The infrastructure sector continues to expand and has recently received considerable support through funding and partnerships. Nearly $225 billion has been allocated in general government-sector infrastructure funding, which is a 26 per cent increase over last year’s budgets.1
Infrastructure projects are generally created to serve the communities they exist within, but they can also impact on surrounding stakeholders, both for the better and worse.
For example, works that include new amenities, such as new public buildings, bridges, or roads, can improve living standards for people residing and passing through these locations. However, during and after construction, they can also have negative implications for those closest to the site. It’s important to consult with businesses and residents who may be impacted by unexpected changes to their properties. Disruptive vibrations and noise, loss of accessibility, impacts to daily routines, interrupted transport and even financial losses when customers decline due to construction all require proactive and pre-emptive management and communication.
As the sector continues to boom and the rate of new projects escalates, it is essential to reflect on the communities and wider stakeholders that will be impacted or involved with the project. Asset owners and construction firms should work collaboratively and proactively with these groups to increase their chances of success, manage public perceptions, and mitigate the risks of negative or hostile interactions which can trigger delays.
Elements of the collaborative approach
One way to work proactively with these groups and establish a healthy relationship that generates trust is through clear, open, and transparent lines of communication. Conversely, poor coordination of your communication strategy reflects badly on your organisation, suggesting a lack of competence.
Community engagement
Community and stakeholder engagement has become a mandatory part of any major public infrastructure project delivery. When stakeholders and communities are not engaged or their concerns are left unaddressed, opposition from the community can arise. This can have costly consequences; it is estimated that $30 billion has been lost across the Australian infrastructure sector due to community outrage.2
Open communication
Building communication that focuses on their best interests and concerns is essential to effectively engage communities and stakeholders. It’s important to develop an inclusive approach and meet each audience’s needs in a timely, accurate manner. These communications must be easy to understand and accessible to the audience. Remaining transparent in your decision-making and sharing honest, purposeful, and meaningful messages can also drive successful and proactive engagement.
Clear explanations
Infrastructure projects are, by nature, complex and can be confusing for stakeholders to understand. Consequently, it’s essential to communicate a clear message to instil trust and confidence. Any misalignment in the communications published by sources such as government channels, project teams, or construction contractors can cause confusion and result in reputational and stakeholder impacts. This is a significant risk that must be addressed.
Planning ahead
It’s advisable to engage with local communities and stakeholders as early in the planning process as possible. Using public meetings, forums, or workshops to share information regarding all aspects of the project can help manage expectations and limit surprises as the planning process progresses. Taking this time to communicate and listen to those who will be directly affected by the project, acknowledging and addressing their concerns, will also reduce any potential dissatisfaction among these groups. This process may also highlight new ways to benefit the community through your public infrastructure project in ways you had not seen before.
Managing expectations
Although this approach requires skill, time and money, in the long run of your project, it can reduce costs, strengthen support for current and future projects, and increase sustainability over time. It also leads to an increase in positive engagement of your project as people perceive their views and opinions as being heard and considered. This strengthens one of the most valuable assets of your organisation, your reputation, by improving the collective thought and feelings the board of stakeholders and community has towards you. This can have long-term positive consequences.
De-risking infrastructure projects through effective communication is both essential and challenging. Write Away Communication helps you address the challenges proactively, informed by our decades working with infrastructure and construction stakeholders.
To learn more about the reputational risks that can arise in public infrastructure projects, read our free whitepaper.
To find out how we can help you manage communications to mitigate risk more effectively for your next project, contact the team today.
1 https://infrastructure.org.au/budget-monitor-2020-21/
2 https://crawford.anu.edu.au/news-events/news/16910/why-consultation-critical-delivering-fast-tracked-projects
