I work in civil engineering construction management, and I really feel that this job is tough. The larger the project budget, the more overwhelming the workload becomes.
So, what kinds of challenges do construction managers face on a daily basis? Let’s take a look at some of the most common concerns, ranging from the minor to the major.
Having Too Much or Not Enough Ready-Mix Concrete
I’m sure every young construction manager has struggled at least once with the problem of miscalculating the volume of ready-mix concrete. To be honest, I think this is something everyone goes through.
It’s a common mistake for anyone to simply miscalculate and place an order, resulting in a discrepancy in the amount of ready-mix concrete. However, even when measurements of dimensions and lengths are taken on-site and the calculations are correct, there are often cases where—for some reason—the ready-mix concrete runs short or there is a significant surplus, depending on the construction conditions.
Since the formwork is built by hand, there may be some dimensional variations; additionally, when pouring fresh concrete over materials such as cobblestones, the concrete may sink into the surface, resulting in a greater volume of concrete being required than expected.
People complain whether there’s too much or too little, but even when I calculate the amount based on the measurements and order that exact quantity, for some reason the ready-mix concrete volume never seems to match up. This is probably a problem that only those in management can truly understand.
"A little extra" is surprisingly difficult
This ties in with the first point, but when ordering ready-mix concrete, many companies likely consider it standard practice to order a quantity that’s 0.25 m³ more than the calculated amount. However, I generally make a point of ordering 0.5 m³ more.
Even if I’m given the same criticism, I think it’s clearly a better “failure” when there’s too much ready-mix concrete than when there isn’t enough.
In particular, when the schedule for later stages is tight, failing to pour the ready-mix concrete can throw the entire workflow off track, so I make a point of ordering a little extra here, even if it means having some left over. However, ordering too much will just get me in trouble, so getting that “slightly extra” amount right is surprisingly difficult.
The younger you are, the harder it is to communicate with craftsmen.
Since I’m still in my 30s, I’m seen as a junior construction manager on site. What kind of things happen when you have a young supervisor?
For example, let’s say a mid-level construction manager and I both gave the same instructions to the workers on site. When the mid-level manager speaks, the workers just say “Got it” without question and get to work, but when a junior like me gives the same instructions, the workers are sure to complain, saying things like, “That method is too difficult,” or “We can’t do the work unless you tell us the key points.”
Just because I'm young, people on the job site won't listen to me—sometimes they won't even give me the time of day, even when I'm saying the right thing. This kind of attitude is what I hate most about this industry.
The business literacy of people working on the front lines is far too low.
Especially on-site, I get the impression that there are a lot of people with low business literacy. Coming from a sales background, my first year in construction management was a real eye-opener.
As a sales representative who always made a point of dealing with clients honestly and with integrity, I found it utterly bizarre to witness subcontractor craftsmen casually hurling insults at the construction manager, who was their client. I don’t mean to blame the subcontractors, but shouldn’t those in the position of “prime contractor” show a little more understanding in how they interact with them?
I fully understand that in this industry, if work doesn’t move forward, we won’t make a profit. However, that doesn’t mean it’s ever okay to hurl insults at clients.
Everyone is dealing with the same problem.
So far, I’ve written about the daily challenges construction managers face on-site, but that doesn’t mean I dislike this job. On the contrary, I love the construction industry and want to help make it better.
As young people enter this industry in the future, there will likely be others who face similar challenges. In particular, the early days as a newcomer can be very difficult, and various data show that the turnover rate spikes significantly during this period.
I believe that in order to transform the construction industry, which is facing a labor shortage, it is important to improve business literacy across the entire industry and to pass on experience and knowledge to the next generation.
I believe there is value in publishing this article, in part to help people realize that “they are definitely not alone.”
