5 Characteristics of a Successful Laborer

Health & Safety

keeping your body in good physical shape and being safe is essential to maintain longevity as a construction laborer.

Physical Health — working out and eating healthy will keep you physically capable to work as a contractor. If you smoke quit and If you do not smoke don’t start. You may see coworkers smoking and get tempted. If you already smoke and are thinking of becoming a successful contractor, then maybe now is the time to quit. It’s hard work so you want to be able to breathe.

Safety — Don’t drink or do drugs on the job. That includes smoking weed! It seems simple but some people will work high all day. They might say they can work high. If you are high you are impaired, you’re not 100% mentally capable of working with equipment and saws and on heights.

Proper protective equipment — may seem corny but it doesn’t make you any tougher if you don’t use it. Protective goggles when cutting are so important. Can you imagine what you would feel like if you worked with insulation all day and didn’t wear a protective suit. If you can’t imagine it try it once.

Team Work

Give Credit — When someone does something that’s hard and it comes out good, let them know. When you finish something as a team fast and accurate then give yourselves a pat on the back. Camaraderie can make you want to go to work.

Don’t Gossip — Don’t talk about your coworkers or bosses, it won’t end well. It brings down the team and you may result in it backfiring. You have to watch what you say especially if someone starts the conversation about another member on your crew.

Work Ethic

Be on Time — Showing up late everyday will get you fired. That includes coming back late from lunch or even leaving early.

Stay Late — The longer you stay the quicker the job gets done. This means more money for your boss and more money for you to keep you in the game.

Keep Busy — You’re not getting paid to talk or be on your cell phone. If you got time to talk you got time to sweep. Think two moves ahead to keep the work in front of you and to keep the job moving.

Dedication

Toughness — This is a hard job. You need to be tough to be able to persevere through the hard days. You’re working in the elements and the weather can get extreme. Throughout the day you will be exerting yourself physically. You must be tough to be in this business for long.

Learn — Watch youtube videos on your off time. Read books, and ask a lot of questions. You never know everything in this field.

Respect

Boss — Don’t question your boss. There’s a reason why a lot of bosses won’t hire people with a lot of experience. It’s because you can’t teach an old dog new tricks so to speak. If you’re questioning how a boss does something you are not falling in line and learning this particular company’s way of doing things.

Foremen — They can be the rudest meanest people or they can be the nicest. Don’t take advantage of them and don’t take anything they say personally. It could make for a bad day. It could also make it so you don’t fit in with your company and you may have to change jobs. The mean ones will get meaner if you show sensitivity and the nice ones won’t be so nice if you try to take advantage of them.

Project Manager — Don’t disrespect the project manager. It will make your company look bad and could destroy your reputation and future jobs.