23rd April 2024
Civil Engineering Labour Solutions – by
Labour supply the SLS Way is about more than sending people to site
Last month’s article looked at how labour supply by Skilled Labour Services differs from other labour suppliers, thanks to how we help improve project profitability.
This month, let’s dig deeper into why choosing Skilled Labour Services for your labour supply is more than “just” getting people on site. After all, any labour agency can send workers to site.
Here are the key differences between other labour agencies and Skilled Labour Services, and importantly, why it matters to our clients.
Quality contractors need a quality workforce
It’s no accident that Skilled Labour Services supply operatives to many of the best-known and most successful main contractors in the industry.
Successful construction projects are reliant on completion being achieved within budget and on time. That calls for reliable trades and labour operatives who turn up when they are supposed to and with the skills to complete the work you need from them.
With a database of over 3000 pre-qualified operatives we can provide the skills you need where, and when, you need them.
Site visits for all contracts
When a new client contacts the Skilled Labour Services team to book operatives, we start by sending a contract manager with extensive site experience to meet you. The meeting allows us to find out more about the project requirements – both now and in the longer term.
Site visits play a crucial role in us helping you to secure the most appropriate resources. This is particularly important for clients who delegate booking site staff to administrative teams who may not be close to the project or may lack a detailed understanding of the precise skills required.
Ongoing support and management
Our role doesn’t stop when we send teams to your site. In fact, our post deployment support is unique within labour supply.
Day one starts with one of our managers accompanying our team to site to ensure proper onboarding and induction processes take place and that our team is quickly settled into your project.
This is followed by weekly progress checks and proactive resource planning which means that we have the next set of skilled operatives booked and ready to deploy as your project progresses.
High levels of operative retention
Manual workers on construction sites face some of the most arduous working conditions. Whilst H&S standards are far better than they used to be, construction sites are inherently dangerous places where risks are ever changing.
This is one of the reasons the industry faces extensive skills gaps and an ageing workforce. Manual trades are simply not attracting young people in the numbers they are needed.
At Skilled Labour Services, we recognise the challenge of retaining skilled and experienced operatives within the industry and believe that treating people well is critical. As a result of our approach to managing our teams and regularly working for great clients, we enjoy high levels of operative retention.
In short, our workers enjoy working for our clients, because our clients treat them as more than “just” boots on site.
Robust processes and financial clarity
Working for a labour supplier can often feel risky for operatives who can’t rely on the financial security of employment. But that doesn’t apply to our operatives. In fact, our hard-won reputation means that our workforce benefits from a steady stream of contract opportunities providing a reliable income.
Our resource planning is in line with that of companies who directly employ their operatives, taking account of likely seasonal work fluctuations and the need for our workforce to take time off for holidays.
Our people work hard to do a great job for our clients and, in turn, they deserve to be paid on time. In fact, running payroll is one of the central tasks that we ensure happens on time, every time. Whilst paying people on time might sound like a blindingly obvious way to keep people on-side, you might be shocked how many labour agencies don’t!
We also help keep our operatives on the right side of their tax liabilities with weekly work statements that clearly set out what they’ve earned and on which contracts.
Creating good working conditions can be challenging for operatives on-site all year round. Regular site visits allow us to see that site welfare facilities are in good order – and we don’t hesitate to let our clients know if standards aren’t up to scratch.
Building sites aren’t always easily accessible by public transport which is one reason we have a fleet of modern, reliable vehicles available for teams to use. Vehicle sharing also offers the added benefit of you having fewer vehicles on site and reducing “miles to travelled to site” in turn contributing to the sustainability of your projects.
Closing the skills gaps
Skills gaps are a very real problem in the construction industry. That’s why, when suitable operatives express an interest in learning new skills we help them to access suitable training services, along with periodic refresher training as appropriate for individual operatives.
Our people – your projects
Your projects deserve the best possible outcomes and when you choose to work with Skilled Labour Services you enjoy the peace of mind that you have a labour supply partner as invested in your success as you are.
Where do we work?
Below is an example the variety of projects currently onsite across the south of England:
- Highways England M27
- Major highways infrastructure upgrade in Hampshire
- Civils installations at Poole Port
- Industrial site external works at Langstone Harbour
- Concrete repairs in Southampton
- External works at University of Southampton Science Park
- Pool house works for a private residential project
- Concrete pipework and steel fixing for water companies
- Multiple new build housing developments
- HS2 London
Working with Skilled Labour Services
If you’ve got a civil engineering or groundworks project in need of staff, Ricky, Karen and Richard are here to help you find the right people for your needs.
Give them a call or get in touch today. With an extensive database of vetted, qualified and experienced people to choose from you can be confident we’ll get people on site quickly.
