This document discusses 16 observations for effective workforce management during the project execution stage. The observations are grouped into managing the workforce and physical assets/processes. Key points include hiring the right leaders with project experience, making safety a top priority, developing strong teams, clear communication of roles, and recognizing contributions. Retaining skilled workers, diversity, and adequate facilities are also emphasized. Regular communication and rotating staff to prevent burnout are important.

1. Project Execution
Mr. Mohamoud sheik abdi
Master Degree In project Planning & Mgt

2. chapter 2
Practical Workforce Management Tips

3. Introduction
 During my experience in project management,
I have made several observations that helped
me to make the project execution stage of a
project easier and more complete. These
observations can be categorized into two main
groups

4. two main groups
 Group 1: Concerns observations relating to
managing the workforce and people executing
the project
 Group 2: Related to observations associated
with managing the physical assets and
processes necessary for sustaining the project

5. Cont,,
 This chapter reviews and discusses
observations associated with managing the
workforce. I also attempt to define the
benefits of these observations and their
contributions during project execution. The
list is by no means all encompassing and can
be developed quite easily based on the
industry of application

6. Cont,,
 The observations discussed here are
applicable to industries such as oil and gas,
petroleum, chemical, power generation,
construction, mining, forestry, and most
commercial steady-state facilities. In short,
these observations apply across most
industries and can be modified to suit
prevailing circumstances.

7. These observations are as follows:
1) Have the right person for the right job:
Leadership skills are an absolute.
2) Make safety a priority.
3) Hire a mature workforce.
4) Place emphasis on developing strong teams.
5) Ensure clear expectations, responsibilities,
and authorities are communicated

8. Cont,,
6 Have a retention plan (avoid being a training ground).
7 Treat everyone fairly and with respect.
8 Encourage and support leadership visibility at the
front line
9 Embrace and promote diversity in the workforce.
10 Recognize and reward exceptional contributions.
11 Celebrate milestone achievements and successes.
12 Avoid conflict among operations, construction, and
commissioning organizations

9. Cont,,
13 Have an RACI (responsible, accountable,
consulted, informed) chart.
14 Communicate, communicate, and
communicate.
15 Rotate personnel out as required.
16 Ensure adequate facilities are available

10. Cont,,
 These project management observations are
now discussed in greater detail to provide a
better understanding of how and why these
observations are useful. Although applicable
across most industries, focus is on larger
industrial-type projects typical of the oil and
gas and energy industries

11. Have the Right Person for the Right Job:
Leadership Skills Are an Absolute
 Crucial to the success of any project are the skills
and experience capabilities of the people who
support the project. Here, the focus is on the skills
and experience of key and functional leaders that are
necessary to support the execution stage of the
project cycle. A relatively flat organizational
structure is desirable so that communication and
decision making can be achieved swiftly without
bureaucratic influences.

12. Cont,,
 However, regardless of organizational structure, the
skills and capabilities of leadership personnel are
critical for success in project execution. For all
leaders, prior project management experience is
required in any leadership role associated with
implementing a large industrial project. In addition,
flexibility to work long, demanding hours is an
absolute requirement for assuming such roles

13. Cont,,
 Project and leadership personnel cannot be hired and
be expected to learn on the fly during project
execution. However, a high propensity for
continuous learning is required for all leadership
personnel in project execution roles. Experience in
project execution is a unique characteristic, which
starts with the acceptance that regardless of the
rigidity of the plan, there will be the need to vary
from it on occasion.

14. Cont,,
 Therefore, a strong ability to lead and manage
change is required. Project leaders must also
possess an excellent ability to multitask with
decisive and strong decision-making skills.
Excellent communication and leadership
skills are also essential for assuming project
leadership roles.

16. Cont,,
 A good project leader must have gained prior
experience across the three main areas in the
execution of an industrial project. This includes
experience in construction, commissioning, and
operations activities. There must also be overlapping
skills and knowledge by the construction,
commissioning, and operations leaders.

17. Cont,,
 While the project leader is not required to be an
expert in all three areas, the leader must have a good
appreciation of the challenges of leading associated
with each discipline.

18. Cont,,
 It is important to note that in most instances the
required combinations of skills may not be readily
available, and some learning on the fly will be
necessary across all leadership disciplines. In
addition to skills and working experience all leaders
must possess strong communication, technical, and
leadership skills to function effectively in assigned
roles.

19. Cont,,
 The leadership environment has changed
dramatically over time and continues to
evolve daily as the workforce transitions from
generation to generation. Today’s leadership
environment is characterized by high
expectations from workers and high
leadership efforts necessary to meet the
expectations of the workforce

20. Cont,,
 Figure 2.2 demonstrates the evolving leadership
environments. In addition, the leadership skills
required to lead and inspire the needs of a growing
generation Y worker population (workers born after
1970) are very different from the leadership skills
required for generation X workers. As a
consequence, leaders who are resistant to change and
fail to evolve with the changing workplace
requirement are destined to fail during project
execution.

21. Cont,,
 Leaders must master modern leadership skills
and inspire generation Y workers. At the same
time, they must be able to cater to the needs
of generation X workers in the same
workplace. Meeting the different needs of
both

23. Make Safety a Priority
 Leadership is critical in establishing the desired safety
standard during project execution. The project leader is
responsible for this. The overall safety standards and
achievements of any project are important to all stakeholders.
Poor safety standards and performance may result in people
being injured or killed on the job. Damage to equipment,
machinery, and the environment is also possible due to poor
safety standards and a weak safety culture.

24. Safety and the Contract Workforce
 When an incident occurs on a work site, the
impact does not discriminate between
employees and contractors

25. Hire a Mature Workforce
 While it may not always be possible to have a
mature workforce or desirable for the long term to
have a mature workforce, during project execution a
mature workforce is an extremely valuable and
desirable requirement. The maturity of a workforce
is reflected in the skills and experience of the
workforce, and there must be a greater number of
experienced and skilled workers than inexperienced
and unskilled or new workers

26. Place Emphasis on Developing Strong Teams
 Strong teams are required in all organizations during
the project execution stage. The project leadership,
construction, commissioning, and operations teams
must all be highly developed to meet the
requirements of the fast-paced execution stage of the
project. Team building must consider organizational,
cultural, and technical fit to generate a well-
balanced, highly motivated team to meet the
deliverables of the team.

27. cont,
 To meet the challenges of a strong team,
leaders must be provided both flexibility and
resources to promote team building within
organizations. In addition, leaders must be
trained in techniques for building strong
teams.

28. Ensure Clear Expectations, Responsibilities and
Authorities Are Communicated
 Expectations relating to the organizational values must be
established very early for all employees who work at a project
site during execution. Such expectations may include safety
standards and safe work practices, respect for each other, zero
tolerance to drug and alcohol usage, honesty and integrity and
bringing mistakes to the attention of leadership early such
that they can be corrected before they become larger
problems at a later date. Expectations must be communicated
also in the behaviors of peers and leaders, both of whom must
demonstrate in their behaviors the behaviors expected of new
employees.

29. Have a Retention Plan (Avoid Being a
Training Ground)
 As discussed, heated market economies can lead to
intense competition for skilled and experienced
workers. Organizations will continue to compete for
skilled and experienced workers. Workers also
maintain an informal network and will often provide
feedback to leaders and employees regarding the
skills and capabilities of fellow workers and the
benefits of working for one employer versus another,
respectively.

30. Among the retention strategies possible are the
following
 A retention bonus with a locked-in clause. Workers are
provided a cash bonus up front in return for their commitment
for a fixed period, such as 3–5 years. This method works well
at least until the locked-in period has expired.
 Ensure development opportunities are available for all
employees
 Create a satisfying workplace for the worker. Research has
demonstrated conclusively that in the absence of job
satisfaction, workers will leave

31. Treat Everyone Fairly and with Respect
 An important requirement for successful
project execution is the need to treat everyone
fairly and with respect. Failure to do so
creates an environment characterized by high
turnover and lowered productivity

32. Encourage and Support Leadership Visibility at the
Front Line
 An area in which leaders frequently fail
during project execution is in being visible at
the front line. Leadership visibility at the front
line sends a clear and strong message to all
workers that leadership is interested in the
work the frontline worker does, in the safety
of the frontline worker, and in learning from
the frontline worker the issues and challenges
faced at the front line.

33. Embrace and Promote Diversity in the
Workforce
 Project leaders should seek to promote diversity in
the workforce. Diversity introduces creativity and
innovative solutions to challenges experienced
during project execution. On one occasion, during
the start-up of a facility, a ruptured line resulted in
the release of process fluids that could have resulted
in contaminated waterways and resultant ecological
damage.

34. Recognize and Reward Exceptional
Contributions
 Recognizing and rewarding exceptional
contributors is the single most important
motivator in the workplace. Timely leadership
action in recognizing and rewarding
exceptional contributors creates a positive
image about the leaders and motivates
workers to higher levels of productivity.

35. Celebrate Milestone Achievements and
Successes
 At the start of project execution, milestone
activities are identified, usually aimed at
communicating significant advancement
toward the overall project completion.

36. Avoid Conflict among Operations, Construction,
and Commissioning Organizations
 Site ownership during the various stages of a project
is also important. It has been clearly demonstrated
that site ownership during the stages of a project
should belong to the respective majority system
holder during the execution stage of the project.
Generally, ownership transitions from construction
to commissioning and finally to operations as the
project transitions from construction to steady state
to continuous operation.

37. Have a RACI Chart
 What is a RACI chart, and why is it important? A
RACI chart is a simple chart that defines who is
responsible for assigned work, who is accountable
for the assigned work, who should be consulted, and
who should be informed about the status of the
assigned work.

38. Cont,,
 The worst nightmare of any project leader is to hear the
following simple questions or responses during the
investigation of any incident or situation involving improper
execution of work:
 I did not know I was responsible for that task.
 Does anyone know who is accountable for this work?
 No one consulted me (us) before this task was undertaken.
 I was not informed that this exercise was taking place

39. Try doing RACI

40. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
 Communication during the project implementation
phase is an important requirement. Communication
among and within groups is required to ensure safe
and successful project execution. Communication
generally takes place daily on a project site via a
combination of methods, and in different forums,
among manageable groups. Daily communication is
required in response to the daily changes taking
place on a project site during the execution stage

41. Cont,,
 Some of the more effective and common communication
approaches on the work site include the following:
 Leadership meetings
 Toolbox and prejob meetings
 Town hall-type meetings
 Notices
 E-mail and electronic communication
 Combinations of all communication methods

42. Rotate Personnel Out as Required
 As project execution continues, depending on
the workloads of personnel, the potential for
burnout can be high. Careful project leaders
will be continually vigilant for signs of
burnout. When burnout is apparent, workers
must be rotated out to continue to maintain
high levels of productivity

43. Ensure Adequate Facilities Are
Available
 During the project execution stage, the amount of new
workers increases at the project site on a daily basis. Care
must be taken by project leaders to ensure that adequate
support facilities are available to meet the needs of the
growing workforce. Facilities refer to accommodations,
office space, meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, washrooms
and toilets, copiers, telephones, presentation equipment, and
all other equipment required to make the day at work a
pleasant and fruitful one.