Is non-regular employment better suited for telework?
The spread of the novel coronavirus is having a significant impact on employment. Since the second half of 2020, there has been a marked increase in media reports of companies offering voluntary retirement programs, and there are also many news stories about non-regular employees having their employment contracts terminated or not renewed.
Some believe the number may increase even further this year, and it appears that some companies have already begun implementing voluntary retirement programs.
This trend is likely relevant to the construction industry as well. While there is still plenty of work available right now, and the labor shortage hasn’t been resolved, it’s possible that, depending on the location or the nature of the work, there might actually be a surplus of workers in some cases.
Personally, I haven’t heard anything like that yet, and I occasionally get messages from a classmate who runs a small-to-medium-sized construction company in the countryside asking, “When are you going to come work for us?” Even in times like these, there’s no shortage of companies recruiting for positions such as temporary civil engineering construction managers, design engineers, and CAD operators. It’s hard to believe we’re in a recession; in fact, it even makes me feel like the boom is still going strong.
Lately, many people have been working remotely. In particular, it seems that more and more companies are having their non-regular employees work remotely. I currently work as a non-regular employee at a certain construction consulting firm, and partly because my job involves a lot of desk work, I’ve been working remotely more often. In the latter half of December last year, I worked entirely from home, to the point where I couldn’t even manage to exchange year-end greetings.
Even if I work on-site, I think I could work remotely about once a week.
I know a construction management engineer who works as a temp. Since he spends most of his time on-site, he doesn’t do it very often, but apparently he still works remotely a few times a month.
Of course, he goes out to the job site to check on progress and ensure safety, but there are also quite a few days when he does desk work to prepare documents. Since desk work can be done remotely—and in line with the client company’s policy—he reportedly works remotely about once a week.
When it comes to preparing documents or drawing simple diagrams, he actually seems to get more work done at home, and he said, “I’m grateful for the days I can work remotely. I can really focus on the paperwork.”
Admittedly, it seems difficult to switch on-site work to remote work, but they say that document-related tasks—such as preparing on-site inspection reports and plans, or creating and revising drawings—can be handled perfectly well remotely.
In addition, that company has implemented a chat tool and appears to be using a video conferencing system as well; it seems they use these tools to communicate whenever they have questions.
Is it impossible to manage a worksite while working remotely?
So, is it really impossible to manage a construction site while working remotely?
According to an acquaintance I spoke with earlier, he said, “With a little ingenuity, wouldn’t it be possible?” It seems to be a topic of conversation at the office as well; while they can’t shift all administrative tasks to remote work, they’re saying that, depending on how it’s done, it might be feasible.
Apparently, they’re discussing ideas such as installing cameras at the construction site so that progress can be monitored from home, or having staff and foremen on-site wear cameras attached to their hard hats.
Furthermore, during on-site inspections, a minimum number of personnel can be assigned, and the supervising engineer or site representative can handle matters remotely using a webcam. For the client as well, there is no need to make a special trip to the site; matters can be handled using web conferencing systems and the like. In fact, we’ve heard that some construction sites are already doing this.
Of course, adhering to the rules that must be followed is a given. If the regulations require a supervising engineer to be present on-site for inspections, then that requirement must be met. While complying with the rules, it would be best to explore new ways of working—such as telework—to the extent possible. After all, the novel coronavirus may continue to spread.
Furthermore, there will likely continue to be people who choose to work in non-regular employment, and their numbers may even increase. It cannot be denied that the construction industry is, in part, supported by these individuals. Won’t there continue to be a need to create an environment where they can work with peace of mind?
