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How Technology is Shaping the Contractor Workforce

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For contractors, technology is changing the way the world works. Removing traditional obstacles and opening new doors, it is allowing professionals to alter and improve the methods by which they conduct business, whether they’re a carpenter, electrician, roofer, painter, or even cleaner.

We can see this in action in almost every modern industry, but never more so than in the construction and maintenance sectors, where no two days or projects are the same. Employing huge numbers of contractors, this technology is changing their very roles, often to the benefit of all involved.

Here are just a few of the exciting new innovations we can see at play.

Drones

Source: Pixabay

Drones are often found in the hands of those with an affinity for innovation, but they’re more than a mere toy for the adventurous. In fact, autonomous drones are now frequently employed by contractors in a professional capacity, to map out construction sites digitally. What this does is provide a greater degree of accuracy, while also reducing the risk of having people on the ground in unexplored and unmapped territories. With many drones proving inexpensive to purchase, they can thus be highly effective in reducing errors and improving the overall speed and safety standards of daily tasks.

3D printing

Another technology that many contractors are beginning to employ is 3D printing, which has been used for everything from constructing houses through to developing new and innovative tools that are specially designed for a specific job. The possibilities this type of tech can open up are almost infinite, which explains why more and more professionals are investing in it. Those in construction are at the forefront of this charge, with individuals in the know claiming that it can reduce construction costs, speed up processes, and allow greater integration of technology into homes and other buildings.

Mobile phones 

Source: Pixabay

While drones and 3D printing can seem rather futuristic, one type of tech that even the least adventurous contractor is embracing is their mobile phone. Offering unparalleled opportunities to open doors and connect with potential employers, these provide a way to market oneself for free, while also increasing an individual’s professional profile and allowing on-site information to be shared through apps and similar avenues. The latter not only enables quicker data input,  but the adoption of a paperless system that can act as a concrete record of the project and any information pertaining to it.   

Virtual reality 

In addition, growing numbers of contractors are embracing the advent of virtual reality. While such new and unfamiliar technologies can be daunting and mean many are taking care to ensure they have appropriate and specialist cover such as contractors insurance at Next Insurance alongside specifically tailored company policies, they are also enhancing the way such professionals work. Architects, house buyers, project managers, and more are benefitting from the newfound ability to visualize completed projects even before they’re begun. Enabling greater engagement and input throughout from all parties, this is undeniably transforming the very future of the worlds of property and construction.    

When it comes to the ever-competitive contractor workforce, there is no doubt that technology is changing the way things are done, nor that it offers a means of getting ahead for those who are savvy enough to take advantage.