Seven Steps to Running the Most Effective Meeting Possible The meeting that drones on and on; the meeting where everyone sits fiddling with his or her smartphone; the meeting that Doug from Accounting hijacks; or the meeting where almost everyone in the room is wondering the same thing: Why am I even here? Meetings fill an increasing number of hours in the workday, and yet most employees consider them as a waste of time. According to a survey of U.S. professionals by Salary.com, meetings ranked as the number one office productivity killer. (Dealing with office politics was a close second, according to the 2012 survey.) But there are ways to run effective, efficient meetings that leave your employees feeling energized and excited about their work. Here are some tips: 1, Make your objective clear.  A meeting must have a specific and defined purpose. Before you send that calendar invite, ask yourself: What do I seek to accomplish? Are you alerting people to a change in ma...

4 Simple Reminders to Help Keep Projects On Track Often unpredictable and susceptible to change, keeping projects on track can be an extremely difficult job. Project managers not only have to balance a number of projects at once, but each jobsite has its own unique set of circumstances that may delay progress or push deadlines. Project managers need to keep a variety of things in mind and must rely on site supervisors to maintain progress and ensure productivity. Ultimately, it is the job of the project manager to make sure that jobs are kept on track and the appropriate time frame has been allotted. Here are a few tips that project managers must keep in consideration, before and during the course of a project. They may be simple suggestions, but it is easy to lose sight of small details when pressured to complete jobs on time and on budget. Have Realistic Schedule  Not only is it the responsibility of project managers to create a schedule and stick to it, the schedu...

10 Most Profitable Construction Jobs In 2017 Despite being hit hard from the Great Recession, the last few years have shown us that construction jobs are on the rise. Not only has the industry recovered from its worst unemployment dip in the post-war era, there are a number of construction careers that are proving to be viable long-term options. The construction industry remains incredibly diverse, with jobs available in the commercial, industrial and residential sectors. In addition, renovation, repair and maintenance careers have become a consideration for entrepreneurs or tenured construction professionals. With so options to choose from, we have narrowed down 10 of the most profitable and highly-demanded construction careers for 2017. Construction Project Manager Construction project managers  are highly demanded, but the problem lies in the number of qualified individuals available. Construction project managers are often in charge of planning, and organizing ...

10 Time Clock Software & Apps You Should be Using Compared to other industries, keeping track of time and attendance is especially difficult for construction companies. With various teams, multiple jobsites and odd work hours to deal with, it is very easy to get disorganized and disjointed. Creating a schedule is the first step, however, efficiently tracking and monitoring workers hours is much more difficult. Without a platform that can aid project managers, back office staff and workers in the field to punch in and out, payroll becomes extremely difficult and disorganized. This list uncovers the 10 of the most popular time and attendance tools for construction businesses of all sizes. 10.  Timesheet mobile Timesheet Mobile is a GPS-enabled time, attendance and scheduling tool designed to track mobile employees. Ideal for small businesses, or construction companies making the move to mobile, this app integrates with Freshbooks and Quickbooks and requires a qui...

10 Time Clock Software & Apps You Should be Using Compared to other industries, keeping track of time and attendance is especially difficult for construction companies. With various teams, multiple jobsites and odd work hours to deal with, it is very easy to get disorganized and disjointed. Creating a schedule is the first step, however, efficiently tracking and monitoring workers hours is much more difficult. Without a platform that can aid project managers, back office staff and workers in the field to punch in and out, payroll becomes extremely difficult and disorganized. This list uncovers the 10 of the most popular time and attendance tools for construction businesses of all sizes. 10.  Timesheet mobile Timesheet Mobile is a GPS-enabled time, attendance and scheduling tool designed to track mobile employees. Ideal for small businesses, or construction companies making the move to mobile, this app integrates with Freshbooks and Quickbooks and requires a qui...

Top 10 Tips for Preventing Accidents on Construction Sites Construction accidents on jobsites are incredibly common, but also completely avoidable. Unfortunately, construction sites are littered with different safety hazards and are the cause of numerous serious injuries, and in the most severe cases, fatalities. Construction sites are often filled with a combination of equipment, machinery, trucks, materials and various employees going about their work simultaneously. Also, inherent on jobsites is the potential for falling debris and unsafe or uneven work surfaces. Although construction sites can sometimes be dangerous for workers, there are strategies that can be enacted to ensure injuries are kept to a minimum. This article goes over the top 10 tips that project managers can implement to reduce accidents and create a safer work environment for all. 1. Daily safety meetings:  Employees need to be briefed about the different safety measures when it comes to each spe...

no matter the size or budget, estimating a project can be a daunting task. In order to create a workable estimate, you need to know your team, deliverables, tasks, and process like the back of your hand. You also have to be comfortable asking questions to figure out the things that you (and maybe even your potential client or customer) do not know. This chapter touches on best practices for creating project estimates and being prepared for when a change request eventually happens. Get ready to learn a whole new set of dark arts, because you’re about to become the best project estimator in the business. WHAT IS PROJECT ESTIMATION? Project estimation the ability to define a project’s required effort. As an estimator, you have to consider similar projects, project histories, current process and resources, and any outside factors that might affect your projects (think stakeholders, related projects, etc.). Estimating a project is always an approximation, and that is exactly what ...