The plan and you
The Construction Sector Transformation Plan will work to help make the sector better for everyone. See what issues are experienced by different people in the sector, how people can play a part in transformation, and what the plan could mean for you.
People
Subcontractor
My challenges
- My prices are undercut
- There are not enough people being trained – it’s hard to get skilled staff
- We are often waiting months to get paid
- The head contractor seems to want to pass the risk from the client onto me
- I am worried about the poor health and safety culture
- Young people don’t want to get into this work
- There is limited ongoing skills development for me or my staff and I don’t know where to go for information
- Working in different regions, the BCA regulations aren’t the same
- There’s a lot a stress and worry in this work and I see people struggling to cope
“I want to see a faster consents process. I don’t want to be left alone holding the tools when things go wrong. I want more opportunities to develop my staff's skills.
I can play a part in transformation by always using and sharing good practice. I can use the government programmes to connect to apprentices and I will advocate for construction as a great place to work.”
What the Transformation Plan aims to do for me
- Help ensure I’m paid on time, starting with government and Accord affiliated companies
- I have greater visibility of the financial stability of the head contractor
- Make the consenting process more efficient so I can complete work faster
- I can access more resources to help me better understand, manage and price risk
- I’ll have a larger pool of skilled workers to hire from
- My work place is safer through the promotion of industry-wide health and safety programmes
- I have better tools to help me support the mental health of my staff
Large operator
My challenges
- The pipeline of work isn’t clear to me so I don’t know if it’s worth taking on new staff or investing in new technology
- Margins are small and have been decreasing and the risk I take on has increased
- The legal and commercial side of the business is too complex
- I have to deal with pages of non-standard terms in contracts
- It’s a hassle working in different regions where the council building regulations aren’t the same
- There’s a lot a stress and worry in this work and I see people struggling to cope
“I want to see a long-term visible pipeline so I can plan my jobs with confidence. I want to spend less time dealing with complex contracts and pages of special conditions.
I can play a part in transformation by sharing knowledge and examples of good practice, and identifying beacon projects. I can also model a supportive working environment, where everyone feels accepted, safe and comfortable to work here.”
What the Transformation Plan aims to do for me
- I can see a long-term, reliable pipeline view of large government and private projects
- The procurement process will be fairer and more robust as the revised Construction Procurement Guidelines are adopted across the industry
- I’ll be presented with clearer standard contracts with fewer special conditions
- I can access learnings from beacon projects that show examples of good and innovative practice
- My business can improve through a better understanding of managing commercial risks
- I can access quality health, safety and wellbeing programmes to support my people
Home owner
My challenges
- I’m new to this – I don’t really know much about the building process or what my responsibilities are
- I don’t know who is a good builder and who to trust
- I’m worried my build is going to go wrong, have issues, delays or blow out on cost
- I’m only hearing bad things in the media about construction in this country
- If something goes wrong, I am not confident in the process for resolution
- My build is held up through a complicated consent process
- My builder can’t find enough tradespeople to complete my house on time
"I want confidence that the construction industry is building high quality, safe, durable homes. I don’t want to be waiting ages for my consent for my build or renovation to come through."
I can play a part in transformation by encouraging others going through a build to evaluate their builder choices on more than just price."
What the Transformation Plan aims to do for me
- My build proceeds more quickly through an improved consent process
- I’m more confident the people working on my house have the right skills
- I can benefit from my builder’s improved understanding of good practice
- I have peace of mind that the building team is creating a quality home for me.
Apprentice
My challenges
- My friends don’t see construction as an attractive career, especially the women
- I am worried my employer won’t be able to employ me for all of my apprenticeship and I will have to look for another job part-way through
- I hear stories from my workmates about unsafe practices – how can I ensure I’m learning off a boss who takes health and safety seriously
- The stats on mental health in construction worry me and my family
“I’m not sure this is a good career choice. I want to learn from smart operators who are recognised for quality work. I want help to access the best training to advance my career.
I can play a part in transformation by sharing my apprenticeship story and the positives I have experienced with others considering a construction career. I can make sure my boss knows my concerns and I will do what I can to support my workmates who are struggling.”
What the Transformation Plan aims to do for me
- Make my job more stable through improving the practices and performance of the sector
- Create more of a sense of pride to be working in the construction industry
- Give me better access to the right training to progress my career
- Improve my workplace culture through having a more diverse range of people around me
- Make my workplace safer and give me better access to mental health support programmes.
Building consent reviewer
My challenges
- People complain that my consenting process is too slow
- We all want change – government and industry need to change together though
- There are so many players it is difficult when they all interact with me differently
- I get blamed for delays
- We feel like we are ‘the last man standing’ when things go wrong
- I have had to assume a QA role for the sector
- There are so many layers of regulation and they are not always consistent with one another
“I want to see a more productive partnership between myself and industry, with a focus on positive relationships not on enforcement.
I can play a part in transformation by supporting improved BCA processes and managing partnerships to help change behaviours.”
What the Transformation Plan aims to do for me
- I'll work with a more efficient building consenting and inspection system that allows me to build relationships, not just focus on compliance and enforcement
- Give me access to higher quality information for a faster turnaround for my customers
- Councils and industry are working better together to make sure major reforms are successful
- I'll have greater confidence in the skills of construction professionals and workers and this will reduce the checks I need to make.
Government procurer
My challenges
- I want to get value for money over the life of the asset I’m planning for
- I sometimes become uncertain whether my supplier has the resources or ability to deliver my project
- I don’t want to have building or structural integrity issues
- I want an active, vibrant supplier market so I have good options to choose from
- I want only companies with adequate financial resources bidding for my contracts
“I want to see our procurement process improved resulting in better outcomes for my agency and for New Zealanders.
I can play a part in transformation by focusing on the whole-of-life value of a project when assessing tenders – prioritising quality over cost. I can make more use of standard contracts with fewer special conditions. I can make sure my procurement staff are skilled and aware of the updated Procurement Rules(external link), and are taking advantage of the support offered by other agencies such as the Infrastructure Commission and MBIE.”
What the Transformation Plan aims to do for me
- I have access to leadership training to lift my procurement skills
- I’ll be able to work more collaboratively and openly with contractors and build trusting relationships
- I’ll be working with simpler contracts meaning all parties understand the risk they are taking on
- I'll have access to fit-for-purpose Construction Procurement Guidelines(external link)
- There will be more opportunities to participate in ongoing improvement of our procurement processes, ensuring better results in the longer term for my projects
Residential builder
My challenges
- I need to squeeze my margins in order to secure work – competitors are bidding too low and clients don’t understand the impact
- It's difficult juggling cash flow when my client doesn’t pay on time
- I’m often held up by the consent and inspections process – and some of the inspections aren’t needed
- The Resource Management Act creates a lot of headaches and hold ups
- Working in different regions, the BCA regulations aren’t the same
- I am worried about the poor health and safety culture
- Young people don’t want to get into this work
- I’m worried about the insolvencies I keep seeing around me
- There’s a lot a stress and worry in this work and I see people struggling to cope
“I want to see young people excited to get in to construction. I want my staff to have access to short term targeted training so they can upskill in specialities faster.
I can play a part in transformation by hiring staff through the construction Jobs and Skills hubs and get involved in mental health programmes such as Mates in Construction.”
What the Transformation Plan aims to do for me
- I’ll have a larger pool of skilled workers to hire from
- My staff can upskill quicker through specialised fit-for-purpose training on the job or at a training instituiton
- Make the consenting process more efficient so I can complete work faster
- I can access more resources to help me better understand, manage and price risk
- My work place is safer through the promotion of industry-wide health and safety programmes
- Help me better support the mental health of my staff
To support positive change in the sector you and your organisation can:
- Adopt the Accord principles
- Call out behaviours you see that are contrary to the Accord - tell the person, your boss, or your
sector body
- Tell your stories about positive change to your industry organisation and to the Accord team so they can be shared more widely
- Write and publish a personal or company pledge – "this is what I will do differently"
- Follow the progress of the transformation plan on this website and read the success
stories
- Support the programmes in this plan where you can
- Talk about the Accord and what it’s trying to achieve – be a champion for change.
Last updated: 26 January 2020
