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AI in construction workforce planning: A practical guide for general contractors
“Now I can click a button and see that I need four more engineers in October, or it’s showing me that I’m short three engineers today,” says Jamie Miller, Director of Engineering Development at Sellen Construction. Miller is describing visibility that didn’t exist before. Not because the information didn’t exist, but because extracting it from…
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The ROI of workforce planning software for construction companies
“We have total transparency in our metrics now,” says Ed McCauley, VP of Corporate Services at Wohlsen Construction. “Fast-forward from last year to this year, our utilization has exceeded our targets. The increased utilization rate contributes directly to higher than forecasted profits.” McCauley is describing ROI that shows up in the financials. But most workforce…
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Why construction companies are moving from spreadsheets to workforce planning software
“The spreadsheet was our biggest problem,” says Jeremy Moe, Operations Manager at The Boldt Company. “We had multiple tabs we were maintaining within a single spreadsheet. We had a field team tab and an office team tab. It was a pain to maintain because, of course, nothing’s linked. It didn’t have any real-time connections. You…
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How electrical contractors schedule crews across jobs
On a commercial electrical job, the work changes character as it moves. Conduit and rough-in come early, when the crew is larger and the pace is set by the general contractor’s framing. Wire-pulling and terminations come later, with a smaller, more specialized crew working around every other trade on the floor. The crew that fits…
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Construction project staffing: How to assign the right people to the right projects
“Team dynamics are really important to us,” says Jamie Miller, Director of Engineering Development at Sellen Construction. “We don’t just throw people on a project without thinking about how they’ll work with each other. We look for strengths that complement each other.” Miller is describing something most contractors understand intuitively but struggle to execute systematically.…
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What is demand forecasting in construction and how does it work?
“We can be proactive and say, ‘In 12 months, we’ll have extra people that are very successful in remodels. Let’s go after some more remodels,’” says Daniel Barry, VP of Operations at Schimenti. That’s demand forecasting working the way it should. Barry isn’t guessing about capacity or hoping the pipeline aligns with his workforce. He’s…
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How to run a skills gap analysis for your construction workforce
“We started where most companies start, with an Excel spreadsheet,” says Shawn Gallant, COO at Columbia Construction. “We found that as we grew, it just wasn’t a successful model because we didn’t have adaptability, changes were hard, and there was no forecasting ability.” Gallant’s comment captures a broader problem. Most contractors know how many people…
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What is workforce forecasting accuracy and why does it matter?
“Now I can click a button and see that I need four more engineers in October, or it’s showing me that I’m short three engineers today,” says Jamie Miller, Director of Engineering Development at Sellen Construction. That single capability, knowing what’s coming before it arrives, separates contractors who plan from contractors who react. Miller spent…
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How to build an internal resume database for construction teams
“With Bridgit, we’ve gained a deeper understanding of our workforce,” says Leon Nelson, Vice President at Big D Construction. “By aligning our employees’ skills and experience with the right projects, we’re not only improving project outcomes but also creating a more engaging environment that has noticeably boosted team morale and retention.” Nelson is describing what…
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How to improve construction team communication for workforce planning
“Having a meeting where we can come together and look at one screen and the same real-time information is paramount,” says Lisa Villasmil, VP of People & Culture at Cauldwell Wingate. “Now when we’re collaborating on staffing we can just say ‘Check Bridgit. What does it say in Bridgit?’ That has really made us more…
