Empowering Frontline Supervisors for Safer Construction

No one is more critical to the safety of construction projects than the frontline supervisors who bridge the gap between management and workers. Frontline supervisors have a massive impact not only on a project’s success, but on adherence to safety measures, like whether crews wear PPE or use scaffolding properly. And with the suicide rate for construction workers among the highest of all professions, frontline supervisors are often the first to notice signs of mental health struggles on their crew. They see the big picture, while also keeping tabs on the smallest details. From this unique vantage point, they can spot opportunities to make job sites safer and minimize potential risks.

Frontline supervisors haven’t always been empowered to speak up when they see something that might go sideways. Historically, the construction industry has attached a stigma to admitting weakness or vulnerability. Pressure to finish jobs quickly inevitably led to safety mistakes. But acknowledging errors and mistakes was more likely to lead to punishment than an honest discussion of how to do better. 

Frontline supervisors were expected to be superhuman—meeting aggressive timelines without issue. In such high-pressure environments, being able to talk about those pressures is a game-changer not only for the supervisors but also for their crews. 

Frontliners Program 

Fortunately, the industry is starting to recognize it needs to elevate the voices of frontline supervisors when it comes to safety. It’s why we created the Frontliners program at Compass Datacenters. We wanted to provide a blueprint for how the industry can better support frontline supervisors. It’s centered around the concept of continuous improvement and reflection. Instead of punishing supervisors for raising potential issues or reporting mistakes, we use them as opportunities to learn and improve. 

The Frontliners program emphasizes asking questions that allow for a discussion of mistakes and reflection on safety issues, ultimately opening more dialogue between frontline supervisors and upper management. It’s about removing workplace stressors, and nurturing environments where people can talk openly about stress. We encourage supervisors to ask questions like, “What could I have done differently last week?” and “What can I do differently to better support my crew’s mental health?”

Safety, Speed, Quality

This isn’t a top-down effort. It’s one that’s embraced by our general contractors and their employees. In an industry where finishing the job quickly tends to be the most profitable path, people are starting to realize that safety doesn’t need to be compromised in the name of efficiency. Most construction contracts are structured to penalize missed milestones and delivery dates, leading contractors to walk a tightrope between safety and speed. But the candidness and humility encouraged by the Frontliners program simultaneously improves the safety, speed and quality of work. 

We can do better as an industry. Safety has improved thanks to regulation and research-led breakthroughs on how to make construction safer. But fostering an environment where frontline supervisors are celebrated for openly discussing opportunities to improve and vulnerabilities will only make things better. Acknowledging and learning from failures is critical to both personal and business growth, and it’s built into the DNA of our Frontliners program. 

Supporting our frontline supervisors is driven by our promise to make lives better, and I’m proud that we’re leading the change. I hope you’ll join us.

Nancy Novak is Chief Innovation Officer at Compass Datacenters, a company that designs and constructs data centers for some of the world’s largest hyperscalers and cloud providers on campuses across the globe.