Working on a construction site means working in a team. But how can team spirit be implemented when employees speak different languages and have completely different cultural backgrounds? Find out here how communication on the construction site works despite different native languages.
What you can expect in this article:
- Communication in construction: the most important things in a nutshell
- Improve communication on the construction site: How to deal with language barriers and cultural differences
- Improve communication in construction through structured offers
- Translation apps help with communication on the construction site
- Facilitating communication on construction sites: bilingual foremen
- Safety through communication – indispensable on international construction sites
- Counter the shortage of skilled workers with international teams & clear communication in construction
- International teams have many advantages – they work even better with clear communication on site
- Frequently asked questions about communication in construction
Communication in construction: the most important things in a nutshell
- Improve the efficiency of international teams with clear communication.
- Get 8 tips for improving communication on construction sites – despite language barriers.
- Tools such as Google Translator and DeepL help you to communicate quickly and digitally on the construction site and in the break room.
- Bilingual foremen are a great advantage.
- Safety can be increased through effective communication on site.
Improve communication on the construction site: How to deal with language barriers and cultural differences
Construction sites in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are international and people of different nationalities, languages and cultures work together here. By and large, this works out well. Multinational teams complete their tasks and have fun as a team. This is also due to the fact that employees can perform the practical work on the construction site even if they do not speak the local language. So language is not a fundamental barrier to working on a construction site. Nevertheless:
Sometimes communication on construction sites could be improved. This does not work by itself, but by site managers actively making offers. Both sides benefit from this.
You can solve the difficulties that arise due to a different cultural background and different languages with the help of a few tips.
Structured offers improve communication on the construction site even with language barriers
Just take the initiative to avoid problems in the first place. Good preparation is everything. It is particularly promising when both sides approach each other. In concrete terms, this means
- Find out what languages are spoken and who you can communicate with.
- Work employees in well and brief them extensively.
- Encourage all employees to ask immediately if anything is unclear in order to avoid misunderstandings.
- Many employees are afraid to admit mistakes or do not come forward when something has gone wrong. Promote a positive error culture, then the team can fix errors promptly. All employees benefit from this, regardless of whether they are from Germany or abroad.
- Employees are strangers to each other and have few points of contact or prejudices? Common social activities such as the after-work beer or parties help against this.
- If employees have a fixed contact person to whom they can turn when they have questions or problems, this facilitates the exchange of information.
- Make all employees aware of cultural differences in terms of politeness or, for example, the way people talk about family and other topics. Actively inquire about this and approach employees.
Different culture – different holidays: Understand that a colleague may be tired if they celebrated a party the day before.
Translation apps help with communication on the construction site
You don’t need to hire an expensive professional translator for translations – it’s much easier to do it digitally today. Just feed the text into a free translation program and instantly you will get the translation. Programs such as translate into virtually every language in the world, while DeepL, which is also highly recommended, translates into English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. The Google Translate app has other advantages as well. It translates entered text, but additionally also spoken language. Simply click on the microphone symbol in the app, speak into it, and the program starts translating and your communication is up and running – on the construction site or in the break room.
Tip: With the Google Translator app, you can also easily translate texts on photos – for example signs or instructions – ideal for the construction site: one photo is enough and your employees will immediately understand what it’s about. The app is a must-have on your employees’ construction site cell phones – regardless of whether they speak German or another language.
Facilitating communication on construction sites: bilingual foremen
Bilingual supervisors can effectively mediate between employees of different nationalities. They thus ensure greater work safety and better communication on your construction site. Studies have shown that multilingual crew leaders and foremen make construction sites safer. Therefore, it pays to strategically develop good bilingual or multilingual employees to fill this role. Because everything works better as a team – and safety comes first – even on international construction sites.
Safety through communication – indispensable on international construction sites
A central aspect on the construction site is safety. For this, it is important that the workers are familiar with the hazards and safety instructions.
Statistics with accident data on construction sites show that teams with foreign employees do not have more accidents.
Source: General Accident Insurance Institution, Vienna
This is good news. Nevertheless, it is important that all employees are fully informed about potential hazards and understand the safety instructions from the very beginning. Here you can help by giving your employees information in the local language.
Digitale Kommunikation im Bau: Effiziente Planung und Abstimmung direkt vom Schreibtisch auf die Baustelle.
Counter the shortage of skilled workers with international teams & clear communication in construction
If you hire international employees, you effectively counter the shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry, which is prevalent in some sectors in Germany. Particularly in the skilled trades, there is a shortage of domestic skilled workers for electrical installation and assembly, machining technology, pipeline construction or welding technology, for example. And the trend is upward.
Employees from other EU countries make up for this shortfall. Citizens of the EEA states (i.e. the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and Switzerland enjoy freedom of movement for employees, which means that they can be employed in a German company under the same labor, social and collective bargaining conditions as German employees.
The proportion of foreign workers on German construction sites is currently almost 20 percent. The share has increased from 7.7 percent in 2009 to 19.5 percent in 2019
Source: Main Association of the German Construction Industry e.V.
International teams have many advantages – they work even better with clear communication on site
An international workforce brings many opportunities: more specialist knowledge, new perspectives and greater flexibility. In order for these advantages to come to fruition on the construction site, one thing is needed above all – effective communication on the construction site. It is the key to efficient processes, mutual understanding and strong teamwork.
- You can fill positions that would otherwise have to remain vacant.
- You expand your applicant pool.
- Foreign employees are often characterized by above-average commitment.
- Experience shows that a mixed team solves tasks more creatively and better.
Frequently asked questions about communication in construction
You can achieve effective communication on the construction site through clear instructions, the use of translation apps and the targeted use of bilingual foremen. An open error culture also helps to identify misunderstandings at an early stage and resolve them together.
Good communication on construction sites creates the basis for efficient processes, greater occupational safety and better teamwork. It reduces sources of error and ensures that everyone involved – regardless of language or origin – is included.
Digital helpers such as Google Translate, DeepL or special Construction communication apps facilitate linguistic exchange and coordination within the team. They make it possible to share information quickly and without barriers – directly from the office or the construction site.
Regular meetings, structured induction, fixed contact persons and social activities such as joint breaks or parties strengthen cooperation and lower inhibitions. This makes all employees feel heard and taken seriously.
Image credits: Stockbyte/Stockbyte via Getty Images; Krisana Antharith/Shutterstock.com
