Shared Information?

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HighWirey

Senior Member
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Cocoa, Florida, USA
Gentlemen,
Something I've wondered about.

If you are an EC owner/manager: how much information about a new project do you share with your project foreman?
or
If you are a project foreman: how much info about a new project was shared with you?

I am specifically refering to labor hours, material counts, rental costs, and other job costs in general . . .

Two schools of thought seem to be:
Some men will see hours, counts, and costs as goals to meet or exceed.
Others will look upon 'fat' figures as a cushion, forgetting about those times when they 'overrun'!

I've worked for six companies as a journeyman in 12 years (1968 to 1980). Of those six, only one shared that info with me, and he was my best employer.

Best Wishes Everyone in 2008
 
HighWirey said:
Gentlemen,
Something I've wondered about.

If you are an EC owner/manager: how much information about a new project do you share with your project foreman?
Click to expand...

The only time I was privy to this type of information was when I was doing the estimating and or purchasing for the company. I find little need to share this information with employees in the field. Not that any of it is a secret, it just doesn't come up.
 
It's not a secret, but I don't feel especially compelled to divulge it voluntarily. I'll answer any guy's question straightforwardly and completely, though.
 
Shared Info

Shared Info

For what it's worth I typically let my forman know the estimated man-hours less and extra hours I figure for unknowns. I think the forman running the job needs to know the time frame. Forman, sometimes come up with labor saving ideas as the job progresses (thats why we call it an estimate) and when things look as though they are getting behind, knowing the hours helps apply pressure at the right time.
 
Ah...the age old question. To tell them or not to tell them.
I have been with both types of companies. I think that the owner needs to do what he is comfortable with. It is one of the nice parts of being the owner. You make decisions right or wrong, they are your decisions to make. :cool:
 
benaround said:
If you want to be captian of the ball club, at least tell me how many outs

are left in the inning.
Click to expand...
Right, even if the specifics aren't given to the foreman, he should at least have an idea how he's doing with the labor budget, generally. I would think that a guy running any job, if he's got some time under his belt, should be able to tell if things are progressing normally or of there's been some hold-ups.
 
mdshunk said:
Right, even if the specifics aren't given to the foreman, he should at least have an idea how he's doing with the labor budget, generally. I would think that a guy running any job, if he's got some time under his belt, should be able to tell if things are progressing normally or of there's been some hold-ups.
Click to expand...

I agree. Sharing the estimated hours with the leadman or foreman can be a good thing, if he or she is a good employee. But I have seen to many workers use up every hour near the end of a job if they know the labor estimate. Not all of them, but some will. And then they will just shrug their shoulders when the next job goes haywire and racks up extra time not bid into the job.
 
I think a Foreman needs to know these things to be effective. They may even spot things you had not when pricing it. Not that you might enjoy that opinion - but you may not have put on your tools in recent years to know better. And really how is he to know what is in contract and what is not. If you treat him like a mushroom - expect to hear, "I didn't know..." a lot.
 
HighWirey said:
Gentlemen,
Something I've wondered about.

If you are an EC owner/manager: how much information about a new project do you share with your project foreman?
or
If you are a project foreman: how much info about a new project was shared with you?

I am specifically refering to labor hours, material counts, rental costs, and other job costs in general . . .
Click to expand...

I woud think that labor hours are important for the foreman to know. Other factors, not so much. Other workers, even less.

I worked with a guy who found out a particular project went really well for the contractor, who turned a nice profit. So the electrician asks, "How about a bonus for doing so well?"

The reply: "Sure, if you'll also take a cut when you overrun."
It wasn't brought up again.
 
I have only worked for two companies after getting out of school.

The first subscribed to the idea that it was better to tell all and let the chips fall where they may.

Current employer is more of the tell the bare minimum school.

Both seem to work. I was much more comfortable with the first company's approach though.

Not too surprisingly, the first company had far more emphasis on individuals being responsible to make the projects profitable.
 
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