How to Increase Production Without New Hires

By Equipter. 

Manage the labor shortage and increase your bottom line by streamlining your debris handling process. 

It can be hard to do the job well when you are short on staff. With the labor shortages rippling through the roofing industry and a lack of experienced roofers available for hire, it can be difficult to brainstorm how to boost productivity in a way that doesn’t include hiring more people. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "employment of roofers is predicted to grow 2% from 2019 to 2029 ," so it is wise to start strategizing how to get the job done with a smaller crew. But it’s possible to maximize efficiency–and production–with your existing crew. Find out how here. 

1 - Streamline tear-off debris control. 

The conventional “toss it all on the ground” method of roofing may get the job done, but it adds hours to the day. Sometimes it even requires a crew member assigned to cleanup to be stationed on the ground for part, or sometimes even all, of the day. 

The Equipter RB4000, a roofing dump trailer designed by roofers for roofers, streamlines material handling so your crews are more productive. Here’s how it works: 

• It’s self-propelled. After you tow the Equipter to the job site, unhitch it and drive the machine almost anywhere on site using its simple-to-operate control panel and 13-horsepower engine. That means you can place the Equipter right next to the home—something you typically can’t do with a large conventional container. 
• It’s raisable. Position the container right off the roofline using its 12-foot hydraulic lift feature. Your roofers simply drop debris directly into the raised Equipter with a 10.5-foot catch span rather than on the ground. 
• It’s dumpable. When the RB4000’s lightweight aluminum container is full, lower it and drive the unit to dump the load into your trailer, truck or conventional dumpster. 

The result is that instead of advertising “Roofing Crews Wanted,” you can reduce workloads by eliminating the double- and triple-handling debris and materials that can add hours to each project. Debris goes from roof to container to disposal. 

2 - Streamline office tasks. 

One study of roofing construction professionals found that poor communication and poor planning were two major reasons for lost productivity. Take stock of your roofing company’s office tasks to determine where you’re losing time. Areas to examine include: 

• Office workflow. Maybe you use so many internal communication channels (email, text, internal messaging) that nobody knows how to get messages to coworkers or subordinates quickly. Or perhaps you struggle with constant confusion regarding who is supposed to do what. Pinpoint the problems that drain the most time and then find solutions, whether that’s designating an “official” communication channel or defining a set workflow that clarifies everyone’s responsibilities. 
• Office technology. Smart use of technology can make it much easier to accomplish tasks when you’re shorthanded. Look for office tech culprits that slow down crews, from the lack of an app-accessible inventory management program or a customer signature app that never works like it’s intended. Find solutions to those tech pain points to boost efficiency. 

Don’t let the need to advertise for more roofing employees slow your business down. Streamline material handling and office processes to help your roofing company raise its productivity, and keep an eye on the Equipter blog for more ways to improve your roofing company without hiring more roofers. 

Learn more about Equipter in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit  www.Equipter.com.

Original article source: Equipter