For any organisation, labour and related matters are cost-intensive and complex, and project-based ventures such as the development and deployment of renewable energy plants are even more so. Getting these projects off the ground on time and within budget is critical to South Africa’s sustainable future, which means that the labour aspect needs to be tightly controlled and accounted for well in advance. In addition, it is vital to be able to pre-empt everything that could go wrong, and having the right labour partner on board from the outset can make a significant difference in ensuring that project goals are met. A reputable and experienced Temporary Employment Services (TES) provider can provide valuable insights and a competitive edge to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
From planning to completion
Getting the labour component right from the start is vital for effective costing and budgeting, which makes the planning process critical. An experienced TES partner can assist not only with cost estimations on labour and skilled resources but also procurement cost allocations like transportation, accommodation, personal protective equipment, training, development spending and technology enhancement interventions.
In addition, it is crucial to be able to workshop lessons learnt and best practice approaches. Key indicators from an experienced TES perspective always start with how to plan for a successful completion and prioritise understanding and planning around stakeholder engagements, local content, preferential procurement, economic development, compliance, and safety with the ability to adapt quickly. This process must extend from start to finish and should create opportunities in being agile and innovative.
A dynamic approach
A pre-mortem approach can be highly beneficial, offering a back-to-front analysis and providing the platform for healthy debate, problem-solving and falling back on quick and decisive decision-making. However, this approach can only survive in partnerships, with experience and transparency at the fore.
The right TES partner will have experience across a variety of industries and multiple disciplines within the project space and be able to bring this experience to bear through a pre-mortem approach that can assist in delivering more predictive outcomes. These outcomes cannot remain a stagnant solution, however, as projects within renewable energy need layers of solutions and variations to determine successful completion.
Key elements in a productive partnership
To deliver for the renewable energy sector, a TES partner needs to support the correct narrative in the project space and have the experience and operational know-how to ensure that compliance meets successful execution with the least disruption. Rather than a supplier relationship, a TES provider must be an integral part of the project, with intensive interaction, consistent support, a high level of visibility and ultimately a driver of success.
To ensure successful outcomes, renewable energy projects should look to partner with a TES provider that understands the renewable project space and is a capable partner, that embraces robust discussions and participation from start to finish. Workshopping and planning are key drivers of the pre-mortem approach for the best opportunity to succeed. In addition, a TES partner should use lessons learned to create best practices that ensure the successful completion of projects. Ultimately a TES partner should act as a capable partner for all your employee-centric solutions in the project space, whether direct supply or support services, with a human-centric approach as a key priority.