In the construction industry, there is something more difficult to move than a tower crane or to change a poorly designed foundation: Change the attitude of people on site. We have all experienced it. That resident or superintendent with twenty years of experience who frowns barely hears the word “platform”, “app” or “digitalization”.
I call these profiles, with love, The grumpy ones in the play.
They are not bad or incapable people. On the contrary, they tend to be the most experienced, those who “have seen everything” and who therefore feel that they do not need new tools. Their resistance is not born of laziness, but of a mixture of habit, pride and fear of losing control of what they have been dominating for years in their own way.
Generational (and cultural) shock
Very different generations live together under construction:
- The veterans: used to paper, the radio and the pocket notebook.
- The middle managers: already adapted to Excel, but who see any new system as an extra burden.
- The youngest: digital natives who expect to use apps at all times.
When you implement a tool like Buildpeer, these visions clash. Younger people adopt it quickly, veterans question it, and middle managers hesitate because they fear being caught between both worlds.
The result: tension on site. And many times it's the Grumpy those who set the tone, because their voice weighs more on a daily basis.
Why is attitude everything?
Technological adoption doesn't just depend on training or tutorials. You can give 10 training sessions, send manuals and make presentations, but if the user arrives with their arms crossed and the phrase “this is not going to work”, half the battle has already been lost.
La positive attitude It's the entry key. A willing person learns in one hour what takes weeks for another. One negative person can hold back an entire team.
At Buildpeer we have learned that the Successful implementation is not in the technology, but in the culture and mentality of those who use it.
Stories that we all know
- The boss who won't let go of his notebook: he has very valuable notes, but he never shares them. When migrating to the platform, you feel that you are losing control.
- The distrustful resident: think that when you use the app you are going to be monitored or judged on your performance.
- The complaining administrator: “it's more work now”, although in reality it's a temporary adjustment that will make it more efficient later.
In all cases, technology isn't the problem. The problem is the Perception.
Strategies for turning grumpy people into champions
- Listen before you impose
- The grumpy one needs to feel that his voice matters. Listening to their doubts and acknowledging their experience opens the door to change.
- Show quick wins
- Nothing convinces more than results. Teaching how an automated report saves 2 hours of work per week has more impact than 10 slides.
- Name them as references
- Giving them a “champion” role in adoption changes their narrative: from being opponents to being leaders of change.
- Accompany with respect
- The tone matters. It's not “you're no longer useful if you don't use the app”, but rather “your experience is key, and the platform will give you more control”.
- Celebrate breakthroughs, even if they are small
- If a grumpy person uploads their first digital report, celebrate it. That validation can turn you into an ally.
The paradox of resistance
Oddly enough, often the grumpy people who show the most resistance at the beginning become the more disciplined users once they accept the change. Why? Because when they adopt something, they do so with the same seriousness with which they have always worked.
Hence, the key is Break the first attitude barrier. Once inside, his discipline and rigor become an enormous advantage for the entire team.
The final message
The construction is tough, demanding and with unforgiving deadlines. Nobody has time to “play with new apps” if they don't see a clear benefit. But what we all do have is the possibility of changing the Attitude.
The success of digitalization does not depend only on technology, but on how we face change. And here, grumpy people have two options:
- Keep being a brake.
- Or become an engine, demonstrating that experience and openness can coexist.
At Buildpeer, we believe that the The key to success is not only the platform, but the people. And people with a positive attitude transform any tool into real change.
So, the next time you run into a grumpy workman, remember: behind that frown lie years of knowledge... and with the right attitude, you can be the most valuable ally in technological adoption.
