DeMaria navigated a global pandemic with the right technology

The Challenge

DeMaria Building Company, a general contracting firm based in Novi, Michigan, is used to making the changes needed to stay ahead—they have for over 50 years. When COVID-19 hit, everything changed. Suddenly, 46 out of 53 active jobs were put on hold and there was no way to accurately inform all employees and stakeholders about what might happen next.

The Solution

DeMaria had been looking into implementing Procore Workforce Planning prior to the global pandemic, and they needed the platform now more than ever. The team took the plunge. With quick training and ease of set up, DeMaria’s teams were onboarded and ready to navigate the pandemic with the confidence of accurate information.

The Results

• DeMaria can plan ahead with confidence, avoiding the guessing game about future projects
• Team analytics make it easy to accurately forecast and plan for future needs
• Key project and personnel data is accessible to the right people at any time, breaking down information silos

The Story

DeMaria Building Company is a general contracting firm that has been in business for over half a century in Novi, Michigan. They provide construction management, design-build, general contracting and pre-construction services across the nation. Prior to the pandemic, they were looking into improving their workforce management practices.

DeMaria and their clients had to put the majority of their active jobs on hold. They needed to determine next steps and get a holistic view of current job statuses, what projects might continue, and what was coming down the road so they could update their workforce and plan accordingly.

For DeMaria, it went beyond continuing their jobs. They wanted their people to feel informed and taken care of.

“Before COVID hit, we had 53 active projects. Then all but one shut down,” Tassel remembers. “During that time, with Workforce Planning, we were still able to inform our staff what was happening in an even more informed way when it came to those halted projects, and ultimately, plan better.”

Before COVID-19, DeMaria was already familiar with Workforce Planning. Once the global pandemic shocked the world, their leadership team instantly knew they needed a digital workforce management tool and turned to Workforce Planning to help them continue working through unprecedented times.

Simplified Platform Training & Integration

DeMaria immediately contacted Workforce Planning to help. The cloud-based workforce management platform was implemented and integrated with their existing systems within one week.

Training DeMaria’s leadership team on how to navigate and use the platform was almost instantaneous. They were able to plug in the information they needed to digitally customize Workforce Planning, help their company, and get their workforce back up and moving.

“I didn’t need any training,” Tassell says.‍ “Workforce Planning walked me through a 15-minute overview and I dove right in. It is a super intuitive platform.”

Workforce Management Supports Valued, Long-Term Employees

After several months of utilizing Workforce Planning, DeMaria started to see the possibilities not only within the platform, but throughout their own organization by utilizing Workforce Planning’s full potential. For DeMaria, that means reviewing previous jobs, current work and future bids to not only help them plan construction management, but also their employee's future.

“Our staff can go in, look at the projects they’re assigned to now, what they need to work on, what they need to start planning for, the location of the job,” Tassell is happy to report. “And they can do this months out rather than the day they get in.”With an average employee retention rate of 16 years, taking care of their workforce is top of mind and with Workforce Planning, they were able to do that during a global pandemic and beyond.