In order to understand ‘why’ we have to first look at Construction Culture.

The Construction Industry’s working “culture” is built on and operates under a framework of ‘order taking’.

Everyone (inc Management) who works in Construction performs their specific role in accordance with orders coming from people above them.

All Construction Projects roll along with a constant cascade of orders being passed down the chain of command all the way to the bottom.

It’s an extreme example of a ‘Top-Down Managerial Model’.

A select few people at the top (Snr Management) get to collaborate and make the big decisions and solve the big problems and everyone else pretty much follows orders and instructions without question or further collaboration.

It’s the nature of how information is passed on (through direct orders) which fosters this ‘autocratic’ style you get on most/all Construction Projects.

As a result of this style…

 

Construction has some of the WORST Managers of any current modern industry - hands down.

In fact it is very rare to find a Foreman or Leading Hand (LH) that has a strong reputation for their character as a person and has been able to get their staff/workers working well for them… not in spite of them.

Further to that few Foreman/LH’s cope with their role well to the point that they excel as managers.

Most seem to struggle with the constant stress, pressure load and responsibilities of the job.

Then when you layer on top the staff issues you inevitably get from managing large workforces and groups of people - you end up, often, with a person who simply doesn’t cope.

Many also struggle because they should never be managing anything or anyone to begin with.

They should never be put in a situation where they are managing people or projects because they simply don’t have the skillset(s) to do it well and effectively.

  

Just because you’ve been working in Construction since you were 15 – doesn’t mean you will be a good manager by default?!

Most other industries (besides construction) have woken up to this?

“Experience” in-and-of itself only gets you so far. Having experience does not correlate what-so-ever with being able to manage a project or people.

Professional Sports worked this out 40 years ago?! You don’t have to have been a champion player to make a great, successful coach? 

Construction is full of people with heaps of experience but no ability to manage.

Just think about all those times you've started at a new site...

By the time you finish your induction and get out there you can tell straight away the Foreman is the wrong fit when you notice any of the following:

• The site runs on Fear and Gossip

• Everyone seems On-Edge 

• Nothing runs smoothly

• Everything seems Rushed and Pressured

• Everyone hates being there and complains

The Foremen who oversee these types of sites with this sort of culture generally don’t have any or all of the following skillsets:

• They don't communicate effectively to a group.

• They don't deliver instructions clearly so they are understood.

• They don't accept nor do they encourage alternative view points.

• They don’t take ownership when things go wrong and pass blame.

• They don’t know how to provide authentic positive encouragement.

• They don’t collaborate and engage their workers so they buy-in.

• They don't share information ahead of time so they always maintain control

Admittedly, this probably sounds like I’m being really harsh, like I’m ‘tarring’ all Construction Management and Foremen with the same brush.

Sure, to an outsider (non-construction worker) who’s reading this they’d probably be saying something along the lines of: 

“Well surely not all Foreman or Site Managers are like this?”

But am I exaggerating...?

If you're a Construction Worker you'll know that (sadly for us) I'm not am I.

I'm not saying every Foreman is a complete pr**k - far from it. I've worked with  some great Foreman - BUT - there is no denying the fact there is an epidemic of terrible Foreman and Site Management in Construction.

It can be an absolute “sh*tshow” as they say.

Now the only thing I would mention, to be fair - Project Managers (different to site managers/foreman) - generally have some form of people management training so they are in a different category.

It’s the Foreman/Site Managers and Leading Hands who are the main offenders.

Foreman and Leading Hands generally tend to be people who have been promoted from within the Construction Worker ranks which means they get no people management training as they become managers!

Construction Foreman treat their workers (most of the time) like they are not even people.

You are just a body that performs a task that serves a specific purpose and that is as far as it goes.

Rewarding The Wrong Behaviour

So why are there so many sh*t managers in Construction work (Civil & Commercial)?

My thoughts on this phenomenon are as follows:

The wrong sort of people get rewarded for the wrong sort of behaviour(s).

Too often (I feel) the guys who gravitate towards leadership in Construction want the power that comes with it.

The remuneration (pay) isn’t really that much better than being a worker a lot of the time. It’s a lot more stress and responsibility and for not a lot more money than what you’d earn as a normal everyday Construction Worker.

In Australia, particularly, (and Unionised parts of the US) you can have 'site labour' earning significantly more take home cash than the site management?? Work that out?

This being the case you’re mostly going to attract people who want the power, respect and fear that comes with being in charge. There really isn’t any other incentive when you way it all up?

As such Managerial Construction roles are mostly going to be attractive to people who love telling other people what to do.

The power to be able to give orders and have them followed without question.

Construction Managers give orders - they don’t take questions.

Nor do they tolerate their ideas being challenged with alternative solutions or (heaven forbid…) alternative points of view.

They might talk about “teamwork” and “solidarity” during toolbox’s/pre-start’s etc but the reality is there’s (generally) only one person who makes decisions onsite.

In my experience it's a little bit like…

“We work as a team… but we do it my way.”

That’s exactly why they want ar$e kissers, “yes men” and order takers underneath them.

  

No One Wins - It’s Really Sad

Construction has the “potential” to be one the most enjoyable, fun, rewarding and positive environments to work in.

But sadly… and it is sad, very few people enjoy working in Construction.

Including Management, they also hate their jobs. Which is the very crux of the problem.

  

Most Foreman do not enjoy their jobs.

Fact.

They get their ar$es handed to them on a daily/hourly basis from Snr Management and instead of absorbing that pressure (as a good leader would do) they instead pass that pressure on to their workers.

They also, after a while, start to resent the people they manage.

They eventually resent the fact that their workers can leave site and not think about work until the next day.

You'll often hear them reminiscing to their labour about what it was like to be "on the tools - back in the day" when they didn't have to worry so much about "the bullsh*t" they do now. 

But that’s the job isn’t it? That’s what being a Foreman is?? Responsibility and Accountability are baked into the role... "the bullsh*t" is part of the deal.

A deal (by the way) they agreed to.

Further to that if you are someone who struggles when you’ve got a lot on your plate, you hate it when things (inevitably) go wrong at times and you don’t like people coming up and asking you questions all day - don’t be a Foreman!

That’s the f***king job...

Pick something else.

One last thing on this… appreciate this is a decent rant so stick with me for one last bit here ha ha

The Fish Rots From The Head…

The work is sh*t enough on its own merit… why make the whole thing worse by running the site like prison or the army?

It starts from the top… there is absolutely no reason what-so-ever for the working environment on a Construction Site to be toxic.

If you're Foreman of a site that’s toxic - it's your fault as a manager and it means you’re not doing your job properly. The buck stops with you.

It’s not tolerated in other industries - in fact you can be sacked for overseeing a toxic culture.

In most other industries things like employee retention and job satisfaction ratings are actually part of your KPI's and performance appraisals as a people manager.

Personally, I'm yet to receive a job satisfaction survey in Construction... ha ha think I could be waiting a while.

The bottom line is this...

Managers/Foreman/Leading Hands who encourage a working environment where it's top down management, where it’s all push and no praise but (at the same time) expect 100% compliance from their workers are kidding themselves.

Time to take the blinkers off and open your mind(s) to the fact it’s 2024.

Everyone loses when the workplace is toxic – including management.

Rant over.

Thanks so much for reading and sorry if I offended anyone… but not really sorry at the same time.

  

Cheers

Stu 

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