Making a complete and concise communication plan is essential for running a smooth construction project. This is partly because construction workers spend more time on site than behind a computer. Without good communication, they are not able to always keep up with what is decided in the head office.
Another reason why creating a plan to improve communication for construction projects is so important, is because external stakeholders need to be engaged. Communicating with them will lower the number of complaints and create a positive attitude towards what you are doing.
The communication plan that you make for your construction project needs therefore to include all stakeholders, both internal and external. Here we will show you how to create a solid plan in five steps.
Step 1: make a stakeholder map
The first thing you do is to identify all the stakeholders that are directly or indirectly involved in your construction project. Make an Excel spreadsheet, or use another database-type program that suits you, and add their contact details.
You can already start making a general classification, for example based on their particular interest in your project. For some this will be political, for others this will be commercial and other stakeholders might have a personal interest. A classification by role is also a great way to do this.
This stakeholder map forms the basis for your stakeholder engagement plan. It lists all the parties involved, big or small, internal and external and direct or indirect. Therefore, it is key that you complete this step before moving on to the next.
Step 2: prioritising your stakeholders
After completing step one, you have a clear idea of the size and build-up of your entire stakeholder group. The next step is to prioritise them. By doing this, you will start bringing structure to the communication plan you are creating for your construction project.
The best way of doing this, is by prioritising them in terms of influence and interest. You want to identify their motivations and the possible risk they may pose. Obviously, you might have a good idea of how you want to do this. One way of prioritising your stakeholders is by influence and interest.
This will give you four groups to work with.
- Group 1: large influence on and high interest in your project.
- Group 2: large influence on and low interest in your project.
- Group 3: small influence on and high interest in your project.
- Group 4: small influence on and low interest in your project.
Step 3: which communication methods do you want to use?
Each group requires different communication methods. You probably already have a good idea of the methods you want to use. It is time to start adding them to the communication plan for your construction project.
Some examples of communication methods are:
- Townhall meetings,
- On-site discussions,
- SMS-messaging,
- Email messaging,
- Door-to-door letters,
- Progress meetings,
- An informative stall in the market place or a community lounge,
- An umbrella communication platform like SitePodium,
- Office hours,
- Open house,
- Visits to local schools and club houses,
- Etcetera.
Place the communication methods you want to use with your identified stakeholder groups. Stakeholders with a high interest in your project require personal communication more than stakeholders have a low interest. The same goes for stakeholders who can greatly influence your project. This is a much more sensitive group, requiring a different strategy from those who pose a smaller risk.
Also, do not forget the list of software applications you want to use for communicating. Email, SitePodium, the notice board on site or even social media; but do not choose too many. With SitePodium, for example, you can communicate almost everything to your external stakeholders without the need for another medium.
Step 4: what do you want to communicate?
The communication plan for your construction project is really starting to take shape. It is now time to decide what you want to communicate to which stakeholder groups. Add per stakeholder group which updates are relevant to them.
For example, road closures and possible other types of nuisances to the community should be communicated with the local residents and business owners. Updates about the budget or changes in the schedule, you might only want to communicate with the relevant internal stakeholders. It is a great idea to share project accomplishments and milestones with everyone involved.
Tip: with SitePodium you decide who you communicate what to. You can, for example, split your local resident group into separate subdivisions. Maybe you plan to shut down electricity temporarily and only in one block of flats. Then that only needs to be shared with the residents who live there.
Step 5: completion and monitoring
Once you have added a timeline to your communication plan, you keep going back to it on a regular basis. A communication plan for construction projects is a live document. It can change as your project develops. You might lose or gain stakeholder groups or come across the need to reclassify them.
Make it a habit to go over the communication plan for your construction project once a week and as changes happen. Adjust it, improve it, and monitor and record the progress. Correct mistakes, so that your plan is always current.
A well-deserved celebration to round it all off
Your project is completed, so it is time to organise a celebration for all your stakeholders. Budget allowing, you can organise a fun day with food, drink, and entertainment for the children. Naturally, you put emphasis on everything you have achieved together and the milestones you have met. By bringing all stakeholders together, you create a feeling of triumph. Your stakeholders will forget the problems faced, see the bigger picture and all the benefits they will from that moment on enjoy.
If your budget is low, you can do something a bit less costly. A thank you note to all the local residents and businesses is always a good idea. Once you have brought your project to a close, the communication plan for your construction project can function as a blueprint for your next one. As you move from project to project, your communication plan will get better and better.
Use SitePodium as your tool for stakeholder engagement
SitePodium is the ideal platform app to bring all your stakeholders together. It is easy to use and its design is familiar to all. By regularly posting updates on the news feed, you communicate fast and effectively to all subscribers (or, as mentioned earlier, a subgroup) at once. Your subscribers are able to react, so you control communication back and forth. Stakeholder engagement in construction projects should never be a one-way affair and with SitePodium you encourage 360-degree communication.
Get your internal stakeholders to subscribe to it too and they can follow the participation of the local residents and business. They can feel the emotions towards the project by the people who are affected. Moreover, it allows you to monitor progress with the data-analysis tools SidePodium provides to its users.
Are you interested in hearing more about what SitePodium can do for you? Are you thinking about adding it to the communication plan for your construction project? Download our brochure here or book a demo do discover its full potential.
