With a number of ongoing building projects in New Zealand, foreign contractors are becoming more regular on the construction site. While these workers are highly important to filling skills gaps, construction companies find themselves facing new challenges to ensuring effective workplace health and safety systems are in place. 

As foreign workers come with their own cultures, languages and ways of doing things, it is essential that construction companies have a streamlined, accessible and effective safety system in place. So how could safety software bridge the gap and make sure workers of different cultures are collaborating to foster a safe work environment?

Christchurch rebuild a clear example

Following the devastation brought by the February 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, the city and surrounding suburbs reconstructed their lives as well as their structures. The rebuild offered residents a new beginning, yet it also brought with it a skill shortage that had to be filled.

Speaking to The Nation in 2013, Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse pointed out that 35,000 workers were needed to complete the rebuild, but he predicted a shortage of 17,000.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the rebuild is going to require a significant number of migrant labour," he said.

With demolitions beginning, construction companies charged with rebuilding the city sought tradespeople from wherever they could find them. According to Statistics New Zealand, one in five people in the Greater Christchurch Area were born overseas, with English and Australian the two most common countries of birth. 

Of those who have moved to Christchurch since the earthquakes or have been living in New Zealand for two years or less:

• Over 1,300 people are from the People's Republic of China.
• Around 1,000 individuals stem from the Philippines.
• Nearly 1,000 people came from India.
• More than 860 were born in Ireland. {attribute?}

While many of Christchurch's new residents are coming from overseas in the hope of finding jobs in the reconstruction efforts, many still are being directly recruited. 

Working across cultures essential in New Zealand

With the influx of workers to New Zealanders shores, companies within the construction industry have to insure that they are encompassing all those who work on their sites. Yet, due to cultural barriers, misunderstandings happen and workers can be left unaware of their responsibilities. 

Learning to work with people from other cultures is essential to building a safety relationship with foreign contractors. With the new Health and Safety at Work's focus on collaborative approaches to safety, ensuring culture is not a barrier is essential. 

Roy Chua, an assistant professor in the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School, said cross cultural collaboration was essential in today's commercial world. He pointed out that to minimise the misunderstandings and reap the benefits, people need to find a common platform to appeal to both sides.

One way to achieve this is through a simple and easily accessible safety system. However, with older, paper based methods, workplace compliance can be arduous and out of reach for those not accustomed to New Zealand's work site safety environment. 

Technology and safety software, in particular, can bridge this gap and help achieve better collaboration with foreign contractors. Margaret Williams of Russia's Fulbright program pointed out that digital technology can help facilitate cross-cultural communication and has been using it to great effect in her classrooms.

When it comes to managing staff, it can become difficult to administrate foreign workers if supervisors do not have the skills to break down barriers. As such, there needs to be a safety system in place to break down barriers.

SiteApp is safety software that incorporates ease of use and a rage of features that supports a safe working environment. Through its use, workers can stay safe and ensure organisations meet their health and safety requirements. Contact a representative today to learn more.