Beck Technology wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for our passion for construction, technology, and creating the future. You wouldn’t be where you are either without the same passion.
But man, the problems precon people face right now can feel unsurmountable. Increasing owner demands, supply chain issues, fluctuating material costs, employment shortages, inflation, inefficient processes…sometimes it feels like a mountain you can’t climb.
A recent study done by Building Design & Construction found that what owners want the most is a general contractor who will complete a project on time and on budget. But with a huge backlog already and demands to meet unprecedented turnaround times, how can you guarantee owners that your company is the one that can deliver?
You’re way overworked. You may be underpaid. Your work/life balance is a joke. You are definitely suffering burnout. No longer loving your job. The one you were so passionate about before. The fire for the job you once loved is gone. And that can have dire consequences.
A 2022 Gallup poll found that 70% of U.S. employees are unengaged in their work. And unengaged employees are costly for companies because it causes high turnover rates, increased absenteeism, and low productivity.
Estimators are passionate about what they do…or they are supposed to be, so before your work becomes completely meaningless, how can you get your passion back for your work? There are three steps you can take to reignite the passion for what you do:
- Revisit what your passion is
- Find new opportunities for growth
- Encourage a company culture that values your work/life balance
What is Passion?
When you have found your passion, it will feel like it was destined for you to do it. When you participate in a passion, you will feel fulfilled. Write down all the aspects of estimating that initially drew you to it. Is it the numbers? The creative problem-solving? It is the risk mitigation? The negotiating? Overcoming challenges?
Something or some things attracted you to precon. Those things are still there, you’ve just lost sight of them. When you can refocus on those passions, you will be able to re-spark your creativity and innovation, be more successful, stay motivated, and very importantly-relieve the stress you currently feel.
Companies with engaged employees see 2.5X more revenue than companies with disengaged employees. This proves the financial benefit of investing in employee engagement.
Find New Opportunities for Growth
People who mentor others at work are 5 times more likely to get a promotion.
There are things holding you back from being the best estimator you can be. Some of it is completely out of your control. We know some precon teams have significantly scaled back, both from losing senior estimators and hiring freezes. No one can blame a GC for trying to do more with less in this economy. But you'll still be the one picking up the pieces. One way you can deal with this is by finding new opportunities and looking for ways to challenge yourself.
Many career coaches suggest mentoring junior team members. Not only does this help you delegate tasks, but it can also help reignite that fire for estimating in you. Helping someone grow in their career and knowing you played a part can help remind you why you got into estimating in the first place.
Secondly, if you find yourself just showing up for a paycheck, find new ways to engage yourself and grow your company. Throughout the day, note where your energy is being zapped the most. Find your trigger. Is it the endless search for missing data? Or maybe it's the comforting routine of copying and pasting? Perhaps it’s the painstaking process of finding and fixing broken formulas. Whatever it is, inefficient processes and methods are a total time waste and energy suck.
There is a better way. And you’ll be the hero (and morale boost) for the team if you find it and present it to leadership. With the right tools, you can be the general contractor who does deliver projects on time and on budget.
Company Culture Matters
Company culture matters more now than ever.
Now more than ever companies in every industry must provide a company culture that attracts new talent. Sorry to tell you this, but it’s not just the younger generation that’s demanding a healthy work/life balance. Workers of all ages and stages in their careers have had a taste of what it’s like to have the time back to devote to their lives outside of work and most aren’t willing to sacrifice that balance again.
When workloads aren’t sustainable and your employees’ family relationships are strained because of it, your company faces a huge flight risk. Your precon folks are the foundation of your projects. You need to keep them.
Encourage a company culture that keeps and attracts the best estimators by:
- Investing in technology that helps estimators do a better job in less time
- Offer flexible and hybrid working models
- Compensate fairly
- Foster and encourage positive change, innovation, and collaboration
Light the Fire
We aren’t just a bunch of tech nerds here at Beck Technology. We’re also a company founded within the construction industry to solve real problems. Why? Because we’ve experienced them firsthand. We love what we do, and we know you do too.
Estimators are a special breed and even if you somehow just stumbled into your position, since you’ve stuck with it, there’s something about precon that keeps you there. And it’s not just the paycheck.
It can be devastating when you’ve gotten to the point of wanting to leave a profession that you’re passionate about. But you need to remember it’s not estimating that you hate, it’s the current conditions you wish could change. We can help with that.
If you feel like you still are where you are supposed to be and are not ready to give up just yet, reach out to us by clicking the button below and let us be your final destiny.
