Floater

A jobsite where work is performed by multiple layers of subcontractors rather than direct employees of the site owner. For field service companies, this means accountability, liability, and payment flow through several parties. Subcontractors must track their position in the contracting chain carefully.

The percentage of available hours that crews or equipment are actively billable to a client. A low utilisation rate signals idle resources eating into margins. Subcontractors track this metric to assess workforce efficiency and bid competitiveness.

The percentage of available working hours that crews or equipment are actively billable to a client. A low utilisation rate signals idle resources draining overhead costs. Subcontractors track this metric closely to assess profitability across projects.

The total cost of employing a field worker beyond their base wage, expressed as a percentage. It includes CPP (Canada Pension Plan), EI (Employment Insurance), WCB (Workers' Compensation Board) premiums, and benefits. Subcontractors must factor this rate into crew pricing to avoid underbidding contracts.

A pre-hire assessment used to evaluate how candidates respond to realistic workplace scenarios. Operators and prime contractors use SJTs to screen field workers for safety judgement and decision-making. Subcontractors may encounter these tests when onboarding crews for client-managed worksites.

A U.S.-based industry association representing energy sector employers and workforce development initiatives. For subcontractors, it publishes training standards and competency frameworks used by operators to qualify field crews. Membership can signal credibility when bidding on contracts with major energy clients.

From the Field to the Office: What Oilfield Workers Should Know Before Making the Switch

Thinking about moving from field work to an office role? This guide covers how your field experience translates into technical and operations positions, what the transition actually looks like, and the trade-offs most people do not talk about until it is too late.

How to Promote Field Leaders Without Losing Your Best Hands: Foreman and Supervisor Development for Growing Subcontractors

Promoting your best hand to foreman is one of the most important decisions a subcontractor makes. Get it wrong and you lose two people: a skilled producer and a failed supervisor. This guide covers how to identify the right candidates, make the transition, and build a leadership pipeline that does not gut your field capacity.

How to Hire and Retain Field Workers Without Raising Pay: The Complete Guide

Losing crew to competitors over small pay differences? Struggling to hire in a tight labor market? Here are the recruiting, onboarding, and non-wage retention strategies that actually keep oilfield and construction field workers from walking.