Why Having a Support Network is Essential in the Building Industry

Builders are constantly running uphill. Turning another person’s life savings into something special, while ensuring your workmates are safe and running a profitable business is a lot of responsibility. That’s why it’s important to remember that you’re never alone.

The building industry has weathered a storm of challenges in the last few years. The industry halted when the pandemic started, and then all of a sudden government grants caused sharp increases in demand, inflation, and supply chain delays.

The challenges were enough to cause many businesses to collapse, and it’s only natural that this has taken a toll on mental health and wellbeing in the industry. That’s why it’s so important to have a support network to turn to.

You’re Not Alone

In a support network, you are likely to find someone who has experienced your problem before. When you’re trying to scale up, all of a sudden you have to go from being a builder to a business owner. As you bring on more team members your risks and responsibilities grow, and people just assume that you know what you’re doing.

Then suddenly, you’re managing compliance, HR, recruitment, finance, sales, and accounting. There is a lot to work through and you still need to ensure that your projects run smoothly. You may find yourself working overtime and the weight of responsibility, lack of downtime, and stress of encountering unfamiliar scenarios can be challenging. So, it’s important to have people to go to for help.

Try to form mentoring relationships and alliances with other builders in the industry who are willing to give back. Having relationships with experts in other fields of business and leadership will also help you to tackle the challenges of scaling up. Most importantly, make sure that you continue talking to your friends and family, and remember that you can access professional mental health support services.

At G.J. Gardner Homes, we encourage all of our franchisees to pick up the phone as soon as a problem arises. We’ve all asked for advice more than once and are willing to share it back. We also have finance, HR, marketing, and mental health experts readily available for anyone who needs it.

Everyone in the industry is facing the same hurdles and we know that we’re stronger together. You’ll be amazed how quickly a problem can be solved when you’re brave enough to raise your hand and ask for help.

Stronger Together

Every industry faces ups and downs, but networks offer resilience in the face of uncertainty. The issues that the building industry has recently faced seemed to pop up overnight and haven’t been easy to navigate.

However, it’s easier to solve a problem when you’re not the only one working on it. At G.J. Gardner Homes, we’ve leveraged our combined expertise and shared knowledge from throughout the network to work our way through the pandemic. Regular and open communication is important to us.

When it came to getting the best rates for carpenters or securing materials on time amid talent and supply chain shortages, having access to a support network helped. Every franchisee is willing to share their knowledge to solve a problem because it benefits the whole group and we have a diverse group of professional experts who inject best practice business thinking into our network. With strong systems and the right foundations, you can weather any storm.

Bring the Joy Back into Building

Construction is a male-dominated industry and often builders find it hard to talk about things that are weighing them down. It is also highly regulated and involves a lot of safety risks

Not only does that come with a big personal burden, but it also brings financial risk. Many builders are trying to secure financial freedom by building more homes, which naturally puts pressure on their plates. They also don’t have a lot of time to spend with family and friends.

That’s why it’s important to build relationships and take time out. At G.J. Gardner Homes, we often bring our franchisees together for catch-ups, breakouts, and trips away. It’s reinvigorating to talk to people who are facing the same challenges and have the same dreams. Many of us don’t realise how much we need that time until we take it.

The Power of a Network

When you have a network of good people around you, you don’t have to be lonely in leadership, constantly wondering if you’re making the right choices or not. It’s important to invest in relationships because together, it’s easier to share learnings and solve problems.