Contractors and construction managers across North America will tell you this is the tightest labor market they’ve ever seen. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, more than 80 percent of construction firms are currently having trouble recruiting for hourly positions.

Thinking ahead to the year 2020 feels like we should expect a sci-fi future of flying cars and food replicators, even if it’s just next year. Warp-speed space missions aren’t with us yet, but there are still futuristic trends on the horizon. While next year looks a lot more mundane than an episode of The Jetsons, innovations abound — perhaps especially in the construction industry.

Construction company owners are always looking for ways to boost efficiency. In this industry, you have to. With so many costs like labor and materials on the rise and beyond control, the best construction leaders are in search of productivity in every process.

They say “time is money,” but nowhere is that truer than in the construction industry. Anyone who has worked in construction knows that every second, every minor delay, every tiny mistake can snowball into massive delays and cost overruns.

But there are ways to get ahead and stay ahead of the curve. Finding efficiencies and streamlining your projects can smooth the entire process and minimize the potential for budget-busting delays.

Smart, efficient sourcing is key to success. The minute you break ground on a new construction project, the clock starts ticking. Will your team bring the job in on time and under budget? Will workflows gel so subcontractors can get their part done on time? Will mistakes, weather or delays in receiving materials put you over schedule?