Perspectives.

You’ve previously worked on projects that have lasted months, or longer. Each time you’ve done the right thing and scheduled a de-brief with all key stakeholders during the close out stage. But by the time the end of the project arrives, everyone has forgotten about all those vital key learnings you endured along the way!

I recently did a mountain biking holiday in New Zealand for the first time – chair-lifted runs to the top and then riding downhill through every obstacle a steep mountain and forest can throw at you. And just like the first infrastructure project I ever worked on (the Tugun Bypass), I am hooked and looking for the next big mountain to ride down.

You’ve worked on a project for months. So far, you’ve hit every deadline and you’re within budget. You’re at the last milestone, ready to finish.

Sit back. Relax. Put your feet up. Are you comfortable?

Creating exceptional teams who deliver exceptional projects is as simple - and as challenging – as inspiring ownership. Ownership of strategy. Ownership of outcomes.

We sat down with Co-founder and Managing Director Julie Castle, to get her top tips for business innovation. So, what are the different ways we can look at implementing innovation in a small business? I don't think it needs to take a huge amount of time up, but it's a lot of using your existing communication channels with your team. You may have a weekly WIP as we call them, like a week in progress session or you may have drinks together on a Friday night. Whatever form you're currently using within your team, bring up the word innovation and help people understand what it is and why it might benefit them or how you actually are looking to implement it in your business. I think sometimes employees might see that the only reason why a company wants to innovate is to make the processes faster which then might actually risk them not having their job, and that's not true. It's actually about inspiring them to use their time better and helping them be the best they can be in terms of their skills and capacity at work. It's giving people back time to live a full life.

As flexible work environments, working from home options and remote offices become the norm, it can be increasingly difficult to ensure that employees working away from the office are still made to feel ‘part of the team’. Here at Struber, we acknowledge that people have lives outside of work and need to work from home at times. Also, having recently opened our Melbourne office, we must now ensure that employees in QLD, Victoria and Asia still feel part of the Struber family and our culture is maintained.

In terms of benefiting from innovation, it's creating a culture that there's no fear around innovation. And think then, once you start getting as many people in your company really thinking about maybe changing things up or trying something new or testing something, you'll start to find opportunities for efficiency. When I look at small businesses, there's some simple tools that we've implemented in our organisation that have just expedited and de-hassled team members.

The unprecedented infrastructure explosion in NSW and Victoria means there’s a stronger call for effective communications and engagement practitioners than ever before. Government and community expectations are higher; profitability for contractors is tighter; the cost of delivering projects is phenomenal.

‍ Projects will struggle, and often fail, without solid stakeholder management. Securing community buy-in with clear communication and genuine engagement is the key to ensuring people are on board with new infrastructure. Understanding and managing risk is a standard part of running a project, but how often do infrastructure builders consider a lack of community engagement as a threat to success of the project? In fact, underestimating community stakeholders, or excluding them altogether, can add extra challenges to a project’s progress or even end it.

We can’t keep this secret any longer. In this ever-accelerating digital biosphere, it’s time to think about how you can capitalise on technology and level up your online engagement skills. How might you go about doing this? Say it on video and leave an impact.

Accountability of organisations undertaking work that impacts surrounding communities has steadily risen in recent times. Whether it be regional or urban work taking place, stringent planning guidelines and a strong community relations presence is the new normal. The difference between well planned and poorly planned communications programs can be the difference between a project meeting budget and timeframes, and a project being derailed by influencers and decision makers holding up progress due to a lack of confidence or fear of community backlash. Below are some considerations to ensure that your organisation’s actions demonstrate that of a modern, professional and socially responsible business.