The 9 Best Construction Workforce Management Software

Understanding how your construction business operates can be the key to increasing your profitability. Average project times, ideal task allocation, remote working conditions — being able to identify these concerns puts you on the path towards increased profitability.

This is why savvy business owners use workforce management software to both gain greater insight into how their construction company operates as well as to optimize the various processes necessary for it to run.

In this post, we’ve curated a list of the 9 best construction workforce management software that you can utilize to improve your operational efficiency and profitability.

What is workforce management software?

Workforce management (WFM) software is a tool designed to help businesses streamline and automate management tasks, including time tracking, employee scheduling, remote monitoring, employee communication, and even running payroll in a timely manner.

What are the benefits of workforce management software for construction companies?

There are many key benefits that construction companies reap from using workforce management software, such as being able to:

• Monitor of remote workers throughout the day: Through tools like GPS tracking and geofencing, WFM software allows you to keep up with your crew members without having to be physically present at remote job sites.
• Calculate job costs: Workforce management software comes with job tracking tools that allow you to track the exact amount of time your crew members spend on projects. 
• Track and enforce attendance: WFM software allows you to create hard rules on a per-employee basis when it comes to attendance and can help you cut down on common forms of time theft.
• Simplify leave management and PTO: Workforce management software can reduce administrative workload by automatically calculating PTO accruals and tracking exactly how much PTO employees have taken and have remaining.
• Control and provide visibility of overtime: While sometimes overtime can be unavoidable on an extended project, other times it’s simply a symptom of ineffective scheduling. Workforce management software often directly addresses this through notifications, reminders, and alerts.

What are the different types of construction workforce management software?

There are several different types of construction workforce management software tools, with each one having their own specializations.

• Time-tracking software: These tools emphasize being able to monitor your employees’ time while on the clock. Due to the off-site nature of construction work, they tend to come with features such as GPS tracking and geofencing to give business owners more control at remote sites.
• Scheduling software: These WFM tools emphasize organization of your construction workforce by improving how you schedule employees for shifts.
• Attendance software: These tools are all about enforcing rules on timeliness, tardiness, and absences in your workforce, as well as cutting down on time theft.
• Project management software: Project management software is built to provide greater insight into project completion. It often comes with features such as automatic project time tracking, real-time collaboration tools such as discussion boards or team commenting, and organizational tools like Gantt charts.
• Payroll software: Payroll software is designed to streamline the payroll process for you and your HR administrators. These tools tend to come with features such as direct deposit, automatic tax calculations and deductions, and multi-state capabilities.
• Equipment tracking software: This software helps reduce theft and misuse of construction equipment on and off the clock. They come with GPS monitoring, asset management, and custom alerts.
• Customer relationship management (CRM) software: This type of WFM is meant to improve the lead nurturing aspect of running a construction business, usually through greater transparency and communication. Their features tend to include invoicing, email integration, and lead management.
• Workplace safety software: This type of workforce management software focuses on increasing compliance with safety regulations on remote job sites as well as during transportation to and away from them. They often have features such as documents and safety forms, in-app training, and incident reporting. 

The 9 best construction workforce management software

Taking into account the various different types of workforce management software and the benefits they should provide, we’ve formulated a list of the top 9 best workforce management software options on the market based on their features, overall ease of use, and customer reviews.

1. Buddy Punch

Starting off our list we have Buddy Punch, which serves construction businesses as a cloud-based app capable of handling all employee time tracking, crew scheduling, and payroll needs.

What makes Buddy Punch particularly effective as a workforce management tool is its ability to fulfill multiple roles all in one.

• As time-tracking software: Buddy Punch allows your employees to clock in and out from any device with an internet connection, including smartphones or tablets. Buddy Punch even has a kiosk mode, enabling you to turn a device or tablet into a central time clock for your employees.
• As scheduling software: Buddy Punch has a drag-and-drop scheduling tool for easy creation and visualization of crew shifts. Employees can see their schedules, get alerts for schedule changes, and request shift trades or covers with team members.
• As attendance software: Employees can clock in and clock out of Buddy Punch using a PIN, QR code, facial recognition, or username and password. Proper attendance can be enforced at remote job sites via features like GPS tracking and geofencing, without requiring additional oversight on your part.
• As project management software: Buddy Punch comes with job costing features like department and project codes. Employees can select which jobs they’re currently working one, creating accurate logs for how much time a project is taking. This data can be accessed via Buddy Punch’s customizable reports.
• As payroll software: Buddy Punch has a built-in payroll option that includes tax filing, direct deposit, and compliance support to ensure you’re adhering to any local, state, or federal laws. 

Buddy Punch payroll also supports subcontracting, allowing you to designate a new profile as either a W-2 employee or 1099 contractor. All critical payroll information, such as your employees, completed pay periods, payroll tax deposits, and filing authorizations (like Form 941 or Form WH-347) are accessible through a dropdown menu.

Additional features

Buddy Punch is a versatile tool that allows construction business owners to enable various features depending on your workforce management needs. Options include:

• PTO tracking: Use Buddy Punch’s pre-loaded PTO policies or create your own custom policies, establish accrual rules, and handle approval of PTO requests all in one hub. Alternatively, you can enable PTO automation and even activate auto-approval for leave requests from trusted team members.
• Overtime calculations: Choose from over a dozen different overtime types to determine how overtime pay is meant to be calculated. Buddy Punch will automatically compute overtime pay according to your specifications.
• Photos on punch: This feature automatically takes photos of your employees when they punch in or punch out. These photos are then stored in employees’ timesheets for your later verification. This helps cut down on the most common type of time theft, buddy punching (an employee clocking in for another).
• Overtime alerts: Establish rules to notify an employee when they’re approaching overtime and send simultaneous alerts to administrators to reduce unexpected overtime costs.

We’ve still only scratched the surface of how versatile Buddy Punch is for construction company owners. Click here to view all of Buddy Punch’s features.

Customer reviews

Buddy Punch currently has a score of 4.8 out of 5 stars on popular review site Capterra, based on over 1,000+ reviews. Here’s what one user had to say about their experience:

“Getting payroll done every week is super easy with the option to see all employees hours in one sheet. Clocking in and out is easy and extremely quick, and editing the times are easy on the supervisor’s end.”

Pricing

Pricing for Buddy Punch’s time-tracking software starts at $4.49 per user per month plus a $19 base fee. The payroll service is an additional $6 per user per month plus a $39 per month base fee.

2. Autodesk Construction Cloud

Autodesk Construction Cloud is a construction management software platform designed to help you build, coordinate, and optimize your project teams. It comes with features such as:

• Project management: Get real-time access to your construction project schedules. Leverage custom views and filters to sort through thousands of activities. Autodesk also lets you use cost management integration to connect cost to time to accurately forecast cash flow for your company.
• Quality management: Construction Cloud gives you visibility of any relevant quality issues and helps resolve them with a proactive construction quality management approach. Reduce work and keep construction projects on track by identifying constructability issues in the pre-construction phase.
• Data and insights: Identify and mitigate risk with predictive analytics, delivered through easy-to-deploy reports and dashboards. Configure your dashboards to get a holistic view of each project, complete with a project-level dashboard. Autodesk lets you build an actionable list of daily tasks and gain visibility into what to prioritize. 
• Safety management: Remove hazards before they become incidents with Autodesk. Autodesk allows crew members to share their “good catches” and “near misses” with photos and root causes to prevent job hazards. Use project safety insights to couch your teams and continuously improve safety programs

As of this post’s writing, Autodesk Construction Cloud has a rating of 4.3/5 stars on Capterra, based on 2,196 reviews. Here’s what one user had to say about it:

“It has robust project management capabilities, seamless integration of BIM and construction data, real-time collaboration features, mobile accessibility, comprehensive document management, and the ability to streamline workflows across various stages of construction projects.”

3. Bridgit Bench

Bridgit Bench is a workforce planning software that was specifically designed with construction company owners in mind. Its goal is to streamline operations for contractors and simplify workforce planning complexities, which it aims to do through features such as:

• Workforce 360°: Bridgit Bench simplifies workforce planning with Smart Suggestions to create a short list of team members based on your selected project criteria, People Gantt to monitor project assignments and utilization rates, and a total talent directory to view team member profiles and optimize scheduling.
• Project staffing hub: Copy roles from historical projects back to new ones, create a template for project roles based on build type, size, or venue, and make bulk updates to your project assignments. 
• Advanced forecasting: Use pursuit tracking and scenario tracking to bridge the gap between operations and business development by tracking your project pursuits in your Bench. Add project roles and pencil in your ideal team. Ypu can even run scenarios with your pursuits to forecast potential impact on your team.
• Communications: Use assignment alerts in Bench to keep your team updated on their next projects and job sites. You can also schedule and send alerts in bulk.

As of this post’s writing, Bridget Bench has a rating of 4.6/5 on Capterra with 59 reviews. Here’s what one user had to say:

“Over my career, I have used several tools to manage teams spread across different projects. Bridgit Bench is the best I have used to manage the current and future workload. We plan on being a customer for a long time to come.”

4. When I Work

When I Work is an employee scheduling and time-tracking software that can drastically simplify your workforce management process through features such as: 

• Employee scheduling: When I Work helps employers save up to 15 hours per week scheduling hourly employees. Make use of auto scheduling to create work schedules in one-click, use saved scheduled templates to copy and paste previous weeks’ schedules, and assign tasks using the Task Lists feature to ensure you’re completely covered.
• Time clock: When I Work offers a time clock app with built-in GPS for accurate clocking in and clocking out across devices, even at remote job sites. Turn any device into a mobile time clock and ensure you’re in control of the hours of your crew members even when you’re not on site.
• Team messaging: Turn When I Work into a team communication hub, bringing all of your sensitive and important employee communications into a secure location. Use this app to send updates and keep your crew members and crew teams updated in real-time. Make use of 1-on-1 communication, broadcast messaging, and instant notifications.
• Integrations: When I Work has numerous integrations to ensure you can still use your favorite tools when making use of When I Work for your core workforce management operations. They integrate with Gusto, ADP, Square, Paychex, and more.

As of this post’s writing, When I Work has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Capterra based on 1,130 reviews. Here’s what one user had to say about their experience:

“Clear and easy to use, much better interface than its competitors, easy to review timesheets and organize schedules. The color-coding lets everyone see their own shifts at a glance, and managers can easily spot any gaps in the coverage.”

5. Rippling

Rippling is a workforce management system designed to increase savings, automate busy work, and help make better decisions through the management of payroll, HR, IT, and costs all in one place. It comes with many features to facilitate this, including:

• Performance management: Assign, share, and track goals across your construction company with Rippling. This allows you to track individual goal progress and trends, which can be used in performance reviews.
• Time and attendance: Rippling lets you automate time tracking and payroll, so you can stay compliant with local labor laws and make better staffing decisions in your workforce. Approved hours automatically transfer to the payroll module to reduce chances of human error through manual data entry.
• Scheduling: Create and customize schedules for your employees based on demand, employee certifications, and other metrics. Schedules can be created in line with sales forecasts and labor targets. You can also enforce custom rules based on your company’s specific staffing needs.
• Payroll: Rippling automatically calculates your payroll taxes and files them into the right federal, provincial, and local agencies as needed. You can also compare your pay runs with your previous to note any changes or discrepancies before you approve. You’re able to analyze or edit gross pay, taxes, and deductions with the click of a button.

As of this post’s writing, Rippling has a score of 4.9/5 on Capterra, based on 3,450 reviews. Here’s what user had had to say about their experience:

“Rippling is easy to use and has a great guided implementation which makes onboarding quick. There’s still a great deal of customization and automation, so it’s easy to mold around existing P&P. Support is helpful and quick.”

6. Replicon

Replicon is a unified time-tracking and timesheet software that comes with numerous options to manage your workforce. They have a diverse array of features including:

• Automated timesheets: Replicon uses an AI-powered platform to manage mobile and remote workforces. This includes time tracking for accurate payroll and costing. Replicon can capture time spent across over 100 different apps like Slack, Jira, Asana, Zoom, and more for your review.
• Labor compliance: Replicon comes with a built-in pay rules library within the labor management software, allowing you to consistently apply overtime, meal breaks, and other labor laws to your employees. You can also automate gross pay calculations and even leverage their compliance support to remain up-to-date on labor law changes.
• Crew management: Replicon lets users handle dynamic crew assignments, mass copy and edit timesheets, and allocate crew members in a simple interface. Supervisors and foreman have access to easy time management, and all crew work details update in real-time.
• Mobile workforce management: GPS tracking allows you to track location details associated with time entries for consistent application of business policies. Meanwhile, geofencing informs employees and supervisors on location events based on virtual fences, allowing for hands-off data accuracy and mobile workforce management.

As of this post’s writing, Replicon has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 533 reviews. As one user testimonial states: 

“Replicon has been a valuable tool for my business operations. Its strengths far outweigh its limitations, and I would recommend it to other businesses looking for a reliable time management solution.”

7. Connecteam

Connecteam is an employee time clock app with operations features to make workforce management simple for your employees. Some of their options include:

• Time clock: The Connecteam time clock app lets employees clock in and clock out via the mobile app or on-site kiosk app. All clock-ins can be monitored via their optional digital geofence.
• Scheduling: Connecteam lets you instantly create and share employee schedules with your non-desk teams. Gain full visibility into your employees’ availability, qualifications, and preferences. 
• Chat: Use the built-in work chat app to keep your crew aware of any important information or job updates. Send notifications as needed.
• Forms and checklists: Create, manage, and track workflows with digital forms for your crews. Enforce safety procedures and teach guidelines to make sure job sites are always safe and efficient. 

As of this post’s writing, Connecteam has a rating of 4.7/5 stars with 350 reviews. Here’s what one of the 5-star reviewers had to say:

“Connecteam’s time tracking is amazing! To be able to select from multiple jobs and sub-jobs, add notes, and even add attachments such as mileage, meals, hotels, etc. helps our accounting department invoice for the exact amount of time spent at each client’s facility and gives a large overview of exactly where and what our staff was doing.”

8. Procore

Procore is a construction management software that aims to be the singular solution for construction businesses owners to rely on, from preconstruction to closeout. It accomplishes this through features such as:

• Bid management: Take control of your bidding process with one connected platform to create bids, expand coverage, and award projects seamlessly. Procore lets you identify new partners and expand bid coverage.
• Project management: Procore comes with numerous options for project management, such as mobile collaboration tools that work on the field to capture and manage all project correspondence, or project overview to get a complete overview of any outstanding items.
• Resource planning: Streamline labor planning with cloud-based schedules at your fingertips. Make and fill labor requests at a moment’s notice, share assignment information either individually or company-wide, and send alerts and schedules via automated emails, texts, or in-app notifications.
• Resource tracking: Mitigate risk by capturing, documenting, and tracking out-of-scope work with T&M Tickets. Monitor labor costs in real time, identify at-risk scopes of work, and act fast to make decisions in favor of your project’s budget and profitability.

Procore has 2,755 reviews on Capterra as of this post’s writing, and a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Here’s what one happy user had to say about it:

“My overall experience with Procore has been great. I have used it as a subcontractor needing to bill on AIA documentation to a GC, but I have mostly used it from the general contractor’s perspective. The depth of information and customization is great.”

9. Fieldwire

Fieldwire is an all-in-one job site management software built for construction teams specifically. It comes with options such as:

• Task management: Use real-time communication and push notifications to accelerate decision-making and resolutions. Drop a task on an interactive map and annotate what needs to be done with notes, photos, and videos. Fieldwire also lets you improve productivity in the field by delivering any relevant information right to your crew members’ phones.
• Scheduling: Coordinate your jobsite in real time with Fieldwire. This app allows you to handle project scheduling using Kanban board, Gantt chart, and calendar-based field scheduling, all depending on your managerial style and what your crew responds best to.
• Punch list: Create punch lists to establish a better walkthrough process and assign work directly to the people responsible for getting things done. Fieldwire sets you up to conduct more efficient walkthroughs and inspections for job safety and security. You can also automatically generate PDF reports and share them with the project team, owner, or architect. 
• Inspection: Fieldwire has issue tracking, photos, and checklists. It allows you to set custom inspection checklists, carry out the inspection itself, and effortlessly generate your building inspection report. 

As of this post’s writing, Fieldwire has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars based on 89 reviews. Here’s what one user had to say:

“I use this as an architect as a supplemental tool to create and issue field reports and track deficient work that is discovered over the course of construction. The mobile interface is great and fairly intuitive. The customizable reports that can be issued to my team and the contractor’s team are easy to read and you can input any type of information you can think of. “

Choosing the right workforce management tool for your team

Every one of these tools is solid in their own right, so picking the one that works best for you is going to depend on your individual style, as well as your crew members. That said, this short guide should help you decide:

• If you’re after an all-in-one tool that streamlines everything from time tracking to employee scheduling and even payroll, you can’t go wrong with Buddy Punch.
• If you prefer a data-focused approach to running your business, Bridgit Bench has the analytics and forecasting tools you’d desire.
• If you’d like a diverse tool that was built from the ground up with construction workers in mind, Autodesk Construction Cloud and Fieldwire are both solid picks with plenty of accompanying tools.
• If you like the idea of having AI to assist you, Replicon uses an AI-powered platform to help business owners and managers handle their remote workforces.
• If you want to unite your HR department with your main operations all under one tool, Rippling might be the perfect fit for you.
• Procore is unique with preconstruction tools to also help you manage your company, such as it with its bid management tool.
• If you’re just after a simple tool without too many options to wade through, When I Work or Connecteam might be the best bet for you.

Choosing the best construction workforce management software can be difficult, but understanding the different options on the market makes it easier to see which functions might best serve you. 

Regardless of which option you pick, we recommend going with a tool that is affordable, flexible, and scalable. That way, you and your team members will be able to commit to it for the foreseeable future.