Wired for Work: Field Technology Meets the Skilled Trades

By Howard Aronson, Workify Chief Executive Officer

The construction jobsite is changing fast. From drones that survey acres of earth in minutes to laser scanners that turn messy as-built conditions into precise models, field technology is moving the industry from paper-and-clipboard workflows to connected, data-driven operations. Associated Builders and Contractors’ 5th Annual Field Tech Report makes this shift impossible to ignore — and it creates a real opportunity (and responsibility) for staffing partners like Workify to help contractors get the right people in the right place, with the right tech skills.

What the ABC Field Tech Report is telling us — quick highlights

• “Field technology is redefining how contractors plan, monitor and execute their work while protecting their people and adding value to communities,” says Matt Abeles, ABC’s vice president of construction technology and innovation.

• The report shows the growth and broad adoption of field hardware and cloud systems: more than 80% of contractors now rely on cloud-based solutions to manage progress, productivity, safety and equipment data.

• Research referenced in the report (Dodge Construction Network) warns that poor field–office reporting can bite profit margins — contractors can lose nearly 6% of profit to inefficiencies if data and workflows aren’t integrated. That’s not just a tech problem — it’s a labor & process problem.

  
  

Those findings point to two straightforward facts: field tech is valuable, and it only delivers when the workforce knows how to use it and when data flows are built into everyday workflows.

The most impactful field technologies on jobsites today

The ABC report (and the case studies inside it) highlights several field technologies that are changing day-to-day work:

• Drones & aerial mapping — faster site surveys, progress photos, and safety inspections.

• Laser scanning / robotic total stations — rapid, precise measurements for layout and verification (reducing rework).

• Connected tools & IoT — equipment tracking, predictive maintenance, and usage analytics that extend equipment life and cut downtime.

• Jobsite security & sensors — protecting people and materials, and supplying data for insurance and compliance.

  
  

Each of these technologies generates data — and that data only improves margins, schedules, and safety if the field crew captures it correctly and the office can act on it.

Why skilled trades staffing matters more than ever

Technology changes tools — but people still build. The challenge is two-fold:

1. Skills & adoption: Many tradespeople are expert at their craft but may lack formal training on software-driven workflows, digital layout tools, or drone inspection protocols. The ABC report emphasizes that contractors who invest in connected systems gain an edge — but that investment also requires a workforce that can adopt and execute those systems.

2. Process alignment: Inefficient field reporting costs real money. Even the best software can’t fix poor data capture or inconsistent timekeeping. Contractors need workers who understand both the craft and the data expectations — accurate progress logs, photo protocols, RFID/equipment tagging, and timely safety reporting.

   
   

That’s where staffing partners come in: matching technical competency and cultural fit, and helping contractors scale adoption without sacrificing productivity.

How Workify helps contractors turn field tech into real value

Workify sits at the intersection of skilled trades and talent strategy. Here’s how we make field technology investments pay off faster and more reliably:

• Recruit for tech-ready tradespeople. We screen for candidates who already use digital layout tools, mobile timesheets, or onsite scanning. When those candidates are scarce, we identify transferable skills (mechanical aptitude, experience with industrial tools, familiarity with GPS/layout instruments) and prioritize rapid upskilling pathways.

• Onboarding & competency verification. Before placing workers on tech-enabled sites, we provide short, role-specific onboarding checklists (photo capture standards, app login + data sync tests, safety sensor protocols) and validate competency so field measurements and reports meet contractor expectations from day one.

• Training partnerships. We coordinate targeted training (drone basics, mobile safety apps, digital layout workflows) with subcontractors or manufacturers so crews aren’t learning on the critical path. Training reduces rework and improves the data contractors need to run the job.

• Flexible resourcing for tech-enabled tasks. As projects adopt temporary tech-heavy phases (scan-and-layout, commissioning, drone-based inspection), Workify supplies short-term specialists — laser scanning techs, BIM-to-field layout operators, or commissioning electricians — allowing contractors to scale without long-term hiring risk.

• Feedback loops to improve workflows. Our field supervisors and quality teams capture common failure points (missed photos, inconsistent naming conventions, late logs) and feed them back to project managers so the process — not just the people — improves over time.

  
  

A small example — the numbers matter

ABC and Dodge highlight hard-dollar impacts from poor field–office integration. If a contractor is losing ~6% of profit to field inefficiencies, even a 1–2 percentage point improvement through better data capture and the right staffing mix can translate to substantial dollars on a multi-million-dollar project. That makes staffing and training investments high-ROI, not just “nice-to-have.”

Actionable steps contractors can take this quarter

1. Audit field workflows. Map how photos, progress, safety, and equipment data travel from the crew to the PM and estimate where delays or errors occur.

2. Define tech-enabled job profiles. Create hiring profiles that list both trade skills and essential digital competencies (e.g., “Journeyman electrician — able to perform digital layout verification and upload commissioning photos to cloud portal”).

3. Pilot with staffing support. Run a 30–60 day pilot on one package (layout, commissioning, or site surveying) using a blended crew of existing staff + Workify-supplied tech-savvy tradespeople. Track time-to-close, rework, and data timeliness.

4. Train and scale. Use pilot results to design short training modules and update job descriptions; then scale the model across projects.

5. Measure margin impact. Tie improvements back to profit margin and schedule metrics to quantify ROI.

   
   

Final thought: Technology is an amplifier

Field tech won’t replace tradespeople. Instead, it amplifies the best crews and exposes gaps where processes or skills are weak. ABC’s 5th Annual Field Tech Report makes that clear: companies that invest in connected systems and the people who operate them will be better positioned for safety, stronger margins and long-term competitiveness.

At Workify, we’re not just filling headcount — we’re helping construction firms turn field technology into measurable outcomes by delivering skilled tradespeople who can operate in a digital-first jobsite. If your projects are adopting drones, scanners, connected tools or cloud jobsite platforms and you need a staffing partner who understands how people and tech intersect, let’s talk. We’ll help you staff, train, and scale so your tech investment delivers the margins and safety improvements you expect.