Standardise the employment process across projects while leaving room for genuine site conditions. Clear status, onboarding, communication and manager responsibilities reduce gaps between head office policy and site practice.
Clarify who is working for the business
Construction work can involve employees, workers, agency labour, subcontractors and genuinely self-employed people. The label in an agreement is not conclusive; the reality of control, personal service and the working relationship matters.
Review status and contractual arrangements when roles or delivery models change. Coordinate HR, commercial, payroll and site management so different documents do not describe conflicting relationships.
- Map each workforce category and contracting route
- Use contracts that reflect the real arrangement
- Review agency and subcontractor responsibilities
- Take specialist advice where status is uncertain
Create consistent recruitment and onboarding
Fast mobilisation should not remove essential checks. Build right-to-work verification, references where required, role terms, emergency contacts, policy access and site induction into one controlled workflow.
Separate employment onboarding from task-specific competence and health-and-safety controls while making sure both are completed. Record ownership so assumptions between head office, principal contractor and site do not create gaps.
- Pre-employment checks before the start date
- Written terms and reporting lines
- Site rules, conduct and reporting routes
- Role competence and required certification records
Keep mobile teams connected and managed fairly
Employees moving between sites may receive different messages from supervisors. Give managers short, practical procedures and a clear escalation route for absence, conduct, performance, grievances and wellbeing.
Communicate policies in formats workers can access on site. Check that language, literacy, shift patterns and limited digital access do not prevent people understanding expectations or raising concerns.
- Named manager and HR contact for each worker
- Consistent toolbox talks and manager briefings
- Accessible reporting and whistleblowing routes
- Reliable records transferred between projects
Manage performance, attendance and conduct early
Project pressure can encourage managers to tolerate issues until they become serious. Early conversations, clear standards and written follow-up help resolve problems while evidence and context are still available.
Distinguish capability, conduct, health and training needs. Apply the relevant process consistently across permanent and mobile teams, and do not let a site move or project ending replace a fair employment decision.
- Role-specific, observable expectations
- Prompt return-to-work and performance conversations
- Training or supervision where gaps are identified
- Fair investigation before formal outcomes
Plan workforce change before the project ends
Forecast demobilisation, transfers, redeployment opportunities and skills needs early. Project completion does not automatically end an employment relationship, and contractual or redundancy obligations may remain.
Consult affected employees genuinely where proposals could lead to redundancy or changes in terms. Keep commercial timelines aligned with the time needed for a fair people process.
- Review contracts and continuity of employment
- Identify alternative sites and suitable roles
- Plan individual or collective consultation where required
- Document objective selection and decision-making
Originally published 2 September 2024. This guide provides general information for employers and is not legal advice. Employment law and guidance can change; check current requirements and take advice on the facts of a live situation.