Hello, everyone.
This is Enta.
The other day,"Who's More Important: Managers or Craftsmen?"
So, about that,
I was talking to someone.
The point was that there's a director who's abnormally bossy, lol.
So, apparently that supervisor is the type who just gives orders and doesn't do anything himself. (He even has some of the workers handle parts of the construction management.)
On top of that, it seems they’re constantly harping on the craftsmen’s mistakes, so the atmosphere on site is terrible.
However, since the site supervisor naturally controls the money (the budget), the workers have no way to argue with him. (They believe he has the authority to make final decisions.)
In that sense, people tend to think of the director as being in a higher position.
However, on the other hand, without skilled workers, construction simply cannot move forward.
It seems that, especially these days, there are more and more skilled workers who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work. (Skilled worker shortage)
They try to intimidate me by saying, “You couldn’t get any work done without me, could you?” (Like demanding higher rates.) (Even though they don’t trust me as an individual.)
When the site supervisor is told that, there’s nothing they can do about it, so they just have to put up with it. (It’s happened to me, too, lol.)
These days, it seems like there’s a trend of viewing artisans as great.
There's absolutely no trust between them; their only connection is money.
So, that just makes the whole "Who's better?" debate even more of an issue, lol.
But in reality, they're the same thing.
Rankings aside, everyone is on equal footing.That's it.
It's even written in the government agency's specifications.
A contract between the buyer and seller that is reasonable and on an equal footingIt says so.
Technically, we're equals! lol Technically!!
Even if you think the supervisor is in charge, the site representative is acting on behalf of the contractor’s director. He is, after all, merely a representative.
Supervisors generally don't have the authority to decide how much the company pays subcontractors. (It would be a bit of a hassle if they did, lol.)
If you have a supervisor like that, ask a higher-up at the company to resolve the issue.
A director like that is actually a liability to the company. After all, they’re treating valuable craftsmen poorly and using them for their own personal purposes!
As for whether the craftsmen at construction companies are great—it’s true that their numbers are declining, but they’re certainly not gone!
If you look hard enough, you’re bound to find a contractor who’ll help you. When you think about it that way, there’s nothing particularly great about being a craftsman.
You should cut ties with any contractor who tries to intimidate you as soon as possible.
I understand this very well because I've been in both situations.
I'm leaning a little toward the director's side here, lol
However, if I notice anything unusual while working as a craftsman, I’ll let the supervisor know.
If the director doesn't understand that, we'll discuss it with him and his superiors. (And, of course, the money.)
We'll be holding discussions to move the project forward.
(Work on-site has never actually stopped, but there have been plenty of times when a landslide happened right in the middle of a meeting and brought everything to a halt, lol.)
If I were a craftsman, I’d probably be the kind who speaks his mind, lol. I’ve got way more experience than most foremen out there!
However, we’ve never had a falling out, nor have we ever argued about who’s superior or inferior.
I think that's because we both understand each other's perspectives.
Respect each other.
This is what matters, isn't it?
Respect means showing deference
When you show respect to both the director and the crew, it makes it easier for everyone to work together.
It’s often the case that the craftsman is older and the supervisor is younger, but I still show respect to the younger supervisor.
They’re the young talents who will lead the industry in the future! We want them to study hard so they can take on the responsibility of leading the industry.
The young director shows respect for the veterans who have carried the industry on their shoulders all this time.
That way, the older craftsmen will be happy to do their work.
That's all there is to it.
On the job site, there is no distinction between those in positions of authority and those who are not.
On a construction site, the site supervisor and the workers are a true team!
It’s an industry that cannot survive without either of them.
See you later.
P.S.: At NEXCO, there’s a clear distinction between those in high positions and those who aren’t.
After NEXCO comes the NEXCO-commissioned construction management engineer, right? That sounds so pretentious, lol.
The construction supervisor working for NEXCO seems to have such a tough job—I really feel sorry for him!
