Construction Leaders: the Productivity problem in Australia

The Australian construction industry is facing a perfect storm: spiralling material costs, complex compliance burdens, and a growing labour shortage.  At the recent FCON 25 event in Brisbane, industry leaders focused on productivity as a critical lever, as well as the tools and strategies to improve it.

Compliance: a bottleneck for productivity

A major challenge facing the industry is the growing burden of compliance and administrative work.  Mark Baker (CEO, BESIX Watpac) and Scott Power (CEO, BMD Group) both pointed to the layers of red tape and slow, manual processes that are dragging productivity down.

Instead of focusing on delivering high-quality builds, construction teams are increasingly stuck managing paperwork and navigating regulatory hurdles.  As Baker and Power emphasised, the sector needs solutions that simplify these tasks and free up time for on-site work.

With digital QA workflows, CONQA reduces paperwork and admin, freeing up time for teams to focus on actual build work.

Tech-driven efficiency required to unlock productivity 

Technology was a key focus at FCON, with leaders highlighting its role in enabling leaner, faster project delivery.  AI was the hot topic of the day, with promise for better forecasting, resource management, and decision-making.  Scott Power noted that while AI is still evolving, it offers an “exciting opportunity for the future of our industry.”

Beyond AI, there was strong consensus on the urgent need to modernise outdated systems.  Streamlined data management, automated reporting, and digital workflows are essential for eliminating manual inefficiencies and boosting productivity across the board.

Labour shortages loom - the need for workforce diversification to sustain productivity

The construction workforce is ageing fast, with nearly 30% over the age of 55. At the same time, not enough new talent is entering the industry to replace them.  To maintain productivity in the years ahead, companies must widen the talent pool, starting with improved workforce diversity.

While construction has traditionally been male-dominated, there’s growing recognition that diversity is key to bring fresh perspectives, better problem-solving, and ultimately, stronger project outcomes.

Conclusion: Productivity is the critical challenge for for the Australian construction industry, and CONQA is helping tackle it

With costs rising, compliance becoming more complex, and labour shortages tightening project timelines, the pressure on construction teams has never been greater. To stay competitive, many leaders are looking beyond traditional processes and embracing smarter, more efficient ways of working.

That’s where CONQA comes in.

By streamlining compliance, enabling leaner teams, and making remote collaboration simple, CONQA helps keep your projects on track and your people focused on the work that matters.