Understanding Organising and Delegating in Construction Course

Standard: CITB Short Duration Standard GET3262

Duration: Half day

Guided Learning Hours: 4 hours

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Course Aims

This course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and understanding needed to organise people and delegate workplace activities effectively within a construction environment.

Participants will consider how individual knowledge, competence and experience should inform work allocation, together with the role of human resource planning in maintaining output and quality. The course also explores effective delegation, employee empowerment and methods for monitoring the results of delegated work.

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Course Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for attending this course.

The course is suitable for practising and potential site supervisors, team leaders and employees who are preparing to take responsibility for organising people and delegating work within construction or the built environment.

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Course Objectives

Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the importance of making effective and efficient use of people’s knowledge and skills when planning a team’s work.
• Explain how to identify an appropriate person to undertake an activity on site.
• Explain how human resource planning can be used to support output and quality on site.
• Explain how workplace tasks should be delegated effectively.
• Describe the benefits of empowering people in the workplace.
• Describe at least two barriers to effective delegation and explain how they can be overcome.
• Explain a suitable technique for monitoring the outcomes of delegated work.

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Course Content

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Module 1: Organising People to Achieve Objectives

• The purpose and scope of the course.
• The role of the practising or potential site supervisor in organising people and workplace activities.
• Understanding the objectives and outcomes the team is expected to achieve.
• The relationship between effective organisation and:
  • Safety.
  • Quality.
  • Productivity.
  • Project timescales.
• Making effective use of the knowledge, skills and experience available within the team.
• Making efficient use of people by:
  • Matching individuals to suitable activities.
  • Avoiding unnecessary duplication or downtime.
  • Balancing individual workloads.
  • Using available competence where it will make the greatest contribution.
• The possible effects of inappropriate work allocation, including:
  • Unsafe working.
  • Poor-quality work.
  • Delays and reduced productivity.
  • Mistakes, defects and rework.
  • Reduced employee confidence or motivation.
• Working within organisational procedures and the limits of supervisory authority.

Module 2: Selecting the Appropriate Person for an Activity

• Establishing the requirements of the activity.
• Identifying the knowledge and skills required.
• Considering occupational competence, qualifications, training and authorisation.
• Considering relevant workplace experience and previous performance.
• Taking account of the level of risk and supervision required.
• Considering the person’s availability and existing workload.
• Avoiding unsupported assumptions about an individual’s suitability.
• Considering whether additional information, instruction, training or supervision will be required.
• Selecting an appropriate person based on the requirements of the activity.
• Confirming that the person understands and is able to undertake the work.
• Recognising when no available team member has the required competence.
• Referring competence or resource gaps to the appropriate person.

Module 3: Human Resource Planning, Output and Quality

• The meaning of human resource planning in a construction environment.
• Comparing the people and skills available with the activities that must be completed.
• Identifying:
  • The number of people required.
  • The competence and experience required.
  • Availability and workload.
  • Relevant project timescales.
  • Any specialist skills or support required.
• Identifying shortages in people, skills or experience.
• Considering appropriate responses, such as:
  • Reallocating available people.
  • Adjusting the sequence of work.
  • Providing additional training, guidance or supervision.
  • Obtaining specialist or subcontractor support.
  • Escalating an unresolved resource requirement.
• How effective human resource planning can support output by:
  • Ensuring that sufficient people are available.
  • Reducing avoidable delays and downtime.
  • Improving coordination and productivity.
• How effective human resource planning can support quality by:
  • Allocating competent people.
  • Providing appropriate supervision.
  • Reducing mistakes, defects and rework.
  • Ensuring that required standards are understood.
• Maintaining output without compromising safety or quality.

Module 4: Delegating Workplace Tasks Effectively

• The meaning and purpose of delegation.
• The difference between delegation and simply issuing an instruction.
• The benefits of appropriate delegation to the supervisor, employee and team.
• Recognising tasks that are suitable for delegation.
• Recognising tasks or decisions that should remain with the supervisor or someone with greater authority.

The delegation process

• Select an appropriate task to delegate.
• Select a person with suitable knowledge, competence and experience.
• Explain why the task is required.
• Describe clearly what must be completed.
• Explain the required outcome and applicable standards.
• Clarify the person’s responsibility.
• Define the limits of their authority.
• Agree the resources and support available.
• Establish a realistic timescale.
• Explain relevant safety and quality requirements.
• Agree reporting, monitoring and review arrangements.
• Invite questions and clarify uncertainty.
• Check that the person understands the task.
• Confirm the agreed responsibility and next steps.
• Retaining overall accountability while transferring responsibility for completing the task.
• Providing sufficient authority and resources.
• Supporting the person without unnecessarily taking control of the task.
• Responding appropriately when circumstances change.

Module 5: Empowerment and Barriers to Delegation

Empowerment

• The meaning of empowerment in the workplace.
• The relationship between delegation, empowerment, responsibility and accountability.
• Ensuring that empowerment remains within appropriate organisational and supervisory boundaries.
• Benefits of empowerment, including:
  • Increased employee confidence and competence.
  • Greater ownership and responsibility.
  • Improved motivation and engagement.
  • Faster decisions within agreed limits.
  • Development of a more flexible and capable team.
  • Increased capacity for the supervisor to concentrate on other priorities.

Barriers to delegation

• Common barriers, such as:
  • Lack of trust.
  • Concern about losing control.
  • Belief that it will be quicker to complete the task personally.
  • Concern that the required standard will not be achieved.
  • Unclear responsibilities or limits of authority.
  • Insufficient employee competence or confidence.
  • Poor communication.
  • Inadequate time, support or resources.
  • Reluctance to accept responsibility.

Overcoming barriers

• Selecting an appropriate task and person.
• Communicating the required outcome clearly.
• Providing training, coaching, guidance or additional supervision.
• Agreeing realistic authority and responsibility.
• Providing the necessary resources.
• Establishing proportionate monitoring arrangements.
• Building trust gradually through suitable delegated activities.
• Providing constructive feedback and recognising achievement.
• Addressing reluctance or uncertainty through discussion and clarification.

Module 6: Monitoring the Outcomes of Delegation

• Why monitoring arrangements should be agreed when the task is delegated.
• The difference between monitoring appropriately and unnecessarily controlling the activity.
• Establishing the agreed outcome, standard and completion date.
• Selecting a monitoring technique appropriate to the task, such as:
  • A scheduled progress discussion.
  • Workplace observation.
  • A milestone or stage-completion review.
  • A checklist or quality inspection.
  • Review of the completed work.
• Explaining how the selected technique will provide evidence about whether:
  • The required activity has been completed.
  • The expected standard has been achieved.
  • The agreed timescale has been met.
  • Safety and quality requirements have been followed.
• Adjusting the level of monitoring according to the task, risk and individual’s competence.
• Providing appropriate support when difficulties arise.
• Identifying when corrective action or escalation is required.
• Reviewing the completed outcome against the original delegation.
• Providing constructive feedback.
• Recognising achievement.
• Identifying lessons for future delegation.

Module 7: Organising and Delegation Exercise

Participants will work through a construction-based scenario requiring them to:

• Identify the work that must be organised.
• Identify the knowledge, skills and competence required.
• Review information about the available team members.
• Select an appropriate person for an activity.
• Explain the reasons for the selection.
• Identify how human resource planning could support output and quality.
• Select a suitable task for delegation.
• Prepare clear delegation instructions.
• Define the required outcome, responsibility, authority, resources and timescale.
• Identify at least two possible barriers to delegation.
• Recommend practical ways of overcoming the barriers.
• Select a suitable technique for monitoring the outcome.
• Explain how the technique will determine whether the delegated task has achieved the required result.

The exercise is followed by:

• Review of the principal learning points.
• Final questions and clarification.
• Completion of the formal end-of-course assessment.

Course Assessment

Delegates must complete a formal seven-question end-of-course assessment covering both learning outcomes and all seven assessment criteria.

The assessment covers:

• The importance of making effective and efficient use of people’s knowledge and skills when planning team activities.
• How to identify an appropriate person for an activity on site.
• How human resource planning can support output and quality.
• How to delegate tasks effectively.
• The benefits of empowerment in the workplace.
• At least two barriers to delegation and how they can be overcome.
• A suitable technique for monitoring the outcomes of delegation.

Delegates must achieve a minimum score of 75% to pass.

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