The findings from a survey produced by software company Procore suggest that productivity across the industry remains high, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the key findings from Procore’s inaugural How We Build Now Canada survey suggests that 71 percent of respondents feel their on-site activities are as productive—or more so—than they were before the pandemic hit.

The Procore survey explored the opinions of 340 general contractors, government, subcontractors/specialty contractors, owners and others in the construction industry between September 29 and October 21. Its aim was to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry.

Building on the findings relating to productivity, the survey also showed that about one in four respondents were either much more or slightly more productive now than they were pre-pandemic—a fact that shows the industry’s ability to adapt in the face of a significant challenge.

Additionally, despite the partial shutdown that affected much of the construction industry in Ontario and concerns over working through a second wave of the pandemic, respondents are confident in the prospects of work to come. Sustained demand, combined with increased spending on public-sector infrastructure suggests to 43 percent of respondents that the number and value of construction projects they complete in the next 12 months will go up.

A further 23 percent were less optimistic, and believe that the number or value of the projects they complete in 2021 will decline, while 15 percent expect no changes in their business, and 18 percent are unsure.

"These results provide a snapshot of an industry in transition," said Jas Saraw, vice-president, Canada at Procore. "The high productivity reported is good news for construction, but belied by the continuing challenges of enhanced on-site safety protocols and external factors impacting the industry. Construction is very resilient, and Canadian builders will continue to look for, and implement, new solutions that will propel them through the pandemic."

Managing personnel, whether on site or in the office, has been a significant challenge for the industry since the pandemic began. The Procore survey found that 27 percent of respondents shifted between 76 and 100 percent of their staff to offsite work in the months after COVID-19. Meanwhile, 77 percent of respondents plan to maintain some or all of the new safety measures that have put in place post-pandemic. Only 10 percent of respondents anticipate a return to pre-pandemic safety measures.

Asked about how they will forecast their business plans for 2021, and their resulting workforce requirements, respondents were challenged. More than half said this was a concern, and 37 percent said they face challenges with workforce allocation. Respondents also felt that productivity and efficiency would be key issues for the industry in 2021, as would the ability to work remotely.

Finally, 88 percent said they believed technology will either play a key role in the future of construction or be the backbone of the construction industry.