Tips for Making Life Easier for Your Contractors Who Work Away from Home

When you are the head of a construction company, chances are that every now and again, you will be hired to take on a project that will require you and/or your contractors to work away from home

This is a great opportunity, but it can also present challenges unique to this line of work. As such, you will need to find ways to make this situation work for your team and their families. 

So, here are some tips to follow!

Find Reliable Accommodation

You want your team to be productive, so the first thing you need to do is make sure that they have access to safe and reliable or consistent accommodation. The best way to do this, rather than paying for hotels or bed and breakfasts, is to look into corporate housing. Luckily, this is a readily available option, and there is corporate housing in London, Los Angeles, and other cities and towns. 

Prioritise Comfort

Working away from home is going to be hard for your staff, especially if they have families. So, aim to make sure that any accommodation that you choose is comfortable and has all of the facilities they need. In 2023, video calls via smartphones and laptops are commonplace, and if you have people on your team who have families, they are going to want to stay in touch with their family members via this option. Therefore, you should aim to look for accommodation that has Wi-Fi or other forms of reliable internet access.

Accessibility

You don’t want to relocate your team for a work project only to then have them need to commute a long distance to the work site. 

When you are looking for accommodation for your contractors, try to make sure that it is as close to the work site as possible. If you have members of your contractor team who don’t drive, you should also aim to ensure that the transport links to and from the site to the accommodation are good enough and reliable enough for them to get to and from work every day. If your team is going to be staying in the accommodation long term, then you will also need to make sure that the amenities they will need, such as shops and outlets, are also available nearby.

Security

When choosing the accommodation for your contractors, you need to ensure that it is secure and safe for them to live in. You will need to make sure that the chosen accommodation is maintained and inspected according to the latest health and safety protocols in your area. Also, try to make sure that when you are asking your contractors to work away from home, there is adequate lighting surrounding any properties or accommodation and that there is an emergency exit and contact information should the worst happen. 

Open Communication

Sometimes, things on a construction site will go awry, and you may need your team to work a few more days or weeks on a project. However, it is not ideal to relay this information to your contractors at the last minute, as this will cause resentment and frustration. 

Always aim to provide open communication to your contractors. If you find out something about the project, the deadlines, money, or equipment, aim to tell them as soon as possible.