COVID-19 Recovery for the Building and Construction Industry

Builders and construction industry experts have well and truly learned the meaning of resilience in the past year. They have had to deal with one extended lockdown in 2020, with only essential tasks being carried out for several weeks.

For tradespeople in Auckland, the impact was even more severe, with several lockdowns spanning days and weeks since March 2020.  

While the government wage subsidy allowed employers and employees to stay afloat during the periods they weren’t able to work, those businesses also had to learn how to take care of themselves.  

They did so by coming up with innovative ways to do business while also adapting their current business practices. Let’s take a look at what recovery efforts for the building and construction industry have looked like.

Improving Visibility Online

Cast your mind back to the first major lockdown of 2020, when most of us were confined to our homes for over a month. To pass the time, we browsed the internet, binge-watched Netflix, and found plenty of things to hate about our houses.

Because we couldn’t walk our city streets to discover businesses to purchase products and services from, we turned our attention to the internet. The companies with the best online presence were often the ones that saw the most inquiry.

So, if there’s one thing we can learn from COVID-19, it’s the importance of being seen on the internet. From having a website and social media platforms to using tools like Google My Business and SEO techniques, they can all help your online visibility. If you’re having trouble bouncing back from the lockdown, a look at your digital presence may be worthwhile.

Using Technology for Everything

Restaurants that never even had a website before COVID-19 suddenly found themselves with not only a website but also an online ordering facility. In the face of a deadly pandemic, we quickly adapted and adjusted to maintain at least some of our income.

Many businesses also discovered other technological advancements they could take advantage of to benefit their business in the recovery phase. These include digital invoices, job tracking software, and online payment processing to make it more convenient for customers to pay on time.

If your business has been a little sluggish off the mark to recover, reviewing potential technological advancements could be an option worth considering.

See also: Construction Management Software for Subcontractors

Abiding By the Rules and Regulations

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; customers don’t want cowboys. For example, if you’re hiring an asbestos removalist, you don’t want someone who will treat it like any other building material.

Customers want peace of mind and reassurance. Your willingness and ability to follow the rules and regulations of your industry and from the Ministry of Health can undoubtedly assist with your post-COVID recovery.

For example, you might inform your workers of your health and safety procedures, encourage contact tracing, and print multiple QR codes. You may also be making sure you’re following the requirements to a tee during various alert levels. We’ll cover these below.

Level 4: Essential jobs that require immediate care to prevent harm and risk. For example, if your window broke and your house is exposed to the elements, you can hire a glazier. If your house is flooding from blocked drains, you can hire a drain layer. If you’ve damaged your ceiling and asbestos fibres are raining down on your home’s occupants, you can call an asbestos removal team.

Level 3, 2, 1: All repairs, maintenance, and construction, as long as physical distancing measures are in place and all health and safety measures are followed.

Having a Plan for Future Lockdowns

The March 2020 lockdown took the entire country by surprise. Even though we’d seen the virus spreading across the world, most of us probably never thought it would make its way here. And then it did – in a big way.

There was very little time to prepare for something we’ve never experienced before, but we’re now in a desirable position to plan for it, should it ever happen again. The more extensive your plan, the easier you may be able to bounce back.  

The first step to creating a plan involves having a document with government support links and forms to fill out. Having this information at your fingertips means you’re able to access the financial support you need quickly.

It’s also a good idea to keep all your health and safety materials together, such as QR codes, reminders for physical distancing, and handwashing station information. By doing so, you’re able to set up for various alert levels without too much disruption to your daily business operations.

Recover Strongly From COVID-19

Even though we may not have anticipated a pandemic in our lifetime, we can only learn from it now that it’s here. Ensure your business is visible on the internet and don’t underestimate the importance of planning for the future.