🔄 Unlocking Insights: Advancing Competency Management in Construction and Utilities 🔄
This Tuesday, Cognisco hosted an insightful round table for industry leaders in Construction and Utilities. The session offered a platform for open and engaging dialogue, addressing some of the most pressing challenges faced by organisations today.
Key topics covered included:
✅ Behavioural Safety
✅ Supervisor and Ground Force Competency Management
✅ Recruitment and Retention Strategies to Tackle Churn
Key Takeaways:
🔹 Behavioural Safety: Organisations are shifting focus from compliance to #behaviouralsafety, emphasising the need for psychological safety. Challenges like peer pressure, risk acceptance, and measuring individual risk tolerance were discussed. Creating a culture where workers feel empowered to raise concerns and involving supervisors in accountability are crucial for safer operations.
🔹 Supervisor Competency: Many supervisors are promoted without the necessary skills to lead, which can result in role ambiguity and productivity issues. There's a growing need for #structuredframeworks, #leadershiptraining, and clear role definitions to ensure supervisors are well-equipped for success.
🔹 Competency Management: True competency is demonstrated in the field, not just through training. Key challenges include measuring competency from day one, gaining buy-in from both supervisors and workers, and aligning subcontractors to the same standards. Using tools like Cognisco’s MyKnow 365 alongside systems such as CSCS SmartCheck can strengthen #competencymanagement and drive real-time assessments and improvements.
🔹 Workforce Dynamics: High turnover, language barriers, and frequent workforce changes make maintaining #safety and operational consistency a challenge. Accurate, multilingual safety briefings and addressing the lack of continuity are essential to fostering cohesion and stability on site.
🔹 Recruitment & Retention: Workforce #churn continues to rise, with companies increasingly struggling to retain workers. Word-of-mouth referrals are often seen as more reliable than external agencies, while white-collar recruitment faces additional hurdles due to visa restrictions. Graduate schemes and apprenticeships, especially when offering diverse career pathways, are viewed as effective strategies for improving retention rates.
Cognisco’s CEO Amanda Knight added, “We extend our gratitude to all the leaders who participated. The insights shared will undoubtedly shape the future of our competency management platform, MyKnow 365, as we continue to support the growth and efficiency of these dynamic industries."
#roundtable #industryinsight #bestpractices #competencymanagement #construction #utilities #leadershipdevelopment #recruitment #retention
