Why Housebuilders Must Prioritise Workforce Management

All eyes have been on the housebuilding sector since the government announced its target to construct 1.5 million new homes by 2029. Opinions aside on whether or not the target will be met, it’s easy to see that housebuilders have a huge challenge on their hands. Now more than ever before, housebuilders must strengthen their foundations. It’s well documented that the construction industry is currently struggling with labour and skills shortages, meaning that receiving maximum value from workers on each job is essential. Here are our five reasons why housebuilders should prioritise workforce management on the journey to building 1.5 million new homes.

Know who’s who

A worrying consequence of the ongoing labour shortage is a rise in illegal and unqualified workers. Research by the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) highlighted shocking, but not surprising, findings on the issue, revealing that 33% of people working in the construction industry have suspected that illegal working had been present at a previous or current employer.

Not only is this a concern for contractors responsible for workers on site from a health and safety perspective, but it's also a problem that negatively impacts productivity and reputation across the whole industry.

With the report also finding that 80% of construction professionals believe illegal working has escalated in the housebuilding industry over the past 15 years, it’s time for greater clarity on who’s who and what they’re there to do.

Our CEO Robert Brent has outlined his thoughts in detail on the rise in illegal construction workers, including insight on our offering which combines a digital platform with biometric access control and robust identity checks to provide contractors with a ‘pre-site’ and ‘on-site’ solution with real-time data on all workers’ right to work, skills and credentials before they arrive on site.

An online portfolio of digital documents mitigates the risk of any lost or outdated paper records, ensuring better compliance, increased safety and a solution to help tackle modern slavery in the industry. Read more online at Construction Management.

Accurate worker hours

Whether you're a small, medium or large construction company, the accuracy of your workforce data can have a significant impact on your bottom line. Site managers can’t be everywhere at once, so keeping track of exactly how many hours your team has worked is often a challenge.

With a time and attendance tracking system that records worker arrival and exit times - and an app designed for location check-in - you can be confident that your teams are where they should be and that recorded hours are accurate. This allows you to pay staff correctly, monitor real-time data and stay on track for success.

Secure worker safety

With the average cost of ill health and injury in UK construction nearing £1.3 million, there’s a clear need to raise health and safety standards across every site - regardless of size. The Building Safety Act 2022 has placed greater responsibility on housebuilders, particularly those working on flats and high-rise buildings, to provide evidence of who is building what, and how. At the core of this is the ‘Golden Thread of Information’, a requirement to track safety-critical decisions from start to finish.

From RAMS (Risk Assessment Method Statement) and inductions to worker vetting and attendance tracking, we help transform site data into compliance-ready evidence – as well as insights worthy of analysis. Knowing that everyone on site is doing the right job, at the right time, in the right place, and with the right qualifications, is every health and safety manager’s ideal. It not only helps ensure worker wellbeing, but also reduces the risk of errors, raises site standards and boosts productivity by saving both time and money.

Right and ready to work

Across the construction industry, outdated and inefficient processes are still too common – unnecessarily costing precious time and money. By ensuring that all workers arrive on site inducted, vetted and ready to start a day’s work, housebuilders can tap into the benefits from a simplified and streamlined onboarding process.

From Pre-Registration to Online Inductions, our solutions not only ensure that workers arrive with all the important information they need to remain safe and productive, but they’re also able to spend more time using their skillset to focus on the task at hand.

We’re not saying that the current workforce is definitely big enough to meet the UK’s new housing targets, but we aresaying that it’s capable of more. By establishing more effective processes and maximising the potential offered by technological solutions, we can extract every ounce of value from the time spent on site.

Quality and quantity

What good are 1.5 million new homes if they are not built to the correct standards in order to last? Through greater operational standards we will see greater outcomes in project delivery, communities and – most importantly – people’s lives.

Housebuilders can manage construction workforces with assistance from Insights Analytics, to drive strategic decision making with confidence. Real-time performance tracking, integrated data visualisation and customised reporting all form part of our approach that helps to create a single source of truth on site. Say goodbye to guesswork, missed opportunities and data blindness.

Whether you're a housebuilder working on large brownfield sites and need full visibility of who’s on site, or you're delivering inner-city flats and require robust security measures, our solutions are built to support every corner of the housebuilding industry and boost productivity through what’s set to be a busy and demanding few years.

For more insight on industry challenges and technology solutions, visit www.msite.com/news

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Why Housebuilders Must Prioritise Workforce Management

Know who’s who

Accurate worker hours

Secure worker safety