Why utility labour supply keeps going wrong
A frank look at the common failure modes in utility labour supply, and how to design them out.
The recurring failure modes
Three things break utility labour supply: stale compliance paperwork, generalist operatives sent to specialist assets, and contractors who over-commit on volume.
Any one of these will cost you a day on site. All three together will cost you the framework.
Design the failure modes out
JJU runs supply against three rules. Compliance is held centrally and renewed before it lapses. Operatives are matched to the asset, not just the postcode. Volume commitments are tied to a real bench, not a wish list.
That sounds basic. In practice almost no agency operates this way.
Common problems we get called in to fix
Operatives turning up without current SHEA / NRSWA
Wrong discipline sent to a live gas or LV job
Agencies over-promising volumes they cannot meet
No supervision behind the labour
No audit trail when the client asks for one
What changes with a managed supply
Auditable compliance behind every name
Operatives that match the asset risk
Realistic volume commitments you can plan against
Supervision included where required
One escalation route when something slips
Had enough of unreliable labour supply?
Tell us where it is going wrong. We will rebuild the supply around your programme.
JJU Construction, UK utilities and construction contractor. Call +44 7711 916470 or email joe.lynch@jjuconstruction.co.uk.