Introduction
A company or an organization usually is concerned with connecting many operations to meet particular objectives or a number of them. Hence employing many or a number of employees by an organization or organizations would be justifiable considering that each employee would be expected to concentrate on particular jobs and help the company to meet its goals together with other employees who are concentrated in other particular jobs in the same or different departments. Some employees would be expected to plan, organize and manage the company resources not excluding other employees, for the operations to run well. Such employees may have not only the responsibilities linked with mandates to fire, hire or even caution the rest of the workers, but also may need to have other complement requirements such as strong leadership qualities, proper qualities of team-working and team building in addition to foreseeing the future and planning for the same. Lower mandated workers may be present. All these factors combined may be taken as an explanation for the need for an organizational structure in any company.
An organizational structure refers to the careful elaboration of ranks for different workers and employees as pertaining to their assigned mandates, duties, and responsibilities in an organization. A good organizational structure would be required to ease the working together of employees and accomplishing all the objectives of an organization, help to achieve employee specialization to particular duties, in addition to eliminating repeatability of jobs which may lead to time wastage and higher cost of labor. Therefore, a careful look must be taken to build a good organizational structure.
This paper gives an organizational structure for a construction project (multi-million-pound office/commercial building project in London) or company which consists of the rank of employees according to mandate and specialization and accordance of performance of assigned jobs. The paper will also outline the responsibilities that could be assigned to various employees to help to achieve the organizational goals.
A construction company would be expected to involve various activities which would call for the specialization of employees, or at least the division of labor-whether for purposes of professionalism at jobs, to achieve objectives through quicker operations, to achieve efficiency, or for any other reasons. Such a commercial office would require different departments like financial, legal, on-site construction, planning, and drafting, marketing, management and administration, engineering, repair and maintenance. In most cases, the board of directors could perform the role of protecting the shareholders’ investments in a company and they may be required to control the company together with the shareholders (Board Director Role). They are appointed by the shareholders. The managers and administrators would be expected to facilitate and help run the operations of the company by providing the necessary directives, orders, advice, ensure that the right procedures are observed and oversee the construction operations. The financial department would be involved in financial planning and budgeting, other financial needs of the office or organization, auditing, remittance of payments for the equipment, employee’s financial needs, credits and the company’s income and expenditure. The legal department would be expected to handle and advise on the legal requirements of the company as it plans, organizes and run its operations to avoid damages as a result of defiance of law, and help the company achieve compliance of rules and regulations in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The engineering department will be concerned with design analysis and implementation and advising on quality in order that the company will meet the setup standards and avoid complications. Choosing a compromise between the best material quality and the cost through comparison would also be advised by this department.
Organizational structure
The below figure represents the organizational structure for a construction office or company concerned with commercial building projects. The below is a description of the duties and responsibilities of the various employees or workers in the office.
Board of directors
- Appointing any auditing committee, compensation committee or any other body to carry specified duties in the organization.
- Approve the financial statements, encourage or discourage and determine the flow of mergers with other organizations and construction companies or non-construction offices.
- Protecting the company investments and running all the operations of the office.
- Having a final decision as pertains to construction projects and decisions.
Managing director
- Develop a strategic business plan for the construction office and develop the day-to-day plans as the project progresses. Develop a cost-effective means and plan for organizing, planning, using and reusing the company resources during the purchase of construction equipment and tools, on-site work and after construction.
- Develop a motivational plan for all the employees, mentorship and programs to meet the training and retraining needs of new auditors, supervisors, draftsmen and foremen.
Financial officer
- Carry out budgeting, financial planning, coordinate financial activities and advice on the financial needs of the company.
- Prepare the financial books and records and ensure that the appropriate information is availed in time. Prepare the pay role.
- Ensure, coordinate and supervise auditing.
Chief Legal officer
- Investigate, coordinate and advise on legal requirements on construction, projects and employee and other claims and advice as necessary.
- Represent the company on legal matters as may be required and advance all the company claims.
Operations manager
- Supervise all the operations of the organizations as directed by the managing director and report the necessary changes, carry out and implement adjustments.
- Facilitate the teamwork of all the employees in the company to allow excellent and optimal performance in construction operations.
- Ensure working together of the employees and ensure coordinated operations.
Project manager
- Determine, manage and influence the company to support the project which meets the financial needs for the company and advice on the project management in terms of cost-effective issues by comparison of the available possible projects and in consideration of portfolio management.
- Ensure that suitable investments are made in as many projects and availing a channel through which the organization develops to become competitive in the global economy (Wessels).
Technical officer
- Supervise and coordinate the work of the field officer, lab technician and draftsman concerns the demands of each project. Investigate the technical drawings and ensure that they meet the company specifications and advise on necessary adjustments and changes.
- Determine, report, advice on, and supervise the implementation of changes in the drafts and construction project to meet customer and company demands.
- Investigate customer complaints, report and advise the juniors appropriately.
Administration officer
- Supervise and coordinate the administrative needs of the company to meet the company’s objective.
- Direct procurement matters and establish a network for all the offices in the company to quicken the procedures for projects’ documentation needs and design strategies to ensure that the official procedures necessary for project implementation take the shortest time possible.
Field officer
- Supervise and coordinate the work of engineers, supervisors and surveyors to accomplish the project.
- Ensure all the required components and material is availed and utilized appropriately.
- Come up with a detailed protocol, procedures and flow of jobs on the construction site so as no time will be wasted by the operators and the laborers as they carry on their jobs.
Lab technician
- Carry out laboratory tests on all incoming construction material where necessary and output materials were necessary to avoid substandard goods and ensure that the components meet the required standards.
- Advice and report on the laboratory needs, testing equipment, environment and coordinate with the structural and the mechanical engineer.
Office draftsman
- Analyze customer samples and simulate them to models and produce the drawings. Work in collaboration with the customer and the people involved with the implementation of such drawings to achieve optimal customer specifications and quality work.
- Produce technical drawings using the available drawing techniques as required according to customer specifications and ensure that the customer specifications are implemented in the design. Producing and working on rough sketches, and learning design elements (Computer-Aided Drafting Schools).
- Ensure implementation of the design in the actual work, report, advice and implement any changes to the design as required.
Structural engineer
- Determine, analyze and advise on the appropriate construction design, direct on construction procedural implementation while specifying the quality standards and environment. Determine and advise on materials to be used in construction to meet the customer’s needs while ensuring standards and cost-effectiveness of the projects.
- Represent the company in any matters pertaining to construction, complaints resulting from poor quality work, and any other matters concerning the profession. He will also be required to investigate the construction and determine any faulty work or substandard work whether a claim arises or not.
- Advise and supervise the work of the laboratory technician and draftsman and advise where necessary in coordination with the technical officer.
Mechanical engineer
- Determine and advise on the various materials and choices. Supervise construction together with the supervisor and make sure that the set out procedures and specifications are followed as described or directed. Investigate claims and complaints on the quality of equipment and material together with the civil engineer and report to the technical office.
Surveyor
- Determine and advise on the land matters, implications for legal, economical, environmental and other needs as concerns construction and other purposes as will be required by the management.
- Represent the company in external and internal land-ownership matters, help the company raise claims arising from transactions and other reasons.
Supervisor
- Ensure that all the on-site jobs are carried out as instructed and to the required standards. Ensure that the laborers are coordinated well and jobs are completed on time.
- Report any changes, problems, damages and deficiencies and required and missing equipment. Ensure the components required are availed in time and good order.
- Ensure safety for the entire workers and operators at the construction site.
Operators and laborers
- Operate the machines as required and directed.
- Carry out the on-site manual jobs as required and complete them in time and standards as advised.
References
- Computer Aided Drafting Schools: Drafting Courses, Drafting Class, Drafting Design, Draftsman School.
- Board Director Role.
- Wessels Don J. The Strategic Role of Project Management. PM World Today. February 2007. Vol.9.Iss.2.