Impact Plumbing logo

Impact Plumbing

Industry
Workforce Management
Project Completed
August 2024
Tags
Office 365Power AppsPower BIPower PlatformReal-time Dashboards

Streamlining Workforce Management for Impact Plumbing

We helped Impact Plumbing streamline workforce management, eliminating paper-based processes, boosting transparency and efficiency, and providing real-time oversight for their 60+ team.

The Challenge

Impact Plumbing faced the challenge of managing a large team of over 60 staff while relying on highly manual, paper-based processes. Their administrative team worked diligently to keep operations running, but the system was unsustainable—prone to delays, inefficiencies, and opportunities for human error. Central to the pain points:

  • Workforce time tracking relied on paper entries.
  • Minimal real-time oversight for project managers and payroll staff.
  • Overtime information only surfaced after significant time delays.
  • Payroll processing was overly dependent on manual data entry.

The Solution

Worker Sign-ins

  • Extended the existing app used for purchase ordering to include workforce-sign-in functionality.
  • Staff tracked their time by signing in/out digitally via the app, eliminating paper-based timecards.
  • Workers could also record statuses (e.g., sick, on leave, requiring approval for overtime).
  • Supervisors and project managers gained real-time oversight of workforce attendance and labor hours.

Scheduling Improvements

  • Enabled supervisors to utilize the app for daily scheduling, listing which workers were on which sites and what tasks they would handle.
  • Workers could view their personalized "My Schedule" feature, offering transparency and smoother communication on job assignments.

Pre-start Management

  • Pre-start roll call enabled supervisors to mark attendance on-site easily, handling absences or late arrivals in the app.
  • Data automatically fed into a live dashboard, offering a transparent view of the workforce's real-time status.
  • The office team could see utilization rates, absentee reasons, and staff accountability for instant decision-making.

The Results

The deployment of workforce management tools transformed Impact Plumbing's business in multiple ways, including:

  • Easier data entry at the worker level, eliminating paper-based processes entirely.
  • Improved transparency across the entire project team, allowing better oversight into workforce utilization.
  • Comprehensive real-time insight into overtime, enabling smarter management of labor costs versus hiring.
  • Streamlined payroll workflows, reducing dependency on administrative staff for manual data entry.
  • Faster and more accurate access to workforce insights, empowering quicker and more informed business decisions.

Impact Plumbing's Transformation Journey

The Journey

The project began with an assessment of Impact Plumbing's existing challenges in workforce management. The first step was extending a previously deployed app to handle digital worker sign-ins. Initial deployments involved training the workforce on using the app for everyday tasks like time tracking. Over the course of the next few weeks, new changes were rolled out incrementally, including:

  • Worker sign-ins/daily attendance.
  • Schedule visualization features for workers.
  • Pre-start checklist functions for supervisors.
  • Real-time dashboards for office project managers.

Regular feedback loops ensured smooth adoption, with consistent support provided to both administrative staff and workers in the field.

Implementation Strategy

Our implementation approach focused on delivering immediate value by building upon existing solutions:

  1. Leveraging Existing Platform:
  • Extended the already-successful purchase order app that staff were familiar with
  • Added simple time tracking functionality for signing in and out
  • Rolled out these basic features to all staff quickly
  1. Value-Driven Evolution:
  • Started with the 'lowest hanging fruit' that provided immediate benefits
  • Gathered continuous feedback from users and management
  • Incrementally added features based on actual business needs
  1. Organic Growth:
  • Let the solution evolve naturally through regular client consultation
  • Built only what was needed, avoiding unnecessary complexity
  • Refined the system until it matched exactly what the business required

Long-term Impact

The workforce management system continues to deliver value through its flexibility and adaptability:

  • Rapid Response to Business Needs: The system's flexibility allows quick modifications to meet emerging requirements. For example, when the director prioritised staff wellbeing, we implemented mental health check-ins within a week, enabling proactive support for workers showing signs of stress.

  • Enhanced Staff Support: The wellbeing tracking feature helps identify potential mental health concerns early, allowing management to reach out proactively and support their team.

  • Scalability: The digital workforce management system adapts seamlessly as the business grows.

  • Operational Efficiency: Reduced administrative labour has freed up resources for revenue-generating activities.

  • Enhanced Employee Experience: Workers benefit from greater clarity and improved communication about schedules, roles, and expectations, while also feeling supported through integrated wellbeing initiatives.