From hospitals and schools to libraries and community centres, the UK’s public buildings have a profound and lasting impact on communities across all regions of the country, providing vital services that enable people to live healthier, more convenient, and happier lives.
The delivery of such facilities, however, simply wouldn’t be possible were it not for the project management efforts that go into them. After all, it is a project manager’s job to ensure that every stage of the construction process is carried out efficiently, to a high standard, and within budget, overseeing the day-to-day running and ultimate success of the projects that they’re responsible for. As such, project management plays a pivotal role in the delivery of built environment works in the public sector, and is a role with plenty of scope, effectively bringing together various teams, resources, and clients in a cohesive and organised manner.
However, it is not simply the buildings themselves that benefit from strong project management; on the contrary, there are many ways how the work that project managers do can have a positive ripple effect on wider society, with the potential to save the public sector billions every year.
Delivering savings for taxpayers through responsible procurement
Successfully delivering a project on time, within budget, and to the high standard expected by the client, all rely heavily on having the very best and most dependable contractors on board, and the ability to supervise them properly. However, this is an area where many project managers go wrong, with research published by CORE showing that ineffective project governance, management and oversight are among the main reasons for cost overruns, which costs the UK taxpayer £624 a year on average.
Effective supply chain management is a key attribute for successful project delivery. The best way for project managers to accurately determine a supplier’s suitability for a project is by carrying out a review of their past performance, taking into consideration their financial health, as well as flagging any compliance concerns. In doing so, project managers can make better, more informed decisions about which suppliers they use for upcoming projects, allowing them to mitigate risks by diversifying their pool of suppliers, or establishing contingency for supply chain disruption.
By extension, this greatly reduces the likelihood that a project will be delayed, or that it will exceed its budget, resulting in significant savings for taxpayers, who foot the bill for public sector builds. By following best practice procurement processes, project managers can make savings for taxpayers and save the public sector billions.
Spreading social value
Of course, public buildings are, by definition, a benefit to society, given the services and facilities that they provide, but project managers also have a responsibility to ensure that their work itself has a positive impact on the wider world; something that is known as social value. This can encapsulate many different things, from repurposing old, disused buildings, to being environmentally conscious by diverting construction waste for recycling rather than sending it to landfill, and supporting local community groups, such as local charities, schools and colleges.
The most effective project managers are those who take the time to understand the demographics of the areas in which they operate and recognise how this can help them plan and deliver effective social value that will have the maximum impact on local communities.
Creating employment opportunities
One of the most obvious ways that project management in the built environment can support society more broadly is through the creation of new employment opportunities. As the sector comprises more than 3.1 million people – or over 9% of the entire UK workforce – it is a simply huge jobs maker, with the roles on offer varying greatly in nature.
As such, working with a local supply chain can have a profound impact on the areas in which public sector projects are carried out. Employing professionals who are based nearby enables them to make positive contributions to their area, spending the money they earn on local products and services, thereby boosting its economy. On top of this, project managers who hire locally can also reduce the overall carbon footprint of their projects, with contractors not having to travel as far for work or materials and therefore producing fewer emissions.
In addition to sourcing experienced professionals, shrewd project managers can also help to address the built environment’s growing skills gap by taking apprentices on for their public sector projects. Indeed, CIOB research highlights the construction industry’s ‘ageing workforce’, with the number of employees above 60 increasing more than any other age group. This makes it clear that more must be done to cultivate a new generation of talented workers who can pick up the tools of their older counterparts, many of whom are approaching retirement. By getting experienced contractors to take apprentices under their wing on public sector builds, project managers can facilitate the baton passing that’s needed to ensure the continued prosperity of the industry at large.
Project managers must be supported
Project managers unquestionably have an important and challenging job, being charged with delivering the public facilities upon which we rely. However, they have the potential to have a far more meaningful impact on society through their work.
From creating employment opportunities, to practising best practice recruitment that provides taxpayers with considerable savings, and spreading social value through their work, there are many ways how project managers can support communities. As such, they deserve to be celebrated and supported, ensuring that they have all the tools that they need to make the world around them a better place to be.
Robbie Blackhurst is founder of Black Capital Group
