Union engagement
Pre-project partnership, on-site liaison, and dispute prevention. We build trust before tensions rise, which is how we helped avoid a three-day strike on a Dublin site.
Construction and engineering HR in Dublin
Construction & Engineering HR, on-site and on time.
Construction sites don’t pause for people problems. So why should your HR team be stuck at a desk? Kearney's HR Solutions supports contractors, civils firms, and engineering leaders with union engagement, shift-based payroll, and project staffing that actually keeps pace with delivery.
From early mediation to competence tracking, we handle the heavy lifting so your managers can focus on plant, programme, and safety. Need an HR partner who can step onto a live site and speak the language?
€200m
Infrastructure ER support delivered on a Dublin project
18%
Idle labour cost reduction through project-based staffing
Practical support for live projects
Hard-hat HR that keeps the programme moving.
What does a construction or engineering team need from HR? Fast decisions, calm negotiations, and systems that work across shifts, sites, and subcontractor layers. Here’s how we keep things clear.
Project-based staffing
Skilled trades and engineering hires aligned to exact programme windows. Need ten people for 14 weeks, not 14 months? We’ll shape the pipeline around that reality.
Shift-based HR management
Rotas, payroll, absence handling, and site communication across early starts and late finishes. Less friction. Better attendance. Cleaner records.
Safety and competence systems
We coordinate verification, renewals, and competence tracking for safety-critical roles, including CSCS cards and training expiry dates. Nothing slips through the cracks.
Union engagement deep dive
Proven union engagement in construction.
A site can’t afford vague promises. We start before mobilisation, map stakeholders, and agree a clear line of communication with management, site leads, and union representatives. Early mediation makes the difference. Why wait for a dispute to become a shutdown?
Pre-project partnership
Set expectations early, define escalation paths, and keep everyone talking when the pressure builds.
On-site liaison
We’re there for shift starts, sensitive meetings, and the awkward conversations that need a steady hand.
Dispute prevention
One timely intervention can save weeks. On one Dublin project, early mediation helped avoid a three-day strike.
“
We needed a team that could walk onto an active site, listen properly, and keep negotiations grounded in the facts. That’s exactly what we got.
— Silvya Borgnolo, Employee Relations Lead
Flexible staffing for complex delivery
Project-based staffing that flexes with your timeline.
When programmes move, staffing has to move with them. We recruit for the duration you actually need, manage shift patterns, and keep payroll aligned with the rules around each trade and subcontract package.
Exact-duration hiring
Hire for phases, enabling works, or the full build. You control scope; we keep the labour model tight.
Craft and engineering talent
From skilled trades to engineers and supervisors, we screen for competence, reliability, and site readiness.
Shift-pattern control
Early, late, nights, and rotating rosters. The pattern matters. So does fairness. We build both into the plan.
CWPS and payroll compliance
Leave the paper trail to us. Accurate payroll, better visibility, fewer surprises. Simple as that.
400+
workers managed across three shifts on the Dublin MetroLink enabling works
0
lost-time incidents linked to HR disputes on that programme
5
collective agreements negotiated without a single day lost
ER professionals who come to you
On-site ER support for people issues that can’t wait.
Disciplinary hearings, shift briefings, grievance meetings, and toolbox talks all happen on the move in this sector. So we travel with you. Need a steady voice on a hectic Tuesday night shift?
24/7 helpline for site managers
Get rapid advice when a decision needs to be made before the next shift starts.
Disciplined process
Fair, consistent, well-documented. That’s the standard. No drama. No loose ends.
Toolbox talks
Disciplinary hearings
Grievance handling
Site briefings
Helpline support
Case study
Dublin MetroLink enabling works — HR partner on a live infrastructure project.
The brief was clear: keep people issues from becoming programme risk. We supported more than 400 workers across three shifts, coordinated union engagement, and helped maintain a calm site culture during demanding delivery windows. Would your current HR setup cope with that pace?
3
shifts managed without losing control of employee relations
18%
reduction in idle labour costs through flexible staffing
1
steady HR partner throughout mobilisation, peak build, and close-out
Construction HR FAQ
Straight answers for busy site teams.
No fluffy replies. Just the questions we hear most often from contractors, engineers, and project directors managing live builds.
Do you handle CSCS cards and safety training?
Yes. We coordinate verification and renewals, track expiry dates, and keep your records tidy. What’s the point of a great hire if their paperwork stalls the start date?
Can you manage craft worker recruitment?
Absolutely. We run the full lifecycle from trade test to placement, with screening that respects competence, reliability, and project fit.
Do you support night shifts and weekend work?
We do. Shift-based HR is part of the package, not an afterthought. We plan for the reality of infrastructure work, which rarely sticks to office hours.
Build a stronger workforce
Ready for a sharper on-site HR setup?
If your project needs union confidence, flexible staffing, or a faster response to employee relations issues, let’s talk. Why wait until a problem starts costing days?