More tradespeople are leveraging digital tools in the field and in training and development programs, but more adoption is needed for true digital transformation to occur across the trades, according to a September survey by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The association polled more than 300 industry professionals at its annual conference and found that eight in 10 respondents reported using digital tools on the job every day, with 43% using one to two tools daily, 26% using three to five and 11% using more than five tools.

For those leveraging digital solutions, the benefits are integral to the job: 24% cited computers, tablets, phones or NFPA LiNK as technologies and tools they “can’t live without.”

The steady adoption of digital tools is transforming the trades into “a sustainable and resilient industry built for the long term, contrary to the old-school view of the industry being slower to adapt,” said Erik Hohengasser, NFPA’s electrical technical lead.

“Digital tools are enabling skilled tradespeople to perform at their greatest potential,” Hohengasser said. “Less time is wasted manually searching for information, and through real-time access to code updates, workers feel 100% confident knowing they are leveraging the most updated and relevant information pertaining to their specific project.”

Erik Hohengasser, electrical technical lead for the NFPA

When organizations implement technology among their teams, tradespeople also have access to historical data from previous project teams, he said. This encourages the current workers to answer their own questions with background knowledge they would otherwise not have access to.

When asked to identify obstacles within the design and build process, 29% of respondents cited collaboration as a top challenge, while 23% cited access to resources. However, 61% saw increased collaboration and streamlined processes after implementing digital tools into their workflows.

Still, the survey found that there is room for improvement in terms of integrating technology into daily job functions, with a third of respondents admitting they have not implemented digital tools in their daily workflows. Moreover, 42% report they are spending less on new tools, including digital ones, due to economic uncertainty.

“New generations coming into the workforce are looking for innovative, technologically savvy companies and coworkers,” Hohengasser said. “With this, it is critical for tradespeople to incorporate digital tools into their daily tasks now to improve employee retention in the future.”

Digital offerings are also empowering training and development programs. For those organizations that offer such programs, NFPA’s survey found that live or on-demand virtual formats are the most popular (66%), followed by on-site sessions (31%). The top benefits of digital-first training are that it makes training easier, saves time while training and helps streamline the process.

“We all have such busy lives, making flexibility a top priority when it comes to professional development and work,” Hohengasser said. “Digital training programs have become increasingly popular throughout the industry, allowing trade professionals to properly allocate time and work at their own pace while continuing education in the workplace.”

However, the implementation of training still faces barriers. More than a fourth of respondents reported they are reducing their budget allocated to training and development. Additionally, respondents noted a lack of time to participate in training (67%), inaccessible pricing (53%) and trouble determining the right program (46%) as top challenges for training and development.

Implementing digital tools within training and development programs can help organizations overcome these challenges, Hohengasser said. Digital tools that enable on-demand virtual training programs allow workers to participate in training and development programs on their own time and at their own pace.

Digital tools also allow organizations to hold additional training programs throughout the year, he said. For example, organizations who may have one in-person training per year can now expand to two or even three trainings a year through digital tools, since they require less time and effort on behalf of the organization and workers.

“Digital tools democratize information, providing opportunities for more workers across the organization to opt into training and development programs,” Hohengasser said. “When workers who may not have been able to attend nonessential training programs can do so, they are better positioned to prioritize their own professional development. As a result, organizations have more qualified workers to perform specialized tasks for the organization and its customers.”

There are several ways organizations can implement digital tools into their teams’ daily operations in the coming year, including integrating digital transformation into codes and standards access and training, he said.

“If you haven’t started this already, know that your competitors probably have, and it will be critical to keep pace with technology adoption to stay competitive,” Hohengasser said. “More importantly, by adopting digitized codes and standards and virtual training formats, organizations meet employee demand for technology, facilitate collaboration, promote knowledge democratization, and help create a safer, skilled workforce.”

In a difficult hiring climate, digital tools can serve as a huge asset to organizations. When they can, companies should lead with their digital offerings, as the use of innovative digital solutions will be a vital selling point for companies to attract new talent as well as retain and develop their current talent.

“Integrating digitization allows employees to streamline daily tasks and develop their marketable technology skills,” Hohengasser said. “It will be especially important for companies to promote what they’re doing in a digital sense as they seek to attract younger, tech-savvy generations entering the workforce."