Happy New Year, we hope you enjoyed the holidays! Are you ready for the new year? It’s often difficult to get back to work after the holidays. You might have lost track of exactly where you were and what needs to be done on your project. You may still have that holiday, lethargic feeling – wanting to relax and do nothing, or you may be tired from the holiday festivities or travelling.
It’s become such a phenomenon that researchers call it “post-holiday syndrome” – a term to describe that general feeling of discomfort people get when they’re unable to adapt to work after the holidays, according to the University of Granada.
Most workers will also be in the holiday mode – reluctant to work and probably not concentrating on the tasks they ought to be doing. Over the holidays many of us can quickly forget things and we need to be reminded. Watch out – accidents happen quickly when people aren’t concentrating.
For those of us who are part way through a project, what happens in the next few days could be critical to the success of the project. If the project doesn’t gain momentum quickly, several days could go past with minimal progress. So, what can you do to beat the post-holiday blues?? Here are a few suggestions to keep your construction projects on track:
1. Review updated schedule/plans to assess important tasks that must be accomplished.
2. Assemble the project team and:
-welcome them back
-remind them that safety is important
-congratulate team on last year’s achievements
-set targets for the following week
-remind them of next milestones
3. Have a meeting with key staff and:
-ensure everyone knows what to do
-check what the team needs
-discuss any problems with project
-request update on worker attendance
-reallocate responsibilities for absentees
4. Walk the project to identify problems and what needs to be accomplished.
5. Touch base with suppliers and subcontractors to ensure everything is on track.
6. Make a list of what needs to be done and start getting tasks completed.
7. Check outstanding invoices have been paid and follow up on unpaid monies.
8. Check-in with client for any project concerns that may have arose over the holidays and remind them of tasks they need to accomplish.
9. Go through mail and emails that came in over the holiday period. Answer the most urgent.
10. Call your manager to give them project updates and remind them of any outstanding help required from them.
You will probably have too much work to catch up on the first day, so figure out what’s urgent and what’s not and get the most urgent tasks done first. Remember… everyone is in the same boat, make sure the team doesn’t work additional time on the first day – many will be fatigued.
The rest of the week, ensure the entire team is motivated and committed to achieving the targets safely and to the required quality standards. The construction team will be looking at you, and if you are happy passing the day with casual chatter and being lethargic they will follow suit. Remember you are back at work – make sure that everyone else in the team is with you. You cannot build the project on your own.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER
Murow Development Consultants’ Construction Management Oversight Specialists provide services to enhance the management and administrative practices of any construction project. We are goal oriented, problem solvers, which allow our clients to procure the benefits of cost savings and avoidance of delays and complications.
To learn more about our Construction Management Division, please contact Denny Lorton at 714.493-5831 or by email at dlorton@murowdc.com
