The Importance of Synergies on Construction Projects

By Lynn Pearcey, MBA, Copywriter, AIA Contract Documents

June 17, 2024

The importance of synergies is often overlooked, but critical to the success of a construction worksite. No one segment or team is capable of completing a project, regardless of how many years of service they have or their level of expertise. Construction of commercial buildings, schools, homes, and the creation of any imaginable structure doesn’t just happen. It’s a team effort that calls for several parties meshing different elements together to achieve a pre-determined end result. Developing synergy on a construction worksite is critical, but understanding why it matters is even more essential.

Why Synergies Matter

  1. Leads to a Higher Quality of Workmanship: When synergies between teams exist, there’s no guesswork. Members understand their role and, because trust in others has been developed, they’re free to perform at a higher level. Contractors benefit from this type of environment and so do the clients they serve as they stand to receive a better finished product because everyone was moving in the same direction, working off of the same page.
  2. Helps Foster Better Communication: Communication improves where there are synergies because workers know what they want to say and feel comfortable expressing themselves. They understand their expectations and those of others, allowing them to be transparent without the concern that what they’re saying will be misconstrued or received in a manner that will disrupt the project.
  3. Creates a Strong Work Environment: There’s so much that can go wrong on a construction worksite. The project is separated into disparate parts, pieces, and silos by nature, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be one team striving toward the same goal. Where synergies are present, the foundation for a strong work environment is too, which ultimately leads to success.
  4. Improves Efficiency: If you find a construction site where the synergies are lacking, it’s a virtual guarantee that the site is running inefficiently. Where there are synergies, efficiency lives, and because it does, resources, humans, and other forms are used more responsibly and drive efficiency levels higher.
  5. Decreases Safety Accidents: No area benefits more from synergies than safety. In many cases, safety accidents occur because the seeds of synergy aren’t present. Team members are guessing about their next moves, assuming they know what someone will do, and this adversely impacts efficiency and puts workers in potentially harmful situations.

Conclusion

Synergies matter in construction and creating them can determine the success or failure of a project and, in some instances, an entire organization. Knowing their impact and working to build them delivers significant value, and the first step in that process is understanding why they’re so important.

The quality of work improves when contractors look to build synergistic worksites. Building synergies is a strategic undertaking that involves more than just assembling teams, skill sets, and competencies. It’s knowing how they mesh together and how they’ll lead to an optimal result.

Communication, efficiency, and safety records all improve when synergies are present. These are all areas that define any contractor and, invariably, help lay the foundation for sustainable growth, viability, and success.

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AIA Contract Documents has provided this article for general informational purposes only. The information provided is not legal opinion or legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship of any kind. This article is also not intended to provide guidance as to how project parties should interpret their specific contracts or resolve contract disputes, as those decisions will need to be made in consultation with legal counsel, insurance counsel, and other professionals, and based upon a multitude of factors.