HR Services for the Construction Industry

PeoplePointHR offers HR services for the construction industry.

The very nature of construction makes the implementation and maintenance of HR policies a difficult task at the best of times. There are several contributory factors which make the construction and engineering industries a truly unique HR environment.

HR services for the construction industry

Growth of the construction industry

According to the Office for National Statistics, the construction industry was worth over £11bn in 2016 and has grown relatively consistently since the start of 2013. This trend is likely to continue further due to pressure on the government to build more houses with additional commitment from the government to invest in infrastructure.

PeoplePointHR can work with you, taking the worry out of HR challenges, allow you to focus on obtaining new business.

Recruitment challenges within the construction industry

Construction projects are awarded subject to winning tenders, whilst the tender process can be a drawn-out affair and the culmination of weeks, months, even years of planning, the recruitment aspect of a project is typically left to the last moment.

Granted, the contracts manager will more than likely have a trusted pool of regular workers and specialist recruitment agencies to lean on.

Securing tenders

However, no commitment can be given by either side until a particular tender has been secured. The day of the initial contract being awarded until the proposed date for breaking ground can be momentary and it can be challenging to ensure that the right amount of manpower is available at the right time.

HR services for the construction industry

Shifting workforce patterns

Sub-contracted and self-employed construction workers

Using external employment options gives an employer the flexibility to work within the parameters of the law whilst maintaining the optimum level of recruits to match the current requirements.

However, there are perpetual issues with an outsourced workforce, even more so when intermingling with FTEs. Subcontractors will try to impress upon their workers their vision of standards and working practices.

Project management and HR

Even with projects you plan well, things can go wrong and contingencies need to be in place.

Unseasonable weather, unexpected geological factors and suppliers that let you down can all play their part. This gives rise to quick readjustments of the project and most notably the workforce. Overlapping trades will not only tread on each other’s toes, they will also eat into profits.

Health and safety in the construction sector

In 2016, 30% of all work fatalities were in the construction industry, more than any other.

Additionally, there were in total 4.5 million working days were lost due to this in 2016. The average time taken off work in each instance was over 7 days.

Health and safety procedures play a big part in the reduction of the number of fatalities. However, accidents still persist irrespective of how stringently health and safety practices are.

Health and safety is complex and can easily become problematic because:

Human resource plans need to anticipate lay off time
Time off for injury triggers all manner of administrative processes from RIDDOR to payroll deductions
In more serious cases the HSE attends to assess your health and safety policies
Industrial action takes place in cases where serious breaches occur and employees are part of a union

Projects over multiple construction sites

Problems often occur as a result of work that takes place across multiple sites, an issue that occurs often within the construction industry.

Where construction does differ in this regard is that the multi-site facets of the operation are not permanent, they are transitional and never a home.

With many years of experience and a team of skilful HR consultants, PeoplePointHR offers high quality services to companies that operate in the construction industry.

We provide HR solutions for clients across the construction industry. PeoplePointHR offers the HR support services you require.

With a range of cost effective solutions available to our clients, outsourcing your HR to PeoplePointHR will allow your business to focus on the construction project in hand, rather than handling issues regarding employment law, recruitment and health and safety.