If you’ve ever tried to manage construction payroll or HR with a one-size-fits-all software, you already know the pain: confusing interfaces, endless double entry, and hours wasted chasing missing jobsite data. For general contractors, every project means new crews, new locations, and strict compliance demands. Yet, too many end up struggling with generic HR systems built for desk jobs—not hard hats and muddy boots.
Why does this keep happening? The truth is, most HR software on the market simply isn’t designed for the fast-paced, mobile, and regulation-heavy world of construction. It leaves field and office teams disconnected, makes certified payroll and union reporting a nightmare, and creates risks that can hit your bottom line.
So, what should general contractors look for instead? In this article, we’ll break down exactly why off-the-shelf HR solutions keep failing the construction industry—and what must-have features set true construction HR software apart. If you’re ready to protect your profit, stay compliant, and finally connect your field and office, read on.
Managing people in construction is unlike any other industry. Most HR software is built for static, office-based environments—where employees clock in at the same place, follow simple schedules, and rarely deal with compliance headaches. But for general contractors, the reality is far more complex.
Here’s why construction workforce management is truly unique:
Distributed Teams, Multiple Jobsites:
Your workforce is always on the move—working across several locations, projects, or even states in a single week. Crew rosters and schedules shift constantly, making traditional HR systems a poor fit.
Mobile and Field-Based Employees:
Construction teams don’t sit behind desks. They’re in the field, on ladders, or at remote job trailers—meaning any HR solution must be mobile-first, offline-capable, and easy to use in tough environments.
Complex Payroll and Compliance:
Union rules, prevailing wage rates, multi-state taxation, certified payroll, government contracts—every project may have different requirements. Mistakes can trigger fines, slow down jobs, or even lead to lost contracts.
High Turnover, Seasonal Work, and Training Gaps:
Crews are built and rebuilt for every project. Onboarding, tracking certifications, and monitoring safety training are ongoing challenges, especially when records are stuck in paper files or outdated systems.
Tight Margins and Real-Time Job Costing:
Every labor dollar matters. Project managers and owners need up-to-date visibility into hours worked, cost codes, and crew productivity to keep jobs on budget and profitable.
These challenges make it clear: construction HR isn’t just “HR with a hard hat.” It’s a specialized, high-stakes process that demands industry-specific tools—especially if you want to avoid payroll chaos, compliance risk, and lost profit.
Generic HR software promises efficiency and organization—but for general contractors, these systems almost always miss the mark. Why? Because they’re built for static, office-based workforces, not the mobile, complex reality of construction.
Here’s where generic HR solutions break down:
No Mobile-First Data Capture:
Most office HR tools assume employees clock in at a desktop, not at a jobsite. They lack intuitive mobile apps, offline capability, and the ability for supervisors to approve hours or changes on the fly.
No Integration With Construction ERPs:
Generic HR systems rarely sync seamlessly with leading construction accounting and project management platforms like Sage, Vista, Spectrum, or Foundation. That means double entry, manual imports, and a constant risk of errors.
No Support for Cost Codes or Job Costing:
Construction thrives on detailed cost tracking—hours by job, task, or phase. Generic systems often can’t track labor at this granular level, making true job costing and project profitability reporting nearly impossible.
Limited Compliance Automation:
Certified payroll, prevailing wage, and union rules? Most office HR tools simply can’t handle the complex requirements that construction faces every week. This puts contractors at risk for failed audits, fines, and lost contracts.
Clunky Onboarding for Field and Rotating Crews:
Bringing new workers onto a job is fast-paced and sometimes chaotic. Office HR systems often lack the flexibility to onboard employees from the field, manage rapid crew changes, or keep certifications and training records up to date.
Disjointed Communication Between Field and Office:
When field updates and approvals are trapped in paper or email, the “real” labor data is always out of sync. The result: late payroll, missing hours, and frustrated project teams.
Generic HR software creates more work and more risk for contractors. It slows down payroll, complicates compliance, and keeps field and office teams disconnected, ultimately hurting your bottom line.
Construction companies have been vocal about the pitfalls of using generic HR systems. Here’s what real GCs and payroll teams have shared about their experiences before adopting construction-specific solutions like hh2:
"Manual processes increase compliance risk and lower employee satisfaction."
— Financial Lead (CFO/Controller)
"Inefficient and time-consuming payroll process."
— Payroll Manager
"Coding labor to jobs manually is complicated and risky."
— Payroll Manager
"No field integration: Time data from the field doesn’t sync automatically, creating delays and double entry for back-office teams."
— Sage 300 without hh2 workflow
"39% of contractors are still primarily using spreadsheets, whiteboards and paper-based methods. On average, 20% of workers’ time is spent on low-productivity tasks such as paper documentation."
— Industry Report
"Manual, time-consuming AP processes: Invoices require too much manual coding, routing, and approval, slowing cash flow."
— AP Manager
These are just a few of the common pain points voiced by real construction professionals dealing with the limitations of generic, office-centric HR software. The message is clear: generic solutions often create more work and risk than they solve, especially when it comes to connecting field and office data.
To truly serve general contractors and their teams, HR software needs to be purpose-built for the realities of construction—not just repurposed from an office environment. Here are the essential features that set great construction HR solutions apart:
Mobile Time and Attendance Capture
Crews should be able to log time, submit hours, and approve reports right from the jobsite—using their phones, tablets, or dedicated kiosks. This ensures immediate, accurate entry, even if connectivity is limited.
Real-Time Field-to-Office Sync
Labor data, approvals, and job changes must update instantly for both field supervisors and back-office staff. No more waiting for paperwork to travel, or for someone to re-key data into the system.
Full Support for Job Costing and Cost Codes
Construction HR software should track time by project, phase, or cost code—giving project managers and finance teams the detail they need to monitor budgets, productivity, and profitability.
Certified Payroll, Prevailing Wage, and Union Automation
Your HR system should automatically calculate complex payroll requirements for government and union jobs, including generating certified payroll reports, handling multiple wage rates, and ensuring compliance across states or regions.
Training and Certification Tracking
It’s crucial to monitor which employees have the right safety training or certifications—and to get alerts before anything expires, so only qualified workers are assigned to each project.
Seamless ERP Integration
The software must connect natively with leading construction accounting systems like Sage, Vista, Spectrum, and Foundation. This ensures labor, payroll, and cost data flows automatically, eliminating manual steps and reducing the risk of costly errors.
Role-Based Access and Data Security
Protect sensitive HR and payroll data by ensuring only authorized staff can view or edit records—whether they’re on the jobsite, at HQ, or working remotely.
Comprehensive Audit Trails and Reporting
Every change, approval, and entry should be logged and easily traceable for audits, compliance reviews, or internal analysis.
Construction HR software must be as flexible, fast, and field-ready as your teams—enabling accurate labor tracking, tight compliance, and seamless field-to-office collaboration.
Choosing HR software that’s built for construction isn’t just about convenience—it’s about protecting your profit, reducing risk, and giving your teams the support they need to succeed.
Here’s why industry-specific HR tools matter:
Save Time and Reduce Errors:
With field-ready mobile entry and instant data sync, there’s no more double entry or chasing paper timecards. Your payroll and HR staff spend less time correcting mistakes and more time moving projects forward.
Increase Compliance and Lower Risk:
Automated certified payroll, prevailing wage tracking, and up-to-date compliance alerts mean you’re always ready for audits—no last-minute scrambling or costly surprises.
Boost Field Engagement:
When crews can easily clock in, approve time, and see their hours from the jobsite, they’re more engaged, more accurate, and less frustrated. Simpler processes mean better data from the field.
True Real-Time Labor Visibility:
With real-time insights, project managers can adjust crews, monitor costs, and avoid overruns before they happen. Owners and CFOs get up-to-date, accurate reporting at any moment.
Integration Drives Better Decisions:
When your HR tool works hand-in-hand with your ERP, accounting, and project management systems, you unlock powerful analytics and eliminate information silos.
Industry-specific HR software isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for construction companies that want to stay competitive, compliant, and in control.
For construction companies, switching from generic HR software to a solution built for their world delivers immediate, measurable impact. Here’s how it looks when GCs make the leap to hh2:
“Reduce the time to collect payroll by up to 70% with one place to easily enter, code, and route employee time. Eliminate tedious manual data entry tasks by effortlessly importing employee time into your accounting system.”
“Eliminate manual processes and errors. Reduce risks and errors by eliminating manual data entry and paper-based timesheets.”
“Mobile Entry: Allows field teams to submit and review time entries anywhere, syncing updates instantly with Sage 300.”
“Payroll Compliance: Automates calculations and ensures compliance with labor laws by syncing with Sage 300’s configurations.”
With hh2, the result is fewer payroll delays, dramatic reductions in errors, and the kind of real-time visibility that generic HR platforms simply can’t deliver. The field and office are finally working from the same playbook—every hour, every project, every week.
Choosing the right HR software for your construction business means asking questions that generic solutions simply can’t answer. Here’s a checklist to guide your evaluation:
Key Questions to Ask:
Does it integrate with your ERP or accounting system?
Your HR solution should sync directly with Sage, Vista, Spectrum, Foundation, or your chosen platform—eliminating double entry and keeping job costing accurate.
Can field staff and supervisors use it easily (even on remote jobsites)?
Look for true mobile apps, offline capability, and intuitive interfaces designed for use in tough field conditions.
Does it automate certified payroll, prevailing wage, and union compliance?
Compliance is non-negotiable in construction. Make sure your HR software can generate certified payroll reports, handle multiple wage rates, and adapt to different jurisdictions.
Can it track cost codes, job phases, and certifications?
Detailed labor tracking and training/certification management are critical for project managers and safety teams.
Is it trusted by other general contractors?
Look for testimonials, case studies, and proof of successful implementations in the construction industry.
Construction HR Software Checklist:
Mobile time entry for field and office
Real-time syncing with ERP/accounting
Certified payroll and union compliance
Job costing and cost code tracking
Training and certification alerts
Secure, role-based access
Full audit trail and reporting
Trusted by GCs and subs
Don’t settle for “good enough.” The right HR software will protect your profits, keep you compliant, and save time for both your field and office teams.
When it comes to handling HR and payroll, construction companies can’t risk relying on generic, office-centric solutions. That’s why more GCs turn to hh2—software built from the ground up for the construction industry.
What sets hh2 apart?
Field-First, Built for Construction:
hh2’s mobile app is designed for jobsites, with features tailored to how construction crews actually work. Field teams can clock in, submit hours, and get approvals without ever leaving the site.
Seamless Integration:
hh2 integrates directly with Sage, Vista, Spectrum, Foundation, and other leading ERPs. Payroll and job cost data flow effortlessly, so there’s no double entry or risk of losing information between systems.
Automated Compliance:
Certified payroll, prevailing wage, union reporting, and job-specific requirements are handled automatically, helping contractors avoid costly errors and failed audits.
Trusted by Thousands of Contractors:
“When I think back to the Stone Age, how we did payroll before, and I think about how payroll is now, I can't imagine having to do payroll without having hh2.”
— Lorraine Searcy, ANCHOR 41 CONSTRUCTION
Dedicated Support and Continuous Improvement:
hh2 is trusted by construction professionals nationwide because it listens, adapts, and supports its users—so you’re never left figuring things out alone.
With hh2, GCs finally get an HR and payroll solution that matches the complexity and speed of modern construction—helping teams save time, reduce risk, and stay focused on building.
Generic HR software might promise an easy fix, but for construction companies, it almost always leads to more work, greater risk, and wasted time. The demands of your projects, people, and compliance requirements are simply too complex for office-centric tools.
If you want to protect your margins, avoid costly errors, and finally bring your field and office teams together, it’s time for a solution designed for the way you actually build. hh2’s construction HR software delivers mobile field entry, seamless ERP integration, and compliance automation that generic tools just can’t match.
Ready to ditch generic HR headaches?
Don’t settle for “good enough”—build your future on a platform made for construction.