Project management is an often stressful and unforgiving job. You are responsible for managing several different parties, processes and timelines – many of which are largely out of your control. This makes it difficult to meet deadlines and budgets, which is your primary concern. In construction, project managers play a critical role in ensuring that different teams and specialities come together to complete builds of all kinds. From city skyscrapers to rural housing developments, construction projects throw up all sorts of challenges and complications that the project manager has to oversee and overcome. Being prepared for these challenges, although extremely difficult, is key to giving yourself the best chance of responding effectively to whatever obstacles lay ahead.

Balancing stakeholder expectations

As a project manager, you are the point of contact for many of the stakeholders involved in a particular project. This includes clients, contractors, suppliers and often local authorities – all of whom are concerned more about their own interests. As such, project managing can be a tricky task when certain stakeholders are expecting conflicting factors or results. For example, your client wants the project to be completed by a certain date, but contractors need extra time to ensure they do their job to an appropriate standard.

Managing whilst on and off-site

Some project managers will split their time between the site and the office because they are overseeing multiple projects at once. Others will stay on-site for most of the project if the situation demands it and stay in a nearby serviced apartment. Both can create challenges, such as spending weeks or even months away from home or finding it harder to manage a project that you aren’t onsite for. Each project will have unique circumstances and some will require a more hands-on approach to project management.

Timelines and delays

Timelines are a key factor in any construction project because they determine when materials can be ordered, when contractors can be booked and when the client can expect to see completion. Any disruptions or delays can be catastrophic to the whole project by knocking other elements off course and creating stakeholder conflict. Setbacks are hard to control and this can be frustrating on the part of the project manager who has to explain them to all associated groups.

Communication

Communication is perhaps the most significant skill that a project manager needs, but that doesn’t mean that it goes smoothly throughout a project. Communication from others, such as contractors and suppliers, can create obstacles and if issues aren’t identified or resolved quickly they can snowball into larger concerns and barriers. Project managers must do their best to avoid miscommunication because this can create confusion project-wide – which is far from ideal with looming deadlines and budget constraints.