'When the team is right, everyone in the chain benefits'

Working in complete and superbly aligned project teams

The labor shortage is a hot topic in the construction industry and the conclusion that it is incredibly difficult to find good executive technical administrative (UTA) personnel is often drawn. Unjustified, believes Kisito Zonneveld, Director of Velox. "In fact, finding the right people today is easier than ever."

"Almost every potential worker can be found on the social media network. That makes it easier to find and reach people," says Zonneveld. To also secure the right people for each project, he says, two questions are important: When are the people available? And what are their qualities? "This is not only about hard skills and expertise, but certainly also about soft skills. What kind of personality does someone have? Does his character fit the team? This is at least as important as whether someone understands their job. Put ten dominant people together in one team, for example, and nine times out of ten things will go wrong..."

Think ahead!

To select on all relevant competencies, especially in this tight labor market, you have to think ahead. But that is precisely where many projects go wrong, Zonneveld says. "Too often people start forming a team too soon in advance, with people who are available at that moment. That is a shame, because the people who happen to be available at a given moment are not always the people with the best qualifications for a specific project. By that I absolutely do not mean that they are not good people, but you do create suboptimal teams from which people are more likely to drop out. In the contracting world, average failure costs of 5% due to attrition are no exception. I can confidently state that these failure costs can easily be reduced by 2 to 3% if you organize your workforce planning better at the front end. For example, by doing total workforce management and strategic workforce planning. This means that at an early stage you have to think about: how are we going to carry out this project? Which people do we need? Which suitable people do we already have in-house? And what additions are desired? How can we bring these people in at the right time? Velox can support this in numerous areas so that complete and excellently matched project teams are created."

Well matched

Velox calls these project teams VxTeams. Henk Zwep and Imri Bron, among others, are part of such a VxTeam. On behalf of MEET, they are involved in the sustainable new building for VWS/RIVM and CBG. On the Utrecht Science Park, an 80-meter high glass tower with offices and laboratories is being built, surrounded by a green plinth with a variety of functions. "A construction team always starts small and expands as the work increases," emphasizes Zwep, who was approached about 2.5 years ago for the position of Chief Construction Superintendent. "I was working for a contractor company when a former construction manager approached me about this project. The question came at exactly the right time. I was ready for a new challenge. Moreover, I already had good experiences with Velox from the past."

In early 2021, Bron joined as Tower Superintendent, followed six months later by a third colleague. "As a self-employed person, I like working through a project agency like Velox," he says. "For example, because contract matters, payments and other provisions are well organized. This allows me to fully focus on the execution." Zwep: "I didn't know Imri (yet), but had heard good stories through a colleague. We had an introductory meeting and immediately clicked." When Zwep ended up at the hospital during the project, Bron took over his duties and now the two men work harmoniously side by side. "We are well matched," Bron said. "We know what we have to gain from each other as well as what we can expect from each other. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses, so we complement each other extremely well." 

Along with the other team members, Bron and Zwep are responsible for managing and supervising all subcontractors and work within the concrete skeleton. "From the walls and floors to the toilet facilities. In addition, we are responsible for both quality and safety and oversee a clean construction site."

Benefit for the entire chain

"When the team is right, everyone in the chain benefits," Zwep emphasizes. "From construction site personnel to client. "In recent months, we have really become colleagues of each other. That makes it very attractive to take on future works together as well. If that opportunity arises, we'd be happy to come to talk."