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HR in a construction company

Nisha

Hello All,

I work for a construction company since 2 years, although it is a 30 yrs old company, I struggle to be recogonised as the only HR  here. I have completed my CIPD level 5 in June. 

Now, with the help of my course and from the available wealth of information at CIPD,  I would like to make some difference at my work.

Can someone help me by giving the right guidance on how and where to start please?

I would like to write few lines on what I do....

Issuing offer letter, contracts, reviewing Handbooks,  doing appraisals etc but these are set standards which are used since years . I have nothing to do in these, as they are set formats where i just change personal info. I would like to do real HR stuff,getting involved in employee relations, strategic management , knowing the business needs and helping to retain and recruit suitable talent etc. But, the management does not involve me in any of these, I just do the admin work if you know what I mean..

Is there something that i can do here and make some changes? bring in new ideas?

Please advise.

Thank you.

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  • Hi Nisha,

    I am a sole HR administrator in a construction company as well.

    I am lucky in the fact that the company recognises that they need HR and utilise me a lot (although sometimes it's because they think HR should do it, even if not always the case!)

    However, I had a discussion this morning in regards to how we engage with staff and we how pass information on to them. I came up with ideas about going to sites etc but I was informed that the staff are 'volatile' and this would upset them. When I questioned why the staff where volatile I was told that's the way the industry is - which is one of the most commonly used phrases I have heard.

    It can be difficult to change peoples mindsets. I have manged to win over one of the managers from our landscaping division and he has agreed we need to think of ways to change the culture.
    I have already won over the property division who already engage with staff more than they used to.
    It took perseverance but I started by winning them over one by one. I would put together ideas and send them to the relevant people (they were not always HR related, but they start to recognise you than more than just a 'paper pusher').

    I suggest that you put your ideas together and try and introduce them one by one. Management also love money savings and increased productivity so try and work these into your ideas and presentations.
    I created reports showing the trends in staff and salaries etc. I made them basic and too the point and they have gone down well with the management team.

    You need to show them that HR is more than contracts and polices but there is more involved. Don't give up hope! the culture can change.
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  • Hi Nisha,

    I am a sole HR administrator in a construction company as well.

    I am lucky in the fact that the company recognises that they need HR and utilise me a lot (although sometimes it's because they think HR should do it, even if not always the case!)

    However, I had a discussion this morning in regards to how we engage with staff and we how pass information on to them. I came up with ideas about going to sites etc but I was informed that the staff are 'volatile' and this would upset them. When I questioned why the staff where volatile I was told that's the way the industry is - which is one of the most commonly used phrases I have heard.

    It can be difficult to change peoples mindsets. I have manged to win over one of the managers from our landscaping division and he has agreed we need to think of ways to change the culture.
    I have already won over the property division who already engage with staff more than they used to.
    It took perseverance but I started by winning them over one by one. I would put together ideas and send them to the relevant people (they were not always HR related, but they start to recognise you than more than just a 'paper pusher').

    I suggest that you put your ideas together and try and introduce them one by one. Management also love money savings and increased productivity so try and work these into your ideas and presentations.
    I created reports showing the trends in staff and salaries etc. I made them basic and too the point and they have gone down well with the management team.

    You need to show them that HR is more than contracts and polices but there is more involved. Don't give up hope! the culture can change.
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