2004 AACE International Transactions
PM.15
Staffing Problems on Large Construction Projects
Frank F. Moynihan, CCC
magine a factory that produces 35 million dollars’ worth
I of a product each year. This factory hires hundreds of
people for production and uses millions of dollars’ worth
of raw material to produce their product. Now imagine
that this factory is in Miami, Florida and runs a successful opera-
tion for three years and at that end of three years, the whole fac-
tory picks up and moves to Omaha, Nebraska, where it operates
successfully for two and a half years and then moves to Allentown,
Pennsylvania. As curious as this sounds, this is exactly what large
construction sites are like. A product is produced and then the
whole factory moves on.
Construction for the year 2001 is estimated at an adjusted
annual rate of $830.5 billion dollars. This is up from $818 billion
for the year 2000. In their book, Staffing Organizations [2] pre-
dict that by the year 2005 the construction industry will employ
5.6 million people. Construction projects can be as small as a
home remodeling; they can also be very large. Projects like a com-
plete new mall or a theme high-rise hotel can run in the hundreds
of millions of dollars and can last between 3 and 5 years. Nuclear
power plants can cost over a billion dollars and last over 10 years,
and a high-rise hotel like those in Las Vegas can cost between 600
million and one billion dollars. Projects such as these might have
an average a cost of 33 million dollars a year can be likened to a
company that produces 33 million dollars’ worth of product(s)
each year.
A construction project of this size can be compared to a free-
standing company in other ways too. There are certain products
that require manufacturing plants that bring the resources to a
particular place to be assembled, for instance ship building. The
product does not go down an assembly line like most factories, but
instead the materials, subassemblies and workers are scheduled to
arrive at a particular spot in the assembly area.
In an orderly fashion their specific tasks are completed, and
the workers move on. You can, therefore, consider building a large
construction project much like producing a product but once the
assembly is complete the product stays and the factory moves on.
Not only is the construction site the factory, it is also home/office,
the warehouse and the factory showroom.
Much of what has been written about staffing construction
projects has been written about what we call field personnel.
These are the people who physically build the building, the car-
penters, electricians and plumbers. These “trades” people have
PM.15.1
been studied to measure productivity, union vs. non-union, skilled
labor shortages, etc. Research has shown that little has been writ-
ten about the on-site construction administrative staff. “Who are
these people and what do they do?” On a 100 million dollar con-
struction project there may be thirty people who are attached to
the project, who are actually located on the construction site and
do not physically work in the construction of the building. The
job classifications of these people vary by the type of project they
are on, but they are the people who deal with the tons of paper-
work that is associated with the project. On top of this there might
be another 30 people in the field acting as construction supervi-
sors. These supervisors are similar to supervisors on the factory
floor: they are the front line leaders. Their job is to guarantee pro-
ductivity and the quality of the finished product. They are also in
the field to schedule certain operations and to coordinate between
trades.
While the construction and factory positions are similar in
many ways, one very important way they are very different. While
the factory worker assumes that if he or she does their job well it
will always be there for them, the construction professional knows
that, much like military life, they will have to make a decision at
the end of each project. “Do I pick up and travel to a new con-
struction project somewhere around the world or do I stay in my
current location and find a new job?” Many times the construc-
tion project can be in a remote area of the world where finding
another job will not be easy. Often the construction personnel,
because they have been willing to move around, actually make
more than the local economy can offer. Often the skills that are
important to the construction industry aren’t so important in the
world outside of large construction projects. Many times leaving a
position with a large construction outfit means leaving a higher
salary, health benefits, certain “perks” for traveling, and an envi-
ronment that the employee is familiar with.
JOB CONDITIONS
The following is a list of some physical conditions that apply
to jobs. This list has been compiled by Heneman, Judge and
Heneman in their book Staffing Organizations. Many of these
conditions are found on construction projects and both the
employer and the employee should consider these conditions.
 2004 AACE International Transactions
WORK SETTING
Does the job require the worker to work inside of outside,
(and how well is the environment controlled)?
Does the employee have any kind of privacy?
WORK ATTIRE
How often does the employee wear business clothes, special
uniforms, work clothing, protective or safety clothing?
BODY POSITIONING
How much time in a usual work period does the worker
spend sitting, standing, climbing, walking, running, and making
repetitive motions?
computers. Quite often electrical power is hit and miss, when
power lines are cut or turned off to accommodate some construc-
tion problems.
If all this isn’t enough, add to the mix long working hours,
high stress deadlines, and layoffs between projects. Since money
has to be spent up-front before a building can be built, the soon-
er a project is complete and making money the sooner the loans
can be paid off and the lower the overall cost. This means that
basically a building or project can never be done soon enough. At
the beginning and the end of a project all the administrative peo-
ple are expected to work long hours. Many times long hours are
worked throughout the project. These hours are often stressful
due to cost overruns or schedule slippage. Many things can cause
this, not the least of which is bad weather. Many times the
employee is working himself out of a job at breakneck speed. That
is, working long tedious hours right up to the project’s completion
and then wondering where he will be working tomorrow.

STAFFING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
The following is a list of positions in construction administra-
How often during a usual work period is the worker exposed tion that might be found on any large construction project.
to the following conditions? Senior project managers, project managers, and assistant
project managers–these people oversee operations on the con-
• Uncomfortable sounds and noise levels struction site. Much of their work entails coordination between
• Very hot or very cold temperatures sub-contractors and the scheduling of tasks in an order that
• Contaminants ensures the timely completion of the project.
• Poor lighting conditions Field superintendents–most often deal with the smaller
details like day to day problems and the actual layout of work for
the “trades” people. These are the people who keep attendance
JOB HAZARDS records, give safety lectures and settle disputes between sub-con-
tractors.
How often does the job require the worker to be exposed to Administrative managers–manage the functions not directly
the following hazards? related to the fieldwork. These people work in the onsite trailers
and manage the flow of paper. They oversee pay requests from
• radiation sub-contractors, and payroll for company employees. Typically
• diseases they get the building permits, meet with the local officials and act
• infections as a go-between between the field personnel and the local gov-
• high places ernments.
• safety hazards Construction estimators–are concerned with the construc-
tion costs associated with the project. They also handle changes in
Previously, we touched on how sometimes a construction site the work that are either caused by field conditions or changes that
is in a remote area. Sometimes it’s an island in the Caribbean, and the owner initiates.
sometimes it’s in the middle of the cornfields of Nebraska. A place Bookkeepers, accountants–involved with record keeping for
that might seem like a paradise if one were to spend a week there all aspects of the project. These people produce reports that go
becomes just the opposite if you have to spend 2 or 3 years there. back to the home office; they document weather conditions and
Besides the physical location of the project, there is also the tem- manpower in order to assess costs to date.
porary nature of the accommodations to contend with. Quite Schedulers–schedulers use sophisticated software to track job
often the work place can be a poorly lit trailer with dark paneling progress for several reasons. One reason is to make sure the proj-
on the wall, inadequate heating and air conditioning and holes in ect will finish as planned and where more resources need to be
the walls. Workspaces are always cramped. Sometimes the plumb- added if necessary. Just as important is to track where resources
ing is limited to temporary toilets, “Port-A-Johns,” while other (money) have been expended and to compare the actual
times it is indoors but offers a minimum of privacy. resources used to those resources that were estimated. This allows
Construction sites are always dusty during the dry season and for corrections on this job and better insight on the next job.
muddy during the rainy season. The dirt from the field is impos- Material procurement, warehouseman, inventory
sible to keep out of the offices and delicate equipment often fails clerks–their responsibility is the purchasing, receiving, storing,
because of infiltration of dust and dirt. This includes copiers and and distribution of construction materials.
PM.15.2
 2004 AACE International Transactions
Document control–the number of “blueprints” necessary to
build even a relatively simple project is staggering. The document
control department copies each drawing as it is produced or
revised and is responsible for making sure that every trade has ade-
quate copies to do their portion of the work.
Payroll clerks–these people are responsible for paying the
contractor’s employees and in some cases making sure that the
subcontractor’s applications for payment are accurate and fair
before paying them.
Clerical and receptionist–like any other large business there
are many clerical positions that need to be filled.
Besides these positions there are other positions that will be
needed either by the type of work or the client’s requirements. As
an example, if you should build a building for the federal govern-
ment, you might need a quality control officer, a threshold inspec-
tor or a safety officer.
Having listed the majority of jobs that may be necessary in
most construction situations it is now necessary to stress the
importance of job descriptions. Job descriptions serve many pur-
poses in the planning and staffing of construction projects. Job
descriptions not only tell an employee what tasks they are expect-
ed to accomplish, they are also the building blocks of the com-
plete human resources procedure [1].
Creating good job descriptions is a time consuming task, but
the job descriptions can be used companywide and will help in
many other ways. Good job descriptions are the result of proper
job analysis and are an outgrowth of experience, formal training
and job requirement matrices. Along the same lines job reward
matrices are an important tool for use in finding and keeping good
people. Job rewards include extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Many
people in construction administration work for more reasons than
pay and benefits. Some items that might appear on a rewards
matrix might include: Starting Salary–Pay raises–Bonuses.
The Nature of the Work–Pride in Seeing the Finished Product
–The Travel
From an employer’s standpoint, getting and keeping good
administrative help and field supervision to work on construction
projects is a difficult task, especially during times of low unem-
ployment. Years ago the construction trades were thought of as a
good honest way to make a living. Today they are not “high-tech”
enough to be glamorous, and they also require hard work outside
in the elements. During previous decades the construction indus-
try attracted a large portion or its workers by being a dynamic,
mobile industry that provided its employees with an opportunity
to move around the country and in some cases the world. Today
new entrants into the workforce are looking more for stability and
security than mobility [3]. An employer must ask, “How can I get
and maintain good people with all the conditions I have put on
their employment?”
The following are keys to keeping good people.
Improve the overall image of construction work–this will help
existing employees decide to stay in the industry and encourage
new talented people to join the industry. Some ways to improve
the image of the construction industry include:
PM.15.3
• Become more involved at the community level (visible citi-
zenship).
• Participate in career days in schools.
• Improve labor/management relationships.
• Educate guidance counselors about the construction indus-
try.
• Provide clean, safe work sites.
• Increase national advertising on construction career opportu-
nities.
Always have another project coming on line–construction is
notorious for being “boom and bust.” People who like the compa-
ny and like what they are doing will still look for another job if
they sense that they are going to be laid off. Although this is very
difficult, try and schedule work so that there is smooth flow of peo-
ple from one project to another.
Money–people who pull up stakes every few years should be
compensated for their loyalty. Money and benefits are typically
means to keep employees.
Moving and travel arrangements–an employer can make an
employee’s transitions from one job to another as smooth as pos-
sible. This can include moving expenses, time off as necessary,
arranging for housing, information about schools, etc.
Supply your personnel with the necessary equipment to do
their jobs. Historically the construction industry has been slow to
adopt new technology. Employees should be furnished with com-
puters, cell phones, etc., so that they can be the most productive.
Sometimes it may be necessary to review a job site’s equipment to
ensure that it is up to date. It may be a good idea to survey employ-
ees and find out what they feel would make them more produc-
tive in their jobs.
Sometimes, it becomes necessary to hire people for a project.
This occurs when there is a shortage of in-house personnel, or
where the cost to move in-house personnel is prohibitive.
Remember, in-house personnel require salary as well as housing
allowances, per diem, travel and moving expenses, etc. If avail-
able, skilled local people can quite possibly be less expensive than
long term employees.
Some sources for finding new employees are as follows.
Present employees–many times present employees are a
valuable source for finding new hires. Satisfied employees can
spread the news that they have good jobs and are well treated.
Many times current employees will recruit their friends and fam-
ily in order to make the workplace more congenial. Beware that
only hiring people recommended by current employees tends to
make your workforces less diverse.
Advertisements–one of the oldest and best ways to find new
talent. Advertising reaches the whole community at one time.
Keep in mind that print advertising should be divided among a
few sources to ensure diversity:
• Private employment agencies.
• Educational institutions
• Government agencies.
• The Internet.
Problems arise with hiring people for a project that will only
last for a limited time. New hires might not be loyal if they know
 2004 AACE International Transactions
that they will be terminated at the end of the project. Quite often
they look for and find new jobs the final month of the construc-
tion project. Often this is when they are needed the most.
Often new hires will not have the constructions skills that are
needed and will have to be trained in construction practices,
(work training) and be made aware of company policies, (orienta-
tion), etc. This training is an expense to the employer and often
there is little time allotted for training. A practical training pro-
gram answers the following questions:
Basically, the obvious conclusion is that the construction
industry operates differently that most other industries. This being
said, many if not all of the same rules, procedures, etc., apply
because you are still dealing with people and regardless of the type
of job a person does, he/she has certain wants and needs that must
be filled.
REFERENCES

• Who determines the project’s training needs? 1. Grant. P.C. (Dec. 1997). Job Descriptions: What’s Missing.
• Who initiates the training? Industrial Management. Online.
• Who does the training? http://web2.infortrac.gale.../purl+rcl_GBFM_0_A20390230
• What tools are needed for training? &dyn=17!ar_fmt?sw_aep=troy_mai.
2. Heneman, G.H., Judge, T.A., and Heneman, R.L. (2000).
Some solutions to hiring temporary employees might be hir- Staffing Organizations. Middletown, WI: Irwin-McGraw
ing temporary help, or “temps” from “temp” agencies. Agencies Hill.
can supply people with all kinds of skills, not just clerical. In fact 3. Yates, J.K. (July 93). Construction Workforce in the Year 2000.
a quick search on the Internet under “construction staffing” will Cost Engineering. AACE International.
show you just how many companies out here want to supply you
with construction help, (See typical website under exhibits).
There are companies that will furnish trades people and compa- Frank F. Moynihan, CCC
nies that will furnish administrative people too. Project Controls/Management
Another method that has many benefits is hiring local college 886 South Dillard Street
students to intern. Many colleges have construction technology Winter Garden, FL 34787
programs and will set you up with third and fourth year students E-mail: fmoynihan@pcmconsultants.com
who are anxious to receive some field experience.

s stated previously, the problems associated with

A administrative staffing on large construction projects

will never be an “earth shaking” crisis in the world of
human resources management. There just aren’t
enough administrative people on enough large construction proj-
ects to make “front-page news.”
That being said, many solutions devised for one specific loca-
tion, industry or situation can carry over to construction and many
means and methods used in the construction industry can be
applied elsewhere.
By examining typical construction problems and making sug-
gestions for remedies, we haven’t really covered any new ground
today. The following steps, which we have applied, can be and
have been applied to staffing problems for many years:
Pre-plan: expect problems to arise and have contingency
plans.
Procedures: look to the past and to the future and do your best
to ascertain what things might go wrong. First, write down what
might be necessary to avert the problem. Second, write down a
procedure to correct it.
Pay attention to recruiting, hiring, and selection of personnel.
The right people in the right jobs keep employees happy and pro-
ductive.
Schedule: it is very common to load a construction project
with regard to tradesmen, but it is possible to try and determine
what administrative staffing will be needed for a given period of
time. People what to know that they will be working in the future.
Communicate: being open with the staff about job duration,
etc. is very important.
PM.15.4