March is Women’s History Month, but according to several new studies, gender biases in the workplace still exist. “The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show how an unconscious bias in ‘hiring managers’ can influence them to choose men over women, even when women perform equally well or better…(Read More)
Want to eliminate paperwork and streamline workflows? There’s a construction app for that, and the associate editor of ConstructionBusinessOwner.com has compiled a list of some good ones. Amelia Messamore provides details on apps such as HeavyJob, Payroll Time Entry, and OnSite Punchlist. One of the free apps, the Bosch Toolbox, features a measurement…(Read More)
The World Green Building Council has started to take an in-depth look at how green building strategies can positively affect the health and productivity of office building occupants. At the heart of the research are people, and how their surroundings impact overall health, sick days, employee turnover, and more. A post on GreenBuildingNews.com…(Read More)
Humility and confidence are among the attributes you should insist upon when hiring managers. Top notch construction project managers should also have superior communication skills. “A person who is frequently misinterpreted or who always seems to rub people the wrong way just won’t be the best fit for a management position, states Robyn Tellefsen…(Read More)
A New York-based company is beta-testing robots that can lay bricks and may be coming to a jobsite near you. The semi-autonomous mason machine, or SAM, is being watched closely by construction and robotics professionals alike. “At a full sprint, SAM can lay bricks at speeds comparable to a mason,” says Scott…(Read More)
With the construction industry dominated by men, these stats from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission prove interesting. The last three years have shown a decrease in the number of sexual harassment cases, but more men are filing charges of sex harassment. One in five cases reported to the EEOC are filed by men. According to…(Read More)
February featured brisk job activity in the construction sector. Some 15,000 jobs were added last month, that despite the unseasonably cold and snowy weather in much of the country. Overall, the economy added 175,000 jobs, an unexpected increase compared with the two prior months that saw sluggish numbers. Also, Marketwatch reports that the…(Read More)
The phone may be convenient when screening talent, especially when project managers and others are in the field. But key communication is typically shortchanged without face-to-face interaction. Even Skype can be a bit awkward. Your organization’s culture and values play into the dynamic of the interview process. This post on Flazingo.com…(Read More)
An associate business professor at Utah State University says he can determine if an employee is ready to jump ship. On the list of 10 factors, Tim Burns contends if six are positive, statistically, the individual is looking to separate. Burns maintains that based on the criteria, he’s correct 80 percent of the time…(Read More)
Equipment rentals are on the rise. A survey by Wells Fargo Equipment Finance reveals that 91 percent of construction contractors plan to rent their gear in 2014, compared to 80 percent last year. The 2014 Construction Equipment Forecast also reveals that construction industry executives across the U.S. are very optimistic that local construction activity…(Read More)
