Crew size calculator
Workers needed is the quantity of work divided by what one worker produces in the days available, rounded up. The labour cost is the workers times a fully loaded monthly cost per worker times the months. It uses a fixed monthly cost, with no hourly wage and no overtime.
On this page
The calculation
Enter the quantity of work in m2, m3, m or number, the productivity of one worker per day in the same unit, and the working days available. Workers needed = ceil(quantity / (productivity x days)). The calculator also shows the worker-days of work, which is quantity divided by productivity, and the days that crew would actually need, so you can see how much slack the rounding adds.
Rounding up matters. A job that needs 6.33 workers cannot be done by 6 in the time allowed, and 7 workers finish a little early. The method is the same one used in crew-size teaching material: divide the quantity by the crew's historical output to get working days, then divide by the schedule window.
Costing with a fully loaded monthly rate
The cost field takes one fully loaded monthly figure per worker in AED, covering salary, housing or camp, visa, medical cover and whatever else you pay for each worker. The calculator divides the days available by the working days per month, which you can edit (26 is the starting value), and multiplies workers x monthly cost x months.
There is deliberately no hourly wage and no overtime in this tool. Under SupaJack Construct payroll workers are paid a fixed salary, and overtime is paid only when a manager approves it. The paid hours per day box is information only and gives output per worker-hour. See the overtime calculator and the labour law guide for the rules on overtime.
Using the answer
Productivity depends on the trade, the site, access, supervision and the weather, and adding workers does not always give a proportional gain because crowding can reduce efficiency. Use your own records of output per worker per day, and treat the result as a starting crew for the plan.
Once the crew is hired, payroll and WPS pays them from approved time, and time and attendance records the hours. The construction payroll guide explains the monthly cycle, and the WPS file checker tests a salary file. Other calculators for staff costs include the gratuity calculator, the annual leave calculator and the unpaid leave calculator. For the project side see projects and tenders.
Worked example
Plastering 1,900 m2 in 25 working days at 12 m2 per worker per day, with a loaded cost of AED 4,500 per worker per month.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Worker-days of work | 1,900 / 12 | 158.33 |
| Output of one worker in the period | 12 x 25 | 300 m2 |
| Workers needed | ceil(1,900 / 300) = ceil(6.33) | 7 |
| Days this crew needs | ceil(1,900 / (12 x 7)) = ceil(22.62) | 23 |
| Months of work | 25 / 26 | 0.9615 |
| Labour cost | 7 x 4,500 x 25 / 26 | AED 30,288.46 |
Worked example
A plastering job of 1,900 m2 in 25 working days at 12 m2 per worker per day needs 1,900 / (12 x 25) = 6.33 workers, so 7. With a fully loaded cost of AED 4,500 per worker per month and 26 working days a month, the crew costs 7 x 4,500 x 25 / 26 = AED 30,288.46. Seven workers need only 23 days, since 1,900 / 84 = 22.62.
Questions people ask
How do I work out the crew size for a job?
Divide the quantity by what one worker produces per day to get worker-days, then divide by the days available and round up.
Why is the number of workers rounded up?
Part of a worker cannot be hired, and rounding down would miss the deadline.
What goes into a fully loaded monthly cost?
Everything you pay for one worker in a month: salary, housing or camp, visa, medical cover and similar costs. You enter one AED figure.
Why is there no hourly rate?
Workers are paid a fixed monthly salary, so the cost is a monthly figure per worker.
Is overtime included?
No. Overtime is paid only when a manager approves it, so it is not assumed in a plan.
What are the working days per month?
The starting value is 26 and you can edit it to match your contracts and calendar.
What is the paid hours per day box for?
Information only. It converts daily output into output per worker-hour.
Where does the productivity figure come from?
From your own records of similar work. The calculator does not supply one.
Does doubling the crew halve the time?
Not always. Crowding, access and supervision can limit the gain, so check the result against the site.
How does this connect to payroll?
The crew you plan is paid through payroll from approved time and leave, with the salary file checked before it goes to the bank.