The Role of HR in the Construction Industry
The construction industry is currently undergoing significant change. Across the world, it is seeing a shift from traditional practices to more innovative and efficient means of operation, which has led to employers looking for new ways to make their business model work in today's market.
One of the main areas that construction companies are focusing on is cutting down construction time while maintaining quality, which is where HR technology comes in.
According to the Harvard Business Review, construction companies today should focus on implementing HR technology, seeing their projects through to completion faster than ever before.
Increased Efficiency
HR Technology is necessary for all construction companies seeking to complete their projects efficiently and effectively. The core part of HR technology revolves around integrating different systems used for critical processes such as construction management, human resources, and customer relationship management.
Integrating these systems will allow greater insight into the company's activities and provide a comprehensive overview of their work. With this information at hand, employees can make more informed decisions about how they allocate people and budget to projects, and this increased awareness could save companies time and money in the long run.
Helps in Payroll Management
Construction companies will often experience a high turnover of staff. Construction companies must keep recruiting new employees to maintain their workforce numbers between the difficult job market and demand for their projects.
The task of hiring and managing these new people falls upon human resources, and it is beneficial that they have an HR technology system in place that can streamline this process. An example is having the best time card app for construction workers could help with payroll management. Another example would be deploying a simple pay stub generators tool to ensure everyone gets paid on time and accurately. While managing payroll can be complex, especially with high employee turnover in the construction sector, HR systems play a critical role. One effective solution is incorporating OnPay, known for offering comprehensive payroll services designed for small to medium-sized businesses. This integration can streamline payroll processes, making it more efficient and accurate
These human resource systems should, first and foremost, provide an overview of the workforce numbers so that companies have a clear idea of their staffing levels at any given time.
Knowing their staffing levels will help them avoid mistakes during recruitment by ensuring they are not taking anyone on who isn't needed for future projects.
Workplace Safety
Construction work can be dangerous. To ensure a safer working environment for employees, construction companies must adhere to regulations and ensure a safety plan. Engineering could greatly help with increasing construction workplace safety.
However, it is the responsibility of human resources departments to manage this, so they must have an HR technology system that allows them to implement these regulations across the workforce.
A simple example is a system that automatically emails employees the required safety training materials they need to complete, which will cut down on time lost due to human error and ensure that workers comply with regulations during work hours.
Training and Development
Construction is a sector that requires ongoing training and development for employees. As new technology comes into play, workers will need to learn how to use this technology to remain relevant in the industry.
For example, drones have been used on sites to measure progress, and they can provide safety alerts if construction workers are at risk from falling objects or dangerous machinery. HR technology can help train and develop employees to be ready for when these innovations come into play.
Compensation and Benefits
How a construction company pays its employees can be crucial to their work. For example, hourly-paid workers might need a timecard app for construction, which has the added benefit of allowing companies to monitor the number of hours worked on-site.
HR managers can then use this information to pay an employee hourly. It is also beneficial for companies to implement an HR technology system that tracks each employee's number of hours worked.
Time tracking will help avoid unnecessary costs in paying employees who are not working or taking longer than necessary to complete projects.
HR technology allows construction companies to run more efficiently, which means they can focus on delivering projects as promised. It makes it easier for them to manage their workforce numbers and get the most out of their people.
By using an HR technology system, construction companies can also help increase workplace safety in line with regulations, improve employee training and development in response to new technologies, manage payroll more efficiently and provide better compensation for employees.
Ravindra Ambegaonkar
Ravindra, the Marketing Manager at NY Engineers, holds an MBA from Staffordshire University and has helped us grow as a leading MEP engineering firm in the USA
The Role of HR in the Construction Industry
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