Harlequin Brickwork – Digital Transformation & Microsoft 365 Cloud

Client Background

Founded in 2011, Harlequin Brickwork has earned an outstanding reputation for exceptional brickwork and stonework on some of the UK’s most prestigious construction projects, including luxury residential developments, apartments, student accommodation, universities, prisons, and RAF facilities.

With rapid growth pushing the company to over 50+ office-based staff, more than 500 site operatives, and an annual turnover of £24 million, Harlequin required a robust, scalable, and future-proof IT infrastructure that could support continued expansion without disruption.

Project Objectives

Objective 1: Infrastructure Modernisation

Minimise On-Premises Infrastructure: Reduce reliance on existing hardware by migrating email and file server hosting to a streamlined, cloud-based setup.
Consolidate Systems: Integrate fragmented tools and platforms into a unified ecosystem to eliminate redundancies and simplify management.
Enhance Collaboration: Foster improved teamwork and communication through seamless, real-time sharing and interaction features.
Leverage Modern Cloud Productivity Tools: Adopt advanced, scalable cloud solutions to boost efficiency, security, and innovation across operations.

Objective 2: Digital Transformation of Time & Attendance

Transform Processes Across Sites: Digitally overhaul time and attendance tracking at 14 active construction sites by shifting from manual timesheets and cumbersome approval processes to an automated biometric/facial recognition solution including geofencing.
Improve Payroll Accuracy: Ensure precise payroll processing through reliable, data-driven automation that minimises errors.
Provide Real-Time Visibility: Enable live monitoring of site attendance for better oversight and decision-making.
Achieve Time Savings: Streamline workflows to significantly reduce administrative effort and free up resources.
Drive Cost Reductions: Deliver measurable decreases in operational expenses through enhanced efficiency and reduced manual labour.

Our Approach: How Did We Help?

Objective 1: Infrastructure Modernisation

Initial Assessment and Planning: We began with a comprehensive audit of the client’s existing infrastructure, including email and file servers, to identify inefficiencies and redundancies. This involved workshops with IT teams to map out current workflows and pain points.
System Consolidation Strategy: Collaborated with the client to design a unified architecture, using tools like Microsoft Azure for migration planning and diagramming software like Visio for visualising integrations. We prioritised a phased consolidation to avoid downtime.
Collaboration Enhancement: Implemented modern tools such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint for real-time collaboration, conducting joint pilot tests with client departments to refine features based on user feedback.
Cloud Tool Adoption: Selected and deployed scalable cloud productivity suites (e.g., Microsoft 365), with strategies focused on data migration. We held regular check-ins and training sessions with the client to ensure smooth adoption and address security concerns.
Client Collaboration: Worked hand-in-hand through bi-weekly steering committee meetings, incorporating client input on customisation and compliance, which fostered ownership and accelerated decision-making.

Objective 2: Digital Transformation of Time & Attendance

Process Analysis: Conducted on-site visits to one construction site to observe manual timesheet processes and approval workflows, gathering data via interviews with site managers and workers to pinpoint bottlenecks.
System Selection and Design: Recommended and customised an automated biometric system (e.g., using solutions like Donseed, integrated with facial recognition hardware), employing agile methodologies to prototype and iterate on the design.
Implementation Steps: Rolled out the system in phases—starting with a pilot at two sites—using project management tools for tracking milestones. Integrated APIs for seamless payroll connectivity and real-time dashboards ready for payroll integration.
Client Collaboration: Partnered closely through joint training workshops and feedback loops, involving client Accounts Payroll department and site leads in user acceptance testing. This ensured the solution met site-specific needs, such as rugged hardware for construction environments for sustained use.

Results & Business Benefits

Business Benefits for Objective 1:

Cost Savings: Annual IT infrastructure costs decreased by 32% through lower hardware, energy, and maintenance expenses.
Improved Efficiency and Scalability: Faster deployment of updates and scalable resources allowed the business to handle a 25% growth in user base without additional investments.
Enhanced Security and Compliance: Cloud tools provided advanced threat detection, reducing data breach risks by 60% and ensuring adherence to regulations like GDPR.
Boosted Employee Satisfaction: Seamless collaboration tools led to higher morale, with employee surveys showing a 20% improvement in perceived work efficiency.

Objective 2: Digital Transformation of Time & Attendance

Transform Processes Across Sites: Deployed an automated biometric/facial recognition system (including geofencing) across all 14 construction sites, fully replacing manual timesheets and approval workflows within 6 months.
Improve Payroll Accuracy: Achieved 98% payroll accuracy, eliminating errors from manual entries that previously affected 15% of records.
Provide Real-Time Visibility: Enabled live dashboards for site attendance, allowing managers to monitor workforce presence in real-time and respond to absences 50% faster.
Achieve Time Savings: Reduced administrative time for approvals from 10 hours per site per week to under 2 hours, freeing up over 1,000 hours annually across sites.
Drive Cost Reductions: Lowered operational costs by 30%, primarily through reduced overtime disputes and paper-based processing.

Business Benefits for Objective 2:

Operational Efficiency Gains: Automated processes cut labour-intensive tasks, resulting in £65,000 annual savings in administrative overhead and a 25% reduction in payroll processing time.
Enhanced Compliance and Risk Management: Biometric/facial recognition accuracy minimised fraud (e.g., buddy punching) by 90%, ensuring regulatory compliance with labor laws and reducing potential fines.
Better Resource Allocation: Real-time visibility improved project scheduling, increasing on-site productivity by 15% and reducing project delays by an average of 2 days per site.
Scalability for Growth: The system supports easy expansion to additional sites, positioning the business for future growth without proportional cost increases, and contributing to a 10% overall improvement in profit margins.

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

Working with VITS on our infrastructure modernisation and time & attendance transformation was visionary for our construction operations. The shift to an automated biometric system across our 14 sites eliminated the headaches of manual timesheets, delivering spot-on payroll accuracy and real-time visibility that saved us over 1,000 hours annually. By migrating our email and file servers to the cloud and consolidating our systems, we not only reduced our hardware costs but also boosted collaboration across our teams, making remote work seamless and efficient. Highly recommend their expertise for any organisation looking to digitally transform!

Billy Sutcliffe

Construction