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Workforce Glossary Term

Horizontal Joint Employment

Occurs 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.

Related Terms

Workforce Accommodation

Workforce

Temporary housing arranged for field crews working at remote or industrial sites, such as labour camps or modular lodges. For subcontractors, accommodation costs may be billed separately or bundled into contract rates. Confirming who is responsible for these costs before mobilisation prevents disputes.

Fly-In/fly-Out (fifo)

Workforce

A rotation model where workers are flown to remote job sites for a set number of days, then returned home. Subcontractors must account for mobilisation costs and crew availability when bidding FIFO contracts. Rotation schedules vary widely, such as 14 days on and 14 days off.

Energy Workforce & Technology Council (ewtc)

Workforce

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.

Field-to-Office Ratio

Workforce

The number of field workers supported by each administrative/office employee. A ratio of 10:1 is common for paper-based operations; digitized operations often achieve 30:1 to 40:1.

Wrench Time

Workforce

The percentage of a technician's shift spent on hands-on productive work versus travel, waiting, or admin tasks. For subcontractors, low wrench time means billing inefficiencies and reduced daily output. Clients often track it to evaluate crew productivity on site.

Job Openings Rate

Workforce

The percentage of unfilled positions relative to total jobs in a sector at a given time. For subcontractors, a high rate signals strong demand for field crews and leverage in rate negotiations. It helps forecast labour shortages before mobilising for large campaigns.

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