Simultaneous Replacement of Subcontractors
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the day I first set foot on a construction site.
The worksite at the company I joined was a place where rough-looking guys wearing sunglasses went about their work with an intimidating attitude. Well, back then, that was partly considered just part of the culture of a construction company.
However, over the past few years, the atmosphere at the company's construction sites has improved significantly.The reason was that the company replaced all of its subcontractors at once.
In this article, I’d like to explain the circumstances that led our company to make such a bold decision.
Subcontractors Who Become Arrogant Due to a Shortage of Construction Workers
At my company's construction site, the site supervisor and the workers were constantly at odds.
Because of the nature of a site supervisor’s job—which often involves being overly strict about safety—and because the workers resented having to relay the client’s detailed instructions to them, the workers inevitably came to detest the site supervisor.
He was so deeply disliked that he would even go home without cleaning up construction materials and other items at the site, and it was clear that he was cutting corners on his work.
If I even tried to point that out, the foremen would start nitpicking, and the workers would refuse to do their jobs properly, making excuses like, “It’s because the foreman’s planning is poor.”
The working conditions back then were absolutely terrible…
At that time, there were very few construction companies, and especially in rural areas, there was a persistent shortage of contractors even when construction projects were available.
Given this background, the general contractor’s site supervisors found themselves in a situation where, even if a subcontractor was ill-mannered, they had to bite their tongues and go along with what the subcontractor said—otherwise, the construction work simply wouldn’t move forward.
For that reason, the presence of arrogant subcontractors was viewed as a problem even within the company.
One day, the company took a firm stance
One day, out of the blue,The company suddenly began the process of re-selecting its subcontractors.。
A mid-level executive from the company inspected each job site, rigorously checking the working conditions and work attitudes, and then—in a bold move—personally informed a subcontractor with poor conduct that “once the current project is completed, we will not be placing any future orders with you.”
To be honest, this really surprised me. If the number of subcontractors decreases, it would naturally be tough on the company. However, without giving that a second thought, the company cut ties with all the arrogant subcontractors.
Actually, these days,Subcontractors’ shoddy workmanship became a problem, and there was a constant stream of complaints from clients due to the resulting decline in quality.。
In response to this, the company"If the quality doesn't satisfy the client, it's as if the work wasn't done at all."It seems they came to this conclusion, so in order to improve quality, they decided to cut ties with their current subcontractors and set out to select contractors who would do meticulous work—even if it meant facing difficult circumstances.
Choices Necessary for the Company's Survival
As it turned out, that decision was the right one.
When it became clear that the company wouldn’t be placing any more orders with them, it seems that even the arrogant subcontractor ended up apologizing to the site supervisor—but by then, it was already too late.
Although things were tough at first when we switched subcontractors, it was a different story once we became a first-tier subcontractor for a local construction company. We found a replacement contractor right away.
Of course, he’s very diligent at work and is able to communicate effectively.As a result, the company’s high quality was recognized, and its name became more widely known.
――What did those of you working in the construction industry think when you heard this story?
Are you perhaps taking on construction projects with unreasonable demands just to secure work? Also, are you putting up with clients or contractors who make unreasonable demands simply for the sake of short-term profit?
It’s true that the construction industry today may be so tough that companies can’t survive unless they do things like that. However, if that’s the only kind of work they can land, then perhaps their direction is fundamentally wrong.
If you're struggling because of your current situation, sometimes you need the courage to take a stand and turn down a job you don't like.
I read your post. That’s great that your company’s upper management was understanding and able to make that decision. I’m really envious. (My company is a manufacturer in the countryside, but we outsource all our manufacturing to a single, poorly run local subcontractor with which we have no capital ties, and we’re completely at their mercy. Half the staff are foreigners, and among the Japanese employees, many either didn’t attend high school or graduated from or dropped out of a local “F-rank” school, so it’s hard to communicate with them in Japanese.) The executives at my company have teamed up with the upper management of that incompetent subcontractor to bully their own subordinates.