What is BIM?

BIM could lift productivity by up to 9% in the building sector, reduce construction costs and produce an economic benefit to the nation's economy of five billion dollars by 2025.

But what is BIM? BIM stands for Building Information Modelling. While there are different definitions for different applications the industry agreed definition is:

a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition.

While hard to visualise BIM is a virtual representation of the project that anyone working on it can access. The program also has the ability to see into the future. BIM can programmed to generate how the job will look and operate. Future problems can be fixed now before they are even encountered.

BIM is already being used in Australia on highways, tunnels and hospital builds. Although use isn't widespread, it is slowly increasing. This short video explains BIM and also looks at its functions including augmented reality and RFID smart tags used on machinery.

Augmented reality is one of the most interesting capabilities of the software. Augmented reality already exists on smartphones but it will be interesting to see its use increase in the construction industry.

The biggest user of BIM in Australia is the energy industry which has been using 3-D modelling and computer mapping for decades. One energy company has even developed smart tags that have the ability to tell a user about the component it is tagged on. The tag can literally give information on how to be assembled or even repaired.

The future of BIM is the ability for the program to talk amongst itself using smart tags. A component could realise when it's broken, self-order and have repair parts delivered.

In the meantime, hire staff from foundU and know they can communicate with each other and look after themselves.

Get a Job. Find Staff. Join foundU. 

foundu.com.au

3D Printers and Solar Windows: Futuristic Construction Materials Here Now

The construction industry is constantly growing and changing. New projects, new techniques and new building materials. The market demands well designed buildings that offer more than just a space to live in or work, they need to be 'smart', 'sustainable' and built for the future.

As part of this growing trend new construction materials and techniques are being developed. foundU is always interested in innovation and had a look at some of the latest.

3-D Concrete Printing

3-D printers have been around for a while now, you can even buy one at Officeworks. 3-D printers mainly print small items in plastic, not super-valuable for the construction industry. But what if you could print in concrete?

Researchers from Loughborough University in England, have developed a 3-D concrete printer that can produce complex shapes. So far they have built a 1 tonne bench and a 2-metre curved panel. The value of the machine is that it can come on site and print exact pieces for a construction job.

A piece of 3-D printed concrete

Solar Windows

Solar power was first discovered in 1839 with the solar cell being invented over a 100 years later. Today, it is not uncommon to see buildings or street lights powered by energy from the Sun. The main limitation of solar power is the cost, it is still easier to connect a building to mains energy. It also makes a build more complex having to install solar panels on a building. Instead of big, cumbersome solar panels, some companies are now embedding solar cells in windows.

One company gets normal glass and sprays it with tiny functional organic solar cells. These cells are quarter the size of grain of rice and have the capacity to power an entire building. Simple and easy solar power with no extra space.

Self-Healing Concrete

Concrete cracks, pure and simple. A concrete crack needs to repaired and each year millions of dollars and thousands of hours are spent fixing concrete cracks. But what if concrete healed itself? The moment a crack started forming the concrete sealed the damage using the power of the Sun?

It does in fact exist, concrete that is covered in millions of tiny microcapsules full of a concrete repairing solution. When a crack starts to form the capsules break and begin filling the whole with the solution. The solution is exposed to sunlight and sets, fixing the damage.

Metal Foam

There is foam, then there is metal foam. Metal foam is foam like in appearance but is actually made from solid metal. The applications are endless but there are potential uses in the construction industry.

It is super-light and some metal foam can even float on water. It has been suggested that in the future it could be used to build floating cities. It is great insulator of sound, vibration and heat. Possible uses include building insulation and vehicle production.

foundU is always keeping an eye on the future. For the present, hire our quality staff and get building on your future projects.

Get a Job. Find Staff. Join foundU. 

foundu.com.au

Top Tips to Retain Staff

Finding quality staff is a time consuming and expensive process. The process can become even more expensive if a new-hire leaves soon after joining. With the average cost of a new staff member approximately $3000, business don't want to lose staff.

That's why employee retention is so important. Keeping staff will lower costs and improve your business productivity. foundU offers five key tips to retaining staff.

1) Track Retention - You make think you are looking after staff and keeping them in the business but sometimes perception does not meet reality. If you are part of large company it can be hard to track who has quit and where. The other important aspect of retention tracking is finding out how you compare to other companies and industries. You might not measure up as well as you think.

2) Employ Quality Managers - The popular saying that employees quit their managers and not their job is true. A poll of a million American workers found that the number one reason staff quit is because of a bad boss. Be the good boss or employ quality managers and see retention rise.

3) Offer Advancement - Staff want to feel that their job and career can progress. They don't want to feel that they will be stuck in one position for the rest of their employment. Offer clear pathways for progression, it doesn't have to be much but goes a long way in retaining staff.

4) Workplace Flexibility - Employees actually have a legal right to work flexibility in Australia. Employers can only refuse on reasonable business grounds and this can be hard to prove. Offering work flexibility to staff members can improve productivity and help an employee enjoy their work more. This in turn lifts retention.

5) Challenge Staff - Have clear goals for your employees. Give them new challenges and targets to work toward. This way they feel they have purpose and are being looked after by management. Staff are also less likely to leave if they have their own projects and goals.

But ...

Staff retention takes time and money. There is an alternative, employing casual on-call staff that work when and where you need them. foundU offers this with hundreds of quality tradesman and labourers on our books. We can have staff at your site and working in less than 24-hours.

Keep the quality staff but use foundU next time you need temporary staff on-site. If you find a candidate you like, you can also request them on your next project. Save yourself $3000 and use foundU.

Get a Job. Find Staff. Join foundU. 

foundu.com.au

Flexible Staffing To Grow Your Business

Construction companies go through boom times and quiet times. Some weeks you are overrun with projects and jobs needing staff. Other weeks you might be managing one job.

Flexible staffing or a 'scalable resource model' is an ideal way for a business to operate. A large company can't have 50 staff on their payroll but only have 20 working at a time. A scalable resource model allows a business to respond to demand and maintain profit.

Benefits of Flexible Staffing

Targeted Recruitment - By using flexible staff a business can hire employees with specific skill sets. Rather than employing generic staff companies can recruit for jobs that require particular qualifications.

If a building company mainly employs carpenters but needs bricklayers for a certain project, a scalable resource model allows them to do this. After the work is completed, staff can be let go to find more work in their skill area.

Lower Operating Cost - Using a just in time approach and filling positions only when needed saves your business money. While employing less staff obviously means less money spent on wages, it also means a reduced amount of money spent on administration and equipment costs.

Rapid Growth - Recruitment takes time and money. Quality staff are hard to find and cost thousands of dollars to hire. A scalable resource model allows a business to rapidly grow with minimum cost.

Improved Quality - Sourcing flexible staff also introduces fresh ideas to your business. New staff are eager to contribute ideas and prove their worth in your company.

Staff Themselves - Many employees prefer flexible working arrangements. It allows them to work when they want. Flexible staff feel more empowered in their work lives and are willing to work hard when needed.

The benefits of a scalable resource model are obvious but only work when a company has access to a pool of skilled and available staff. foundU gives a business a reliable workforce that is always ready.

Bring innovation to your business, lower cost and enjoy rapid growth all by using foundU. With hundreds of qualified tradesman and labourers on our books, foundU is the complete staffing solution.

Get a Job. Find Staff. Join foundU. 

foundu.com.au

Mates in Construction

foundU is getting behind the Mates in Construction suicide prevention program. We know working in construction can be a tough job with long hours. We also know mental health plays a part in every Australian industry, in particular construction.

The Mates in Construction program was created to address the high rate of suicide, which is up to 25% higher than the Australian average. The programs encourages employees to look out for each other and ask if they are ok. Something as simple as asking 'how are you going' and talking about how you feel can save a life.

Some foundU mates

The program has seen a 10% reduction in the risk of suicide over a five year period in Queensland. It is hoped that the program can transfer to other industries and help lower the risk of suicide.

The program works by offering support services to on-site staff. Staff can seek help from services such as social workers or psychologists. Employees can also seek help from Mates in Construction representatives who can be identified by stickers on their hats.

So far the program has received 2000 referrals from construction workers needing help. Chief executive of Mates in Construction in South Australia, Michelle Caston said this year alone three people's lives have been directly saved because of the program.

foundU is 100% behind this excellent program and its commitment to lowering suicide in the construction industry. foundU encourages all its staff to seek help if they need it and talk to a Mate in Construction on 1300 642 111.

Get a Job. Find Staff. Join foundU. 

foundu.com.au

Hire not Fire

Employers are hiring not firing with recruitment rising in nearly all Australian states according to a survey by Hudson Recruitment. The survey of 4,000 Australian employers found that hiring was on the upswing. This August alone 121,000 new jobs were added to the Australian workforce.

The Hudson report found that positive hirings have increased by 2.7 points to 23.9%, the highest since the second quarter of 2013. The state with the biggest growth in positive hiring is Queensland, with a 2.7 pp increase taking recruitment growth to 27.8%. Queensland staff are also enjoying the lowest firing rate of any state with only 9.3% of employers looking to downsize.

Overall employers are keeping the workforce steady with just over 65% of employers neither hiring nor firing.

Source: Hudson

Hudson executive general manager Dean Davidson has pointed to official unemployment figures and an increase in jobs ads on Seek as positive signs that there is a strengthening in the labour market.

The Hudson survey found the biggest problem facing recruitment managers is sourcing the right talent. A huge 90% of managers said that getting the right staff is the most challenging part of the recruitment process. A further 60% also said that there is a talent shortage in their industries.

Stay ahead of the competition and join foundU. foundU can provide your business with talented staff that have been personally verified by our recruitment experts. Don't leave positions unfilled as you wait for the right employee, instead use our service to find staff that are right for the job.

Our online platform allows you to set jobs in your area and choose from the talented staff that respond. With employment only growing, now is the right time to join foundU.

Get a Job. Find Staff. Join foundU. 

foundu.com.au