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Survey Insights on the Construction Industry

The construction industry faces significant hurdles, particularly regarding the management and sharing of documents and data across job sites. A recent survey conducted by LINE WORKS Corporation, targeting 1,071 construction professionals, reveals a concerning trend: over 40% of construction sites still rely on personal computers and USB drives for document management, with only 20% opting for cloud-based solutions. This reliance on outdated methods poses challenges for searching past documents and accessing data remotely.

Key Findings from the Survey

The pressing issues noted by businesses include a shortage of skilled labor and delays in staff training. Additionally, participants expressed concerns about time consumed in schedule coordination, attending on-site meetings, and liaising with subcontractors. The challenges stem from a system characterized by individual responsibility for document management and a reliance on manual processes.

1. Labor Shortage: A staggering 72% of companies cited personnel shortages as a major challenge, followed by 44% reporting issues with staff training.
2. Operational Burdens: Primary tasks that occupied personnel time included scheduling (42%), on-site meetings (33%), and communications with subcontractors (32%). These activities often push essential administrative tasks aside, demonstrating a critical bottleneck in operational efficiency.
3. Document Management Practices: Despite advancements in technology, 44% of respondents manage files via personal devices, while a meager 22% utilize cloud services. Significant issues arose regarding the difficulty in retrieving historical documents and the lack of remote access for editing materials, with respondents averaging an hour daily on document management tasks.

The Call for Digital Transformation

Given the growing challenges of labor shortages, construction sites must adopt digital tools to alleviate the burdens associated with traditional methods. The interview conducted with Shizuru Omae, Deputy General Manager of Yoshinari Construction Co., illustrated the shift towards technological solutions. "We have struggled with document management, and the request for improvement from our site teams compelled us to adopt LINE WORKS' Drive feature for centralized management of our documents. The integration of this tool proved to be manageable and cost-effective compared to others. Additionally, the automated synchronization option tremendously simplifies its usage," explained Omae.

Embracing AI for Increased Efficiency

Further supporting this transformation, Hirakazu Tani from LINE WORKS' Industry Development Sales Department emphasized the role of digital solutions and AI in overcoming labor shortages. Technologies like AI-centric minutes creation tools and cloud cameras are essential in lifting the operational load and enhancing productivity on construction sites. The primary goal remains to assist construction workers in leveraging these innovations to improve their productivity and streamline operations.

Upcoming Online Seminar

To address these issues, LINE WORKS plans to hold an online seminar titled "Managing Construction Sites in the AI Era: Creating Resilient Workspaces Without Labor Shortages." This session will highlight creating a resilient work environment that leverages LINE WORKS products while tackling the realities of labor shortages. Participants will receive a comprehensive report summarizing the survey results as an added incentive.

Seminar Details:
Date: July 24 (Thursday), 1:00 - 1:45 PM
Format: Zoom
Registration: Sign up here

Explore LINE WORKS Family Products

Further assisting the construction industry, LINE WORKS offers a variety of products tailored for the challenges faced on-site, including communication tools and AI applications for meeting minutes. Value sets featuring tools like LINE WORKS, LINE WORKS Rajah (walkie-talkie app), and LINE WORKS AiNote (AI minutes creation app) are now available, with discounts of up to 20%.

For more product information:
Explore here

About LINE WORKS Corporation

Established in June 2015, LINE WORKS Corporation is based in Shibuya, Tokyo, and offers an extensive range of business communication tools and AI products tailored to support various industries. Through ongoing AI technology research, the company aims to enhance the adoption of cutting-edge technologies across various sectors, addressing the myriad challenges that professionals face today.