Construction companies typically operate across numerous active sites, which can be geographically dispersed. Accurately tracking when each worker arrives, takes breaks, leaves, and what specific project or task they’re working on, especially with a mobile workforce, presents significant challenges.

Traditional paper timesheets are prone to errors, “buddy punching” and delays, leading to inaccurate payroll and poor labour cost visibility. 

The Australian construction industry is governed by complex industrial instruments, including the Building and Construction General On-site Award, various other Modern Awards, and numerous Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs). These often contain intricate rules for pay rates, allowances, penalty rates for shifts or overtime, and specific conditions based on role or location. Interpreting and applying these rules manually is a major source of non-compliance, risking hefty fines and back-pay claims.

Within a single construction project, you might have workers with vastly different pay rates based on their trade (e.g., carpenter, electrician, labourer), skill level, qualifications, or even the specific task they are performing. Managing these varying job roles and associated rates, combined with allowances and overtime, creates exceptionally complex payroll scenarios that challenge even experienced payroll officers without adequate support.