Covid-19 has shaped the future of technology in construction, with platform technology taking centre stage, according to research by Procore Technologies, Inc.
Procore surveyed 250 middle managers and above in the construction industry and discovered that the Covid-19 crisis has caused a transformative turn towards technology in the sector.
Amid challenges in keeping job sites operational during Covid-19, 66% of construction companies surveyed rolled out some sort of new technology during lockdown with 94% seeing an improvement in the way their teams work as a result.
Businesses recognised they will likely need to build on a singular, integrated system. The research revealed 80% believed that platform technology will play a role in the future of how industry works, with 38% saying they can’t do their jobs as effectively without it.
The research defined platform technology as that which “connects business applications and stores relevant information all in one place, allowing applications and tech tools to talk to each other. A platform might be used to enable visibility over data or to standardise operations.”
Technology comes to the fore
Where the gaps between traditional ways of working and remote working have been most apparent, technology in construction has come to the fore to increase efficiency and connect teams.
52% of the respondents said they feel empowered to change and apply positive learnings to the future of work. In fact, nearly 9 in 10 construction managers said they would use ‘one platform if they could.
Brandon Olivieri O’Connor, director of UK and Ireland at Procore UK&I, said: “With much around construction being disrupted, technology has proved the one constant and this is being increasingly realised by businesses.
“We’ve seen contractors proactively making the move away from manual methods and excel towards platform technology. Construction won’t be the same as it was before, with connectivity and mobility driving a new way of working.
“The emphasis will remain on the ability to connect people wherever they are – on one platform – so they can be productive and safe.”
Lockdown accelerates digital transformation
58% of the construction companies surveyed reported that they have seen a higher demand from workers for a way to stay connected and work more efficiently.
Alongside increasing productivity and staying connected, the research discovered that the ability to work remotely is one of the top three reasons construction managers implement online technology tools.
Having the option to reduce the number of staff onsite and social distance has allowed construction companies to comply with health and safety regulations. 52% of construction managers which rolled-out online collaboration and productivity technology solutions since lockdown said the safety for their teams has improved.
