Utilization Rate

A skilled tradesperson or technician not assigned to a fixed crew or project, deployed where needed on short notice. Subcontractors often bill floaters at a premium rate due to their flexibility and quick availability.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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