The construction industry benefits from broader economic recovery

COVID-19 affects the deployment of personnel

Approximately 4 out of 10 construction companies continue to suffer from loss of production due to the COVID-19 measures, although the loss is usually limited to a maximum of 5%. Many construction companies have come up with solutions, such as working in shifts. Staff are retained: more use is made of self-employed personnel and fewer temporary and permanent staff are being laid off to cope with high absenteeism. This is, moreover, without the use of government support – only 6% receive support.

Builders actively concern themselves with safety

Builders, especially main contractors, are actively working on safety certificates such as VCA and safety training. COVID-19 is seen as an element of safety. External parties are also regularly hired to give advice, such as manufacturers when using a new material. A quarter of contractors report being visited by a health and safety inspector in the past year. The general sense is that their employees are complying with the safety regulations, creating an environment of trust.

Builders do more than the minimum for safety

More than half of building contractors, installers, finishing companies, and manufacturers say they go beyond the minimum requirements, such as:

• “Audits, TBMs, start-up consultations, and workplace inspections.”
• “Make general protective equipment available.”
• “Repeated attention to safety.”
• “In addition to RIVM regulations, we have our own regulations that often go beyond the general COVID-19 rules.”

About the BouwMonitor

The coronavirus causes a lot of uncertainty for Dutch society and the real estate, construction, and installation sectors. At present, a lot of research is done on the effects of the virus on individual parties, but no research looks at the entire building column.

USP Marketing Consultancy and Vakmedianet have therefore taken the initiative to start the construction-wide BouwMonitor. We see, think, and believe that manufacturers, real estate parties, traders, trade associations, architects, builders, contractors, and installers should also know what is happening to the other parties. The BouwMonitor therefore combines all insights from all disciplines of the construction, installation, and real estate sectors into one study. The Building Monitor provides monthly insight into important indicators such as turnover development and order books in the building column. By monitoring all parties, the Building Monitor maps the effects of the coronavirus on the construction industry and the recovery of the sector.