The construction industry is crying out for technology to make their work simpler and more flexible, but how does it go about making it work for them?
What benefits do construction workers need?
The answer to this question is not as straightforward as it seems. The construction industry features a myriad of different roles, different contracts, and different working hours. One benefit that’ll work for a desk job employee might not work for an on-site employee, and to add to this, an on-site employee has to be able to access their benefits on the go.
According to one study from 2015, 55% of construction workers said that they considered affordable benefits more important than salary when job hunting, and 72% said “that the ability to choose the benefits they need drives increased loyalty to their employers.” Accountancy and finance company Sage agree and say that if a contractor doesn’t provide major benefits in a competitive way, then this can have an impact on attracting and retaining talent.
The construction industry therefore needs HR technology to enable them to offer benefits to attract and retain the talent Sage speak of, but also so that the talent has the incentives for them to perform to their max. This is why many companies, including those in construction are relying more and more on HR technology. Suzanne Nichol, CEO of Build UK, says she realised “that (they) needed external help to understand how different flexible working arrangements could become a reality” and that long hours were contributing to a negative effect on mental health and wellbeing. Without a generous benefits and total rewards package in place that offers flexibility, construction companies will lose out when it comes to retaining workers.
HR benefits in the palm of your hand
The complex makeup of people working in the construction industry needs an easy to implement total rewards platform that can cover those who work in an office and those who work on site. Technology in HR rewards has evolved a lot in the last few years, and now it’s simple to roll out a benefits platform for each type of construction worker. Not only is digitising HR processes a good way of reducing administration, it can also be used on-the-go through mobile devices with an app. With the help of different eligibility filters, your email, push notification, or message can be sent to specific individuals, groups, departments, and even countries.
Now, there might be those in the construction industry that are sceptical about how a HR platform would actually work, but if digital tools are being used in other areas of construction, e.g. architecture and building, then why not HR? Nelly Twumasi-Mensah, Faithful+Gould’s business projects and change lead, said “You’re free to think about new ways of doing things when a lot of the administrative burden gets taken away by digital tools … you have got to change the way you work or you won’t actually be able to realise any benefits from digital tools.”
This is in line with how we think. Our award-winning solution is truly mobile and has an easy-to-use communication engine allowing HR professionals to connect with end-users at various touchpoints easily. With this, our clients can ensure personalized communication with their employees. We have also designed the platform so that it is easy to implement (which means less headaches for IT departments) and can be rolled out fast over all types of complicated work organisations across several countries.
Benify works with companies with complicated workforces
Benify isn’t a stranger to working with companies who have complicated workforces. We recognise that certain industries will have a mixture of work contracts shared amongst its workforce – some full time, some part time, some freelance or short contracts. We also know that not everyone works in an office and that employees need to have access wherever they are.
Take the care company Ambea, for example. They have been using Benify’s total rewards and benefits platform for onboarding and payroll, as well as benefits their employees are entitled to. Filip Carlsson, Project Manager at Ambea, says “Many of our employees are not based in front of a computer every day and have no work phone or work e-mail address. Therefore, we need more communication channels than the intranet because not everyone can access the content there.” Carlsson went on to say that they can reach their employees on their mobile phones, using a platform they’re already using to see their payslips and benefits.
Want to know more about how Benify helps businesses with complicated workforces? Read Ambea's client case and find out how they solved their HR demands for their mobile workforce.
