Industrial Action

The percentage of time your crew or equipment is actively deployed on billable work. Low utilisation means idle resources eating into your margins. Subcontractors track this closely to assess profitability and plan workforce levels.

The portion of a project's total budget allocated to labour costs, expressed as a percentage. Subcontractors use it to bid competitively and protect margins. Tracking it against actual labour spend reveals cost overruns early.

The transitional period between peak and slow seasons when project volumes drop and scheduling becomes unpredictable. Subcontractors often face reduced call-outs, crew utilisation gaps, and tighter margins during these windows. Common in oilsands and construction work between summer and winter campaigns.

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.

An 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.

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.

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.

How 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.

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.