It’s a fact that there are not enough electricians. The U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are an average of 84,700 job openings for electricians. The workforce is under pressure from multiple intersecting factors.
Electrical firms must continue to function even with a thin team. It’s always been difficult to schedule your workforce. Without enough electricians, the job schedule can mean the difference between new bids or work slowdowns. Smart scheduling will help you extend the capacity of your company, even if you are short-staffed.
On this blog, we offer tips for electrician management. We’ll look at electrical contractor scheduling today and offer a few tips on how to achieve the coverage that you need even with a smaller staff than you would like.
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Optimizing Electrical Business Operation
Plan for absences that are unexpected
Electrical workers are just as susceptible to accidents, illnesses, and emergencies as everyone else. Do not assume that everything will always run smoothly. Even your best employees may have to miss some shifts.
A clear and predictable policy is the foundation of your absence management strategy. Be sure that your employees are aware of the procedures for taking sick time and paid leave. Create a chain of predictable communication, from the employee through your office and to the project managers. This will ensure that everyone involved in the response to an unexpected absence is aware as soon as possible.
These absences can affect your schedule if you do not have substitute electricians. This brings us to the next tip.
Plan extra time in your schedule
It’s tempting in a competitive market to make aggressive promises about completion dates. If you can’t finish a job in a week, or if your staff is only partially available, it’s better to lower expectations. Builders know about the shortage of electricians; they will understand if projects take a little longer than usual.
Don’t assume that all employees will be present for every shift when you are trying to plan your project schedules. Assume a certain amount of absences each week based on your team size. Your bids and projections should be based on a reduced level of staffing. This may help you complete a few projects ahead of schedule.
Talk to electricians about their daily schedule (and be ready to adjust plans).
Electricians who have experience know how long it will take to complete a common job. Before work starts, make sure that everyone is on the same page. Ask yourself if you can realistically schedule one worker to do three jobs a day. It’s better to prepare for delays than to be short handed at a client meeting if an electrician says they will probably only finish two of the three jobs.
Material handling equipment can boost productivity
To combat a labor crisis, you can improve the productivity of your existing workers. Construction electricians can spend as much as 40 Percent They spend a large portion of their time moving materials. This time could be better spent on actual installation. How can you reduce the material handling requirements for electricians? Use the right tools for the job.
Pre-loaded parallel reel payouts allow electricians to place cable reels quickly where they are needed and to pull multiple cable runs from the same payout system. Conduit Carrier Carts enable a single worker to move bulk conduit throughout the worksite. Light Fitting Carts eliminate trips into storage areas when lighting installation. There are many other ways to reduce the amount of material that needs to be handled. This will increase the productivity of your electricians.
Get adequate insurance
Electrical work is dangerous. You need to get the right insurance for your business. It is a major decision to become an independent electrician or set up an electrical business for success. Consider the types of insurance that you will need before you begin to protect yourself, your employees and the public.
Insurance for electricians is something you should consider if your company provides electrical services. It’s good that you are aware of the dangers and risks associated with working near overhead power lines or underground cables.
Talk to your insurer about the coverage you need to offer electrical services.
Follow your project from beginning to end
Poor project management can lead to missed details or a failure to remember important details. You can avoid this by tracking your electrical project properly.
Keep a daily work journal
Many electrical contractors keep a daily journal of their work. In the past, these journals were often in the form of physical books, but more recently, many people use software to keep track, such as a notes application. You can track your progress towards project milestones by keeping a daily journal. It’s easy to do and will give you a record of the project to look back on after it ends. You can also use this to estimate future projects.
Track changes to projects
When changes are not tracked, this can create a snowball effect. It can have a snowball effect if someone does not realize that a component has been changed. Then, the other parts will need to be altered. Document all changes. Include the client’s or project manager’s details, the date the request was made, and whether the change was approved. You may want to rely on memory, but electrical projects are so hectic that you can easily forget “mental notes”.
Communication flow: Improve it
Good communication is essential in every phase of a project. Electrical estimators have in the past been seen as people who just wanted to get down to business. Soft skills, such as communication, play an important role in establishing a reputation and getting hired to estimate new projects.
Manage your project at different stages
There are many ways to manage projects outside your organization. These include the basics of communication, reducing risk in electrical estimates and a number of other methods.
Provide clear drawings
It’s not uncommon for there to be a large difference between the drawing you use to finish the first step of electrical estimation, and the drawings your team actually uses in the field. In the early drawings, you may have a lot more diagrammatic information in the form of a riser chart. You may not have good plan views to help foremen or the contractor team see where devices are located or how conduits should be routed. It will be necessary to count cables, group cable groups, measure conduits and plan routing. It can be time-consuming and prevent you from getting the job done. The project schedule can be maintained if you prepare detailed drawings in advance.
A reliable supply chain is essential
It is important to remember that good project management for electrical projects does not only involve you and the work standards you adhere to, but also those of your subcontractors and other suppliers. You want your clients to be confident that you are working with a reputable supply chain and they will do their best to deliver high-quality services on time.
Final Thoughts
Here are a few tips that will help you manage your electrical project more efficiently. It may seem like common sense, but it is surprising how many things are overlooked and hinder electrical projects. A successful project is built on a solid foundation of communication between all parties. Plan well, keep in touch with your job site, and adopt a standardized, clear approach to project managing. You will be able to build a professional image for your company and you will receive repeat business from clients.
Featured Image Credit: Deposit Photos
