b'COVID-19will become more engaged in TCA,the meaning of the words in emails andTCA is evolving. The new normal in the states Mollenhauer. With more membertexts, says Endacott.construction industry means there engagement, the association will be betterhas to be a new normal in TCA and prepared to help members with seriousAlso needed is a collaborative memberthe association is already working on issues such as the need for more skilledapproach to sort out issues like supplymeasures to bring more value to members workers, increasing use of technology andchain management and prompt payment,in these changing times. According to development of industry best practices. which continue to cause problems forMollenhauer, The future is not simply members. As an example, discussionwhat will happen coming out of COVID. It is TCA will need to start thinking outsidewithin the membership on how to deal withthe concern about the unknown and what of the box, continues Mollenhauer, andtime delays in payments could prove to beunforeseen consequences may occur.challenge the status quo to determinea more favourable approach and improveTCA will be there to help guide members new services that are real and tangible inthe outcome for the industry. through these uncertain times. relation to the new normal. To go down this path, a culture change is needed in the association that challenges current norms and puts in place new programs and services that are best suited totodays members. To change its culture, TCA and its members must become engaged in determining key changes needed to meet the challenges of the new normal. Safety has become paramount for the greater good of the industry, and member collaboration will shape the way the industry moves forward and competes in the years to come.How will the new normal impact membership in TCA? To answer this, the past needs to be examined. Up until March of this year, the construction market in Ontario was roaring along at upwards of $3 billion per year. This large annual volume of work should have resulted in improved margins and profits, as is usual in normal supply and demand scenarios. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and companies are now finding themselves undercapitalized to make moves towards increasing efficiency and weathering the COVID storm.Current market predictions show a drop in project volume for TCA members over the next 10 years, including a hopefully short (one- to two-year) recession. On the bright side, Mollenhauer sees this next decade of lesser activity in the industry as a growth phase for TCA. Construction companies will need help with a wide range of services, from education to government relations, in the new normal and TCA will be there to provide it. A critical aspect of the new normal for TCA will be its ability to be fluid, agile and react quickly to issues that affect members in the marketplace. The association must also find better ways to share information with members. Maybe its time we [considered] simply picking up the phone and calling a fellow member on a topic of importance instead of trying to interpret BUILDERSDIGEST Quarter 3 202017'