The debate over construction companies in the UK centers around the concept of Lean Construction. It is a growing trend in the United Kingdom that has only just entered the mindset of the media and customers. The terminology lean construction focuses on the issue of reduction and encompasses multiple themes within the construction industry. Construction companies are always asked to stay within timelines and budgets. Due to this, the construction industry has to reach a balance between cost, efficiency and quality. To reach this balance, construction contractors have termed “best practices”. This is the balance between managing the project, its resources, supply chain, waste management and manufacturing. This results in designs with precise and definable amounts of materials and employees that are also innovative, efficient and blend with their environments.

This balance and the difficulty in obtaining it becomes obvious in the debate over employees. How construction companies view their employees more specifically. Are employees resources or integral parts of their employers? This debate revolves around the issue of quality of the construction companies’ projects and buildings. In other words, does a satisfied employee make for a better work product? The answer is an unequivocal yes. At Vanquin Construction our employees are our company.

The issue of lean construction focuses on whether employees are simply entities to be maneuvered from one job site to the next with retention being nothing but an afterthought or valued players in the construction of innovative and award winning architecture. Obviously lean construction would reduce the value of employees, reduce their wages and reduce their numbers. The debate for construction contractors is finding the balance between qualified employees and budgets.

Vanquin Construction is committed to its employees and fully supports initiatives, education and advancement. Construction is not automated. Automation requires and influences companies to reduce their work-force and to automate the design process. This would be disastrous for construction companies in the UK. Workforce reduction or depreciation of the value of its workforce quality leads to stress and employee dissatisfaction which in turn results in poor project planning from inception to completion.

The issue of “best practices” finds the balance between the aforementioned issue with the issues of redundancy and over-qualification. At Vanquin Construction, we have found this balance. We have reduced inefficiencies and have found the right group of employees for our team. They are educated. They are the best at what they do and are able to deliver on time and within our client’s budgets.