&M Bespoke Living Spaces and others that specialise in bespoke interior design, bespoke joinery, and even building project management.
Reduced Workload Post-COVID-19
On 17 June, CLC published the results of the cross-industry People Survey carried out by Build UK on behalf of them. The survey was carried out at the start of the month and provided a snapshot of the effects of reduced workload on the construction workforce post-COVID-19.
The report’s key results provided valuable information for the implementation of the Roadmap to Recovery, which was designed to restart, reset, and reinvent the industry over the next two years.
In terms of employment, the survey found that 32% of direct employees are currently furloughed and a 7.7% reduction in the number of directly employees across the industry by September was anticipated.
Considering the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the building works industry, 43% of respondents anticipated making redundancies with up to 20% of their workforce being affected. A 26.7% reduction in the number of self-employed and agency workers by September was also expected.
The anticipated reduction in workforce was highest among material suppliers at 14.8%, while developers saw a 12.5% reduction and contractors saw an 11.4% reduction.
The survey also looked at the future pipeline of talent and the impact of COVID-19 on the number of apprenticeships and graduate programmes. It found that 43% of apprentices are currently furloughed and 6.7% are likely to lose their jobs by September.
Only 21% of the respondents had a graduate scheme and a 32% fall in the overall number of graduate places available at the next intake is anticipated.
“Ensuring the industry has the skills it requires now and, in the future, will be key to its success, and the People Survey collected data on current training needs to help prioritise the limited funding and resources available,” the report on the survey states.
It adds that 87% of respondents provide training for their workforce while 49% of those expect to provide that training online over the next three months. Training providers are anticipating that 56% of their courses will be provided online by September but 2/3 of training providers are optimistic that face-to-face training will have resumed by September.
The survey also found that health and safety was identified as a training need by 61%, while leadership was identified by 33%, and technology as well as people management by 32%. Of interest to any building project management company would be the fact that 20% identified project management as a current training need.
Actions to Consider
A building works or building project management company that has been affected by COVID-19 and anticipates the effects outlined in the People Survey carried out by Build UK should definitely consider the actions they can take to mitigate the impact of the global pandemic.
The Roadmap to Recovery is a detailed strategy that takes into account the unique needs and requirements of the construction industry in the UK. Companies like R&M Bespoke Living Spaces, which are known for their bespoke interior design and bespoke furniture design, will benefit greatly by studying the document published by the CLC.
Under the restart phase, which is from one to three months, building works companies must restart work on all projects and programmes, increasing them to the highest level possible consistent with Government guidance. They must also maximise employment of all those working in the industry and supply chain and minimise disruption due to contractual disputes.
The reset phase, from three to 12 months, looks at demand and pipeline, productivity, and professionalism, while the reinvent phase beyond 12 months looks at transformation, value, and partnership. The three phases outline the different actions to be taken by construction companies.
Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Projects
The construction industry employs 3.1 million workers in the United Kingdom and has been heavily impacted by COVID-19 in a way that will be seen in the months and years to come. To mitigate the impact and drive the recovery of the construction and built environment sectors, a strategy has been developed by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).
Titled Roadmap to Recovery, it gives a detailed description of the steps required to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on companies like R&M Bespoke Living Spaces and others that specialise in bespoke interior design, bespoke joinery, and even building project management.
Reduced Workload Post-COVID-19
On 17 June, CLC published the results of the cross-industry People Survey carried out by Build UK on behalf of them. The survey was carried out at the start of the month and provided a snapshot of the effects of reduced workload on the construction workforce post-COVID-19.
The report’s key results provided valuable information for the implementation of the Roadmap to Recovery, which was designed to restart, reset, and reinvent the industry over the next two years.
In terms of employment, the survey found that 32% of direct employees are currently furloughed and a 7.7% reduction in the number of directly employees across the industry by September was anticipated.
Considering the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the building works industry, 43% of respondents anticipated making redundancies with up to 20% of their workforce being affected. A 26.7% reduction in the number of self-employed and agency workers by September was also expected.
The anticipated reduction in workforce was highest among material suppliers at 14.8%, while developers saw a 12.5% reduction and contractors saw an 11.4% reduction.
The survey also looked at the future pipeline of talent and the impact of COVID-19 on the number of apprenticeships and graduate programmes. It found that 43% of apprentices are currently furloughed and 6.7% are likely to lose their jobs by September.
Only 21% of the respondents had a graduate scheme and a 32% fall in the overall number of graduate places available at the next intake is anticipated.
“Ensuring the industry has the skills it requires now and, in the future, will be key to its success, and the People Survey collected data on current training needs to help prioritise the limited funding and resources available,” the report on the survey states.
It adds that 87% of respondents provide training for their workforce while 49% of those expect to provide that training online over the next three months. Training providers are anticipating that 56% of their courses will be provided online by September but 2/3 of training providers are optimistic that face-to-face training will have resumed by September.
The survey also found that health and safety was identified as a training need by 61%, while leadership was identified by 33%, and technology as well as people management by 32%. Of interest to any building project management company would be the fact that 20% identified project management as a current training need.
Actions to Consider
A building works or building project management company that has been affected by COVID-19 and anticipates the effects outlined in the People Survey carried out by Build UK should definitely consider the actions they can take to mitigate the impact of the global pandemic.
The Roadmap to Recovery is a detailed strategy that takes into account the unique needs and requirements of the construction industry in the UK. Companies like R&M Bespoke Living Spaces, which are known for their bespoke interior design and bespoke furniture design, will benefit greatly by studying the document published by the CLC.
Under the restart phase, which is from one to three months, building works companies must restart work on all projects and programmes, increasing them to the highest level possible consistent with Government guidance. They must also maximise employment of all those working in the industry and supply chain and minimise disruption due to contractual disputes.
The reset phase, from three to 12 months, looks at demand and pipeline, productivity, and professionalism, while the reinvent phase beyond 12 months looks at transformation, value, and partnership. The three phases outline the different actions to be taken by construction companies.
