How to Build Trust in the Field

How to Build Trust in the Field

Trust in the construction field is essential in fostering relationships and reducing project costs. With so many different parties working together, team-building, partnering, and alternate dispute resolution can help increase cooperation among everyone on the construction team.

Benefits of Building Trust

1. Reduces uncertainty- Better communication equals less uncertainty. Things can often change so it is important that subcontractors react well to this.
2. Better risk management- People working together means risk can be better managed.
3. More flexibility- Trusting relationships leads to people approaching information and work more flexibly.
4. Saves time and money- Trust leads to less time lost which means more money. Trust helps subcontractors to generate secure and repeatable business with the companies that they work with.

How to Build Trust

1. Shared goals- Make an effort to understand everyone’s different roles.
2. Experience- Working with people every day builds relationships and increases trust among team members.
3. Reasonable behavior- As a sub it is important to work fairly and professionally with everyone on the project. It builds a sense of respect among all team members.

Trust Breakdown

Trust break down often occurs when people lie or fail to fulfill their commitments. However it is also important to remember that…

• — Some circumstances beyond our control- Problems are usually due to a variety of things, and often cannot be singled out to one individual.
• — Humans make mistakes- Misunderstandings can often lead to mistakes. This is part of learning and moving forward to not make the same mistakes.

Company Factors in Building Trust

Company culture and money can play a large part in building trust.  How individuals act often reflects back on the organization and can lead people to see the organization in a certain way. It is important that lower and higher level team members have the same vision and commitment to working in trusting teams. Company money is also important because if a company is not financially stable they are more likely to engage in behaviors that will lose trust.

Conclusion

Construction projects are very stressful in nature. There are various different groups that have work together quickly to make deadlines and this can often lead to miscommunication. Building trust among all groups on the construction project helps to strengthen communication and ultimately improve project performance across all levels. This improved performance will not only save time but also drastically improve profit margins.

Sources:

Earth Shines Solutions

Construction Institute

Masters.NEIT.EDU