A virtual boundary set around a job site that triggers automatic alerts when workers or equipment enter or leave. Subcontractors use it to verify on-site attendance, automate timekeeping, and support accurate billing. It also helps clients confirm crew deployment without manual check-ins.
Geofencing
Related Terms
Loaded Wage Rate
WorkforceAn employee's base hourly wage plus all associated costs the employer bears, such as payroll taxes, benefits, and insurance. Subcontractors use this figure to accurately price labour when bidding jobs or building crew budgets. Billing clients only the base wage without loading costs is a common cause of margin loss.
Horizontal Joint Employment
WorkforceOccurs when two unrelated companies — such as a labour agency and a subcontractor — are considered co-employers of the same worker. Both parties may share legal responsibility for wages, overtime, and labour standards compliance. Field service firms must understand this to avoid unexpected liability for workers hired through third-party staffing arrangements.
Circadian Science
WorkforceThe study of how the body's internal clock affects alertness, performance, and safety during shift work. Subcontractors use it to design smarter rotation schedules that reduce fatigue-related incidents. Regulators increasingly reference circadian principles in hours-of-service and fatigue management requirements.
Colocation
WorkforceWhen a subcontractor embeds personnel or equipment at a client's site for an extended engagement. This reduces mobilisation costs and improves response time for ongoing work. It is common on large construction or production sites requiring continuous support.
Churn
WorkforceThe rate at which workers leave and must be replaced within a field crew or subcontractor roster. High churn drives up recruiting and onboarding costs, disrupts project continuity, and strains client relationships.
Spare Capacity
WorkforceThe portion of a subcontractor's available workforce, equipment, or service hours that is not currently committed to active contracts, representing untapped revenue potential that can be offered to clients on short notice or used to absorb surge demand without turning down work.
Latest Workforce News
Collège Boréal Launches Mining and Civil Tech Program to Fill Northern Ontario Labour Gap
Collège Boréal's new two-year Construction Engineering Technician program in Timmins targets more than 3,700 mining-related job openings projected for the region by 2029.
2 days ago WorkforceCanada's Building Trades Unions Launches 41-Point Indigenous Workforce Plan
Canada's Building Trades Unions has released a new Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan with 41 commitments targeting workforce participation, training, and economic partnership across the trades.
3 days ago WorkforceAI Tools Are Becoming the New Apprentice, Capturing Retiring Workers' Knowledge Before It Walks Out the Door
Construction Executive argues the industry faces a "knowledge cliff" as veteran workers retire, and AI-powered tools embedded in equipment and training systems could be the practical solution field service companies need.
4 days ago WorkforceHouston Construction Starts Forecast to Rise 6% in 2026 as Population and Big Tech Drive Demand
Houston added more construction jobs than any other US metro area in the past year, and total construction starts are forecast to climb 6% in 2026. Here's what subcontractors operating in the region need to watch.
4 days agoRelated Guides
When Your Crew's Behaviour Becomes a Business Problem: Managing Field Conduct on Active Subcontracts
What subcontractors are liable for when field personnel create conflict on a GC-managed site, and how to protect your contracts before it becomes a termination issue.
Workforce GuideHow to Get Your First Oilfield Job: A Practical Guide for Tradespeople and CDL Holders
No oilfield experience? No problem. Learn which certifications, service lines, and job boards actually get tradespeople and CDL holders hired.
Workforce GuideFrom 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.
Stay sharp on field operations
Industry news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe to FieldNews