Technology on the job: Seven tips for IT in the construction industry

With a high number of remote workers coupled with often very tight timelines between numerous moving parts and teams required to complete a project by its deadline, the construction industry is faced with numerous information technology challenges. Here are seven tips to help improve IT in your construction company: 

Computer and Network Security

                        With so much out-of-office and remote work, having a standard security policy is necessary. This policy should include a password policy that defines the standards needed for what the passwords must contain, how often they must change, what programs must be password-protected, etc. It is also important to create a rule for when a computer or device must be locked when unattended. Setting an autolock can also help as people learn to follow this rule. It certainly isn’t impossible to hack if someone finds the device, but any steps to help prevent or delay (while hopefully wiping remotely) before information is accessed may help protect your company and your customers. Further, adding guidelines for if or when a computer is to be left at a remote site, in an automobile, etc., will help against stolen or hacked devices. 

Ensure Safe and Effective Remote Networks

                        In order to access stored documents and collaborate with teammates while working remotely, it may be necessary to have a wireless network. Downtime at a remote site unable to access the home location servers or files can create a domino effect with the overall project. Ensuring the network is properly tested prior to the first day with employees onsite, will help improve overall productivity and troubleshoot any potential unseen issues. Having proper access while at a remote site will assist in the ability to collaborate as well as allow for documents to be properly saved and backed up. It is also important to ensure the network is secure. As many people are looking for the nearest free Wi-Fi hotspot, ensuring the network is not slowed down by passersby as well as better ensuring safety of the data on the network, it is important to ensure all steps are taken at a remote site that should be taken at the main office. 

                        Many products (project management software programs, etc.) are also web-based to allow for quicker cross-team collaboration. If operating in this capacity, a strong network with little to no down time, is key. Picking the proper web-based software that not only covers the actual construction management aspect, but is user-friendly, runs in a program with little downtime, has the ability to create different authorized user groups, etc., can help create a more efficient and effective project. Don’t forget to determine how this program is accessed by other departments in the company. For example, can the project management software be accessed by the accounting department or does data have to be entered in two locations? Looking at the overall integration of a product or service and how it impacts not only that team, but all teams who will need to work on any aspect of the project, will help with overall efficiency. 

Backup and Recovery

                        Sometimes machines break or crash or a variety of other unfortunate events happen. Ensuring all employees are aware and are following the proper backup procedures is key. Generally, requiring all individuals to save all documents on the cloud and never on the specific device will help in any backup and recovery efforts in case anything is lost. Having regular backup requirements for your server or anywhere documents are stored, will help minimize the amount of data lost and having to be replicated after the fact.

Inventory Tracking

                        With so many remote employees, it may be even harder for companies to track the age or status of the devices floating across job sites. Ensuring proper inventory tracking will help determine when a machine may be nearing the end of its life and it may be time to budget for a new device. It also is important to determine what programs are on each machine. This will allow more effective and efficient project planning when determining if someone will be able to execute their step of any project that may require specific access or software. With remote sites often having computers used by many individuals, the more hardware can be standardized, the easier it will be for other authorized users to more quickly understand the workings of the machine and more efficiently complete the necessary task. 

Proactive Support

                        Requiring automatic updates and monitoring the antivirus, updates and patch installs from your internal or outsourced IT department will help ensure these are not being neglected by employees. Skipping these steps regularly results in falling victim to attacks targeting these vulnerabilities in unpatched or unprotected systems. This can cause all files or computers on the network to be infected. It is simply not worth the risk. 

Have a Plan

                        Work with your internal or outsourced IT department, as well as a legal representative, to determine the necessary steps an employee is to take in case of any breach or any lost device. On the IT front, have a plan in place that allows for remote wiping of the device, allowing for a quick response to protect data. Additionally, knowing what legal obligations you may have as a result of any breach is important to determine whether a claim needs to be filed with insurance and who, if anyone, must be notified in case of a breach and what information must be breached in order to trigger any of these requirements.  Preparing before dealing with these situations in the heat of the moment will better serve the company, its customers and employees. 

Know Who to Call

                        All employees should know who to call if they have any IT questions regarding the security or safety of any program, email, etc., as well as for any slowdowns or computer or network issues. As construction requires so many successful moving parts, uptime is crucial. As such, if a site or computer is down, all employees should know how to quickly reach their internal or outsourced IT provider to help solve the problem.

Bahar Ferguson is president of Wasatch I.T., a Utah provider of outsourced IT services for small and medium-sized businesses.