Consequences for employees

It has become clear from discussions with several employees that the use of the current quality management system is sometimes difficult. Completing inspection lists, having initial meetings, and recording these do not always receive priority, which means they are not always completed, held, or made. The concern of the employees at Van Wijnen is that even more ‘administration’ will be added.

However, the Groevenbeek project shows that good preparation and execution (LEAN building) pays off. The quality is good and the client received the NOM home.

The new law has come at a good time. The building crisis has done well for the construction sector.

Processes have been improved, the client now comes first, and the quality improved. At Van Wijnen, there is the belief that they are able to implement this law into their business processes. An

important point of attention is the knowledge necessary to be able to assess whether the quality in design and execution meets the requirements and agreements (contract).

Besides knowledge, the culture in the building industy will also need to change. Marketing expert Marjet Rutten has written three books (Van Yab Yum naar Dim Sum, 2010, Van Kannie naar Passie, 2013 en Van maken naar raken, 2015) that illustrate where the building industry should be headed.

The world is changing and the building industry must change with it. Building homes should become cheaper. Homes (and many commercial buildings, such as schools, warehouses, and offices) should no longer be developed and built uniquely. Another thing that no longer fits with the times and

generates unnecessary burdens is the approach of local governments, who continue to ask for a fully documented environmental permit application for many constructed objects, such as bike bridges, cell towers, and transformer houses. The very detailed requirements of the Building Aesthetics are now often in the way of building concept dwellings. In the end the consumers bears the brunt of it.

The ‘new’ construction also requires a restructuring of the role of the contractor (Rutten, 2010).

Homes and buildings either do or do not come out of the factory (nearly) fully assembled. In the book 'Van maken naar raken', the author illustrates a different sector structure (figure 24). This new structure requires a different business operation (Rutten, 2015). A clear vision is necessary.

Figure 24: The future sector structure; (Rutten, 2015)

Rutten (2015), brings up the golden circles from Simon Sinek. A company needs to ask three questions:

• Why?

• How?

• What?

Figure 25: Golden Circle; (Sinek, 2011)

The questions need to be answered and these answers need to be shared and implemented into business operations.

With the first question (why?), why do we do what we do, concepts such as driving forces, values, involvement, right of existence, and motivation come to the fore. The second question (how?) “How do we do that?” is meant to provide answers that describe competencies, that identify the necessary means, and that determine procedures and skills. Means and procedures are described in chapter 4.

It goes without saying that the third question (what?) “What do we do?”, requires solid objectives and necessary results as an answer, and that this is important for the survival of the company (figure 25).

The competencies and skills are important for employees. In higher professional education, not only skills such as constructional design, creation, and calculation are taught, but there is an increasing focus on competencies such as cooperation, communication, and listening as well.

Developing competencies requires self‐knowledge; reflecting on behavior in both normal and special situations is a condition for learning and improving competencies. Construction companies train their middle and higher tiers to gain self‐knowledge. Well‐known formats in terms of people types such as that of professor Caluwé (yellow, blue, red, green, and white people) help employees and companies to develop competencies and create successful teams (Rutten, 2010). In order to successfully

implement the new law (Wkb), the efforts to develop competencies and skills will need to be intensified.

These activities should not be limited to the main contractor, but the co‐builders (suppliers, subcontractors, and installers) should also participate in this. Once the sales process has been completed, the buyer mainly comes into contact with the people on site, such as the executor, planners, carpenters, tilers, and employees of installation companies. The behavior of these employees should also comply with the policy of the organization to put the client first (figure 26).

The fact that ‘construction’ is extremely fragmented demands a broad approach and great effort.

Fabricating a home of part of a building in a factory will resolve some of the current communication problems (which result in failure costs).

Figure 26: The sum of trust; (Rutten, 2015)

The challenge is to also realize the desired customer‐orientation and provision of construction quality in the current mode of production.

As indicated, a clear vision is needed. This vision should be developed both top‐down and bottom‐up.

The new quality system will only be successful if all parties and individuals involved consider it to have additional value and not as an additional administrative burden. Being allowed to provide the initials or tick for agreement should generate a feeling of pride in the sense of: ‘I have done a good job’.

What is important here is that demonstrating the delivered quality becomes part of the work process. It needs to ‘just’ be a part of it, which means the load should be minimal. In the section 5.6, the idea is further elaborated to link the QCLs and control protocols to the digital 3D model of the home or the building. If this 3D model and the quality system and the file are centrally managed, it is

possible for all those involved to follow and see the progress, the situation with regard to quality, and all information.

By granting the independent KB access to the server where all project information can be found, then the KB can follow the project without much physical effort (such as project visits, meetings) and report immediately if something goes wrong. This way, the costs for the KB remain very limited. This way of working does require the transparency and the trust that the employees and co‐builders do their job properly.

Employees should be trained to adequately perform and register the quality checks. This requires a sophisticated training program. In the initial phase, coaching is very important. At a later stage, an internal helpdesk led by the QHSE coordinator will suffice, supported by a digital intranet with good and bad examples.

Parallel to this, the internal communication about putting the client first (and the trust the client have in this) needs to be developed. Rutten (2015), states that internal communication is essential for realizing and maintaining involvement. Managers should be role models in this. Everyone throughout the organization should be on the same page regarding this topic. This way, all employees of Van Wijnen will be proud of their company and proud of their own contribution.