Interstate Electric Stops Discovering Labor Gaps Too Late — Now Sees a Full Year Out Across Six States
Workforce Management Solutions there was a disconnect between what we are bidding on work and what we currently had for work and how to unify
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those two pieces of information together so that we can say all right this is what it looks like for our 80% or better projects to infill what we have coming
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for Open Spaces this is where we can't take more opportunity because we don't have the capacity uh so without that
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unification of actual work to planned work or you know potentially planned work it's uh shooting in the dark
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workforce management is really planning the ramp up and the ramp down of labor on a job site to match what's been
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estimated what's been projected by our project managers and not necessarily just match to make sure we're staying on
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track staying on budget without a plan you're shooting in the dark I mean it's it's impeccably
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crucial it's never what you plan right I mean changes happen delays happen that's the biggest concerns we have in the
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industry delays delays is the biggest problem in the industry as a whole right now um and not delays caused by us we
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like to Hope um but that that causes constraints for everybody right because you plan this project to last 18 months
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this many man hours you this many people on site and delays happen and we have other projects that that are infilling because we do a good job of planning to
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our to our Manpower pool and making sure we have that capability and when the delays happen that that impacts
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everybody it tightens up the schedule for everybody um and we need to be able to manage that change and this tool
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allows us to do that I think one of the one of the great parts of the tools that we're currently using and and rivet also
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utilizes is communication right now um you know it's it's nearly impossible for
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my project managers to call every guy on his job site to let him know if he's moving to a different job site I mean to stay in that communication so there's an
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administrator doing that and with the communication aspect of receiving a text of your job location requirements of
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that job that maybe when the administrator forgot or the project manager called you saying hey Joey you're going to job site X starting
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Monday they might have forgot to tell you that that job starts at 600 instead of 7:00 that there's certain uh you need to make sure you got your OSHA 10 card
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with you or you know this and you know we've all dealt with the covid requirements on job sites as well and there was different requirements for
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different job sites and to have that pre-communication through the application that's that's huge I definitely think it helps with
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projections I think with the tool of workforce management uh you know so our project managers do their monthly projections on labor material direct job
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costs that definitely helps have keep them keep a pulse a tighter pulse on their projects than than they probably
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even had before not that they didn't have a tight pulse they have to that's their that's their primary role I think being in the tool on a regular basis and
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and have having to look at the actual data on a regular basis versus hearing from just the people on site I mean uh
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numbers don't lie right right I mean when you're seeing actuals compared to current projected and you're saying wait a minute this this doesn't really look
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right that prompts some questions to your field superintendent that maybe didn't exist before our pre-construction
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team is already working with the forecasting feature and loving it so to be able to have that pre-construction team build the forecasts with where they
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see the project and turn that over to the project manager to massage to his own um plan for the project that's huge
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Interstate has I think uh 14 applications uh integrated in our in our
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to our Erp um and rivet was one of the top two tied for top two tied for number
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one I should say uh as far as working with on the integration piece they had the steps a lot of companies when they're working on the integration with
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your Erp they refer you back to your Erp support uh rivet had a plan in place uh
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the steps to take in your environment and um you know we have a high level of access to our to our own data the way
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our Erp set up and um you know a great familiarization with our with our own database structure so we're able to provide a lot of our own information
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anyway we didn't even involve our our support for our Erp whatsoever with with rivit instructions and our own in-house
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experience uh two weeks we were up and running
THE CHALLENGE
Operating across six New England states, Interstate Electric had no global view of their workforce. Regional offices maintained separate spreadsheets that didn't connect — one tracked projects, another tracked personnel, none shared durations. Building a core team for a new project meant phone calls to superintendents and PMs, piecing together availability one conversation at a time.
After nearly three years with alternative workforce software stuck at just 15% adoption, leadership knew spreadsheets weren't the answer — but neither was software that didn't work.
"Being able to get those two pieces of information into one place, into RIVET, and then having vision to that — like instantly when you're trying to put together your next core team — is an absolute game changer."
OUR SOLUTION
Adopting a single platform like RIVET helped Interstate connect all six regional offices with real-time visibility into labor availability, project assignments, and capacity forecasting. The transformation was immediate: 100% adoption across the project management team. Leadership now uses workforce data to direct pre-construction efforts — targeting new work where labor gaps exist and holding back when capacity is full.
Planning shifted from week-to-week firefighting to proactive 12-month forecasting.
ROADBLOCKS
Implementing a workforce management system at this scale was not a smooth, linear process. In fact, one of the most valuable parts of Interstate’s journey is where things didn’t work—and what they learned from it.
1. The Wrong Software Nearly Killed Adoption
Before finding the right solution, Interstate invested in a labor planning platform that ultimately failed.
- The system produced inaccurate calculations
- It was difficult to use, leading to low engagement
- Adoption stalled at roughly 30% utilization
- Teams quickly lost trust in the data
This created a deeper issue than just inefficiency—it built organizational resistance.
Once a tool fails in construction, it’s not just replaced—it’s remembered. Getting teams to try again required rebuilding confidence from the ground up.
Lesson: The wrong technology doesn’t just slow you down—it can set your entire initiative back years.
2. Cultural Resistance to Change
Construction teams are built on experience, instinct, and field knowledge. Introducing structured systems—especially ones that require discipline—naturally created friction.
- Project Managers were used to owning their labor decisions independently
- Regions operated in silos, each with their own workflows
- Some team members viewed the system as extra work, not value
There was also a mindset shift required:
- From “my crew” → “company-wide workforce”
- From reactive decisions → proactive planning
- From tribal knowledge → documented process
Lesson: This isn’t a software rollout—it’s a behavioral and cultural transformation.
3. Lack of Standardization Was a Hidden Barrier
Before implementation, every region—and often every PM—handled labor differently.
- Different spreadsheets
- Different planning cadences
- Different definitions of “done”
Without standardization, even the best tools produce inconsistent outputs.
The team realized quickly:
- You cannot scale inconsistent processes
- You cannot hold people accountable to undefined expectations
Lesson: If the process isn’t standardized, the data will never be trusted.
4. Data Discipline & Accountability
Even after implementation, maintaining data accuracy required constant reinforcement.
Common issues included:
- Forecasts not being updated
- Projects becoming “stale” in the system
- Mismatches between forecasted vs scheduled labor
To solve this, Interstate introduced:
- Biweekly reviews of over- and under-scheduled projects
- Visibility into stale forecasts
- Direct accountability from leadership
At times, this meant calling out issues in real-time.
Lesson: A system is only as good as the discipline behind it. Without accountability, even great processes fail.
5. Training Was More Intensive Than Expected
Adoption didn’t happen through a single rollout—it required a structured, phased approach.
- Phase 1: Train regional leaders and admins (1.5 months)
- Phase 2: Train project managers (1.5 months)
- Ongoing: Reinforcement and support
This ensured that:
- Leaders became internal champions
- Users understood why, not just how
- The system was seen as mission-critical, not optional
Lesson: Training isn’t an event—it’s a multi-month investment in adoption.
RIVET gave us a single pane of glass across the company. We went from 30% utilization of our labor planning software to 100% almost immediately, because everyone—PMs, admins, regional managers—was trained, accountable, and using the same system. Now we can see exactly where labor is, share resources efficiently, and make operational decisions with confidence.”
NEXT STEPS
With a strong foundation now in place, Interstate is no longer focused on simply fixing workforce challenges—they’re focused on turning workforce management into a long-term competitive advantage.
The next phase is about becoming more predictive and strategic. Instead of reacting to labor needs as projects evolve, the team is working toward anticipating gaps months in advance, aligning hiring with backlog, and using real project data to improve how future work is bid and planned. This shift allows them to move from short-term coordination to forward-looking workforce strategy.
At the same time, they are continuing to strengthen the connection between preconstruction and operations. By aligning what is sold with what can actually be staffed, Interstate is closing a critical gap that often leads to overcommitment and margin erosion. With better feedback loops between the field and estimating, each project now contributes to smarter, more accurate planning moving forward.
As their data becomes more reliable and centralized, it’s also becoming more valuable. Interstate is beginning to use these insights to identify trends in productivity, compare performance across teams, and refine how they approach labor planning across the business. What was once a coordination challenge is now evolving into a driver of better decision-making.
Looking ahead, the focus is also on deepening adoption across the organization—especially in the field. By extending visibility to superintendents and improving real-time communication with crews, they are ensuring that workforce plans are not just accurate, but actionable at every level.
Ultimately, Interstate is redefining how they view labor. It’s no longer just a resource to manage—it’s a strategic lever for growth, profitability, and scalability. With Rivet, they’ve built a system that connects people, process, and data—and they’re now using it to operate more intentionally, plan more confidently, and grow without the chaos that typically comes with scale.
THE CLIENT
Industry: Electrical Contractor | Headquarters: North Billerica, MA | Coverage: 8 offices across all 6 New England states | Trades: Electrical construction | Employees: 750+ professionals
Industry:
Electrical Contractor
Location:
North Billerica, MA (6 New England States)
Size:
750+ professionals
Services:
Electrical construction
FAQs
Find answers to common questions about RIVET’s workforce management solutions and features.
RIVET connects directly with Spectrum, Vista, Viewpoint, Foundation, Sage, COINs, CMIC, and other major construction ERPs through pre-built integrations. We automatically sync job budgets, schedules, and worker data, eliminating double data entry. Most integrations are completed within 1-2 weeks during implementation.
RIVET is designed for construction operations teams, not tech experts. We've helped many superintendents near retirement giving them hours in the day back. Hands-on white glove training with real people ensures your team will always get the support they need.
Most contractors see immediate task-based time savings in scheduling within the first few months. Labor planning impacts and reduction in margin fade from productivity killers takes longer to show up in the numbers, but you will feel the difference.
Most contractors using RIVET have more than 50 field employees performing construction work. We work with some of the largest contractors in the country, planning and scheduling thousands of field personnel. If you're currently managing workforce scheduling with spreadsheets, whiteboards, or phone calls, and have multiple projects running simultaneously, RIVET is for you.
Your data belongs to you. RIVET provides complete data export capabilities in standard formats, and we'll work with you to ensure a smooth transition if you decide to leave.
RIVET was purpose built for electrical and mechanical contractors, and is based on the workforce management best practices of the most successful MEP contractors. RIVET is an active partner with NECA, SMACNA, and construction research organizations like ELECTRI, supporting their standards, SOPs, and best practices in our platform and in our trainings. RIVET is focused exclusively on making labor operations efficient rather than trying to solve every construction problem. While we started by serving MEP, RIVET also has tremendous value for other contracting business' self-performing interior trades on vertical construction projects.
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Construction labor challenges can be greatly reduced with the right software
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