Don’t Neglect Jobsite Huddles

By Ryan Klick

The challenges and restrictions we’ve been facing over the past months have led to a reassessment of priorities and shedding of inefficiencies, as we’ve all had to focus on what’s most important in our lives and our work. We in the construction industry are fortunate to have been classified as an essential business.

Along with physical distancing, disinfecting protocols and other safety measures we’ve quickly adopted on our jobsites, other routines have been postponed or dropped. If your Daily Huddle is one of those lost processes, superintendents may want to ask themselves:

• Are we putting out more fires?
• Are we losing productivity?
• Are we experiencing fewer updates and transfer of knowledge?
• Has it been harder to build a team environment?

A well-organized Daily Huddle is a reality check on your project’s timeline. The gathering, which includes the project superintendent and foremen, provides on-the-fly updates from the field that can be reviewed against the three-week forecast and overall master plan, allowing the team to efficiently assess and realign.

Just as the pre-snap huddle in football is a brief but focused communication of the next play, effective jobsite Daily Huddles bring together key players to align the day’s goals and strategies. Current status and challenges are assessed and acknowledged, and players are lined up accordingly. Roles are assigned, expectations are laid out and accountability is understood. And everyone contributes to the play in support of the team with the overall goal of advancing yards toward the goal.

A well-run Daily Huddle also respects the time, safety and interest of the attendees. Key considerations include:

Facilitator. Every huddle should have a facilitator who makes sure all relevant topics are addressed, who makes sure all attendees are relevant to the discussion and who keeps the meeting on point and on time.

 Attendees. Foremen representing each trade on the site should be present.

 Location. Find a location that is convenient, safe and accessible to all attendees. While physical distancing protocols remain in place on jobsites, the best location may not be the jobsite trailer. Options include a sheltered outdoor area (although bright sunlight can make it hard to read iPad screens), an indoor area large enough to accommodate distancing, or as a last resort a video conference.

Topics. Always value the time and expertise of everyone in the huddle. Every meeting should include priorities for the daily and weekly workplan, a review of site safety and hazards and an update from each sub/trade. No one should come away from a meeting feeling like their interest was unheard. And no one should come out of the meeting wondering why they were asked to attend. Superintendents also can use the huddles to reinforce Lean construction planning and progress, provide platforms for distribution and communication of new processes and reward performance.

Meeting tools. Adding meeting enhancements such as whiteboards can help the team visualize and target daily material needs, as well as production, health and safety protocols.

Length: Start on time. Put away phones, listen up and keep it moving, but provide enough time to cover all necessary topics. When you’re done, go and do.

Benefits of the Daily Huddle:

• Reduces accidents
• Improves safety
• Boosts team atmosphere and project approach
• Engages team in decision making and planning
• Quickens reaction times to delays and impacts
• Provides a proactive rather than reactive approach

Daily Huddles are well worth your time and effort, and will reward you and your projects exponentially.

And never underestimate the goodwill that comes out of bringing donuts and coffee to the table.

_{Ryan Klick is project manager with Kraus-Anderson Construction Company. He can be reached at ryan.klick@krausanderson.com.}