Staff Allocation & Mobilisation

The Allocation module in JobNext manages the end-to-end lifecycle of assigning staff to jobs: from raising a manpower demand (mobilisation request), through multi-level approval, to the actual allocation of employees to project sites, and finally demobilisation when the assignment ends. It also integrates with the Camp module for accommodation management.

Allocation Lifecycle Overview

Allocation Dashboard — Jobs Grid

The Allocation page displays a grid of all Jobs in the system. Each row represents a Job/project that staff can be allocated to.

Grid Columns

Click on any Job row to open the Job Allocation Detail page for that job.

Job Allocation Detail

The Job Allocation Detail page shows all allocation-related information for a specific job, organized into tabs and sections.

Tabs

Demobilisations Section

Below the tabs, the Demobilisations section shows all demobilisation records for this job — staff who have been released from their assignment at this job/site.

Mobilisation Request Workflow

A Mobilisation Request is the formal process of requesting manpower for a job. It begins with a budget check and goes through a 4-level approval chain before staff can be allocated.

Step 1: Raise Mobilisation Request

1. Navigate to the Job Allocation Detail page for the target job
2. Go to the Demand tab to verify the manpower budget
3. Create a new mobilisation request specifying:

   Field	Description
   Job	The job/project that needs staff
   Cadre	Staff level required (e.g., Worker, Officer, Staff)
   Designation	Specific role needed (e.g., Mason, Electrician, Engineer)
   Quantity	Number of staff needed
   Required Date	Date by which the staff must be deployed
   Justification	Business reason for the request

4. Submit the request for approval

Step 2: 4-Level Approval Chain

Each mobilisation request must pass through four sequential approval levels. At each level, the approver can either approve (sending it to the next level) or reject (sending it back to the requestor):

Once all four levels approve the request, a Staff Requisition is automatically created and becomes visible in the Requisitions tab of the Job Allocation Detail page and in the HR → Requisition module.

Allocating Staff to a Job

After a mobilisation request is fully approved and a requisition exists, HR can allocate staff to the job.

Match Score

JobNext provides a Match Score system that ranks available employees by how well they fit the requisition requirements. The score considers:

• Cadre match — Does the employee's cadre match the requisition?
• Designation match — Does the employee's designation match the required role?
• Skills match — Does the employee have the required skills/certifications?
• Location proximity — Is the employee currently at a nearby site (reducing mobilisation cost)?
• Availability — Is the employee currently unallocated (on Bench) or nearing end of current assignment?

Allocation Steps

1. Open the Job Allocation Detail page for the target job
2. Go to the Requisitions tab and find the approved requisition
3. The system displays three sub-views:
   • Jobs — Available jobs with open requisitions
   • Outstanding Requisitions — Unfilled positions
   • Unallocated Staff — Bench staff available for assignment, ranked by Match Score
4. Review the Unallocated Staff list, sorted by Match Score (highest first)
5. Select the best-fit employee and click Allocate
6. Set the Effective Date for the allocation
7. If accommodation is needed, a Camp Switch request is automatically triggered (see Camp section below)
8. The allocation is now active — the employee's salary cost will be charged to this job

Manpower Operations (During Assignment)

While an employee is allocated to a job, several operational activities are tracked:

Demobilisation (Ending an Assignment)

When an employee's assignment at a job is complete, they are demobilised (released from the job). Demobilisation can happen in two ways:

Method 1: Direct Demobilisation

1. Open the Job Allocation Detail page
2. In the Allocations tab, find the employee
3. Click the Demobilise action on the employee row
4. Set the End Date for the allocation
5. The employee is returned to Bench (their camp's corporate job)

Method 2: Demobilisation Request

For organizations that require approval before demobilisation:

1. A site manager raises a Demobilisation Request for the employee
2. The request goes through an approval process
3. Once approved, the employee's allocation is ended
4. The employee is returned to Bench

Camp Management

The Camp module (accessible via HR → Camp) manages employee accommodation and is tightly integrated with allocation:

Key Concepts

• Every camp has an associated Corporate Job — this is where bench staff costs are charged
• Bench Staff are employees who are at the camp but not allocated to any operational job
• Deployed Staff are employees allocated from the camp to operational jobs
• Each camp has a Camp Boss who manages day-to-day camp operations

Camp Switch

When an employee is allocated to a job at a different location, they may need to change camps. The Camp Switch process:

1. A Camp Switch request is automatically triggered during allocation (if the new job requires a different camp)
2. The Camp Boss of the destination camp reviews the request (capacity check, room availability)
3. Upon approval, the employee's camp assignment is updated
4. The employee's accommodation is arranged at the new camp

Camp Dashboard

Requisition Tracking

The Requisition module (accessible via HR → Requisition) provides a centralized view of all manpower requisitions:

Requisition Types

Requisition Views

• Unfilled tab — Shows all open requisitions that have not yet been fulfilled (outstanding manpower demand)
• Filled tab — Shows requisitions where staff have been allocated (completed requirements)

Requisition Fields

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: New Project Staffing (Full Mobilisation)

1. Project Manager creates a manpower budget for the job (Demand tab)
2. Raises a Mobilisation Request for required staff (cadre, designation, quantity)
3. Request passes through 4-level approval (Commercial → Operations → Accounting → HR)
4. HR receives the approved Requisition
5. HR opens Unallocated Staff view, reviews Match Scores
6. Selects and allocates best-fit employees to the job
7. If relocation needed, Camp Switch request is triggered
8. Camp Boss approves the switch; employee is mobilised to the new site

Workflow 2: Ad Hoc Staffing (Urgent Need)

1. HR creates an Ad Hoc (ADH) requisition directly in the Requisition module
2. Identifies available Bench Staff in nearby camps
3. Allocates the employee to the job immediately
4. Camp Switch processed if needed

Workflow 3: Project Completion (Demobilisation)

1. As a project winds down, site manager raises Demobilisation Requests for surplus staff
2. After approval, employees are demobilised from the job
3. Employees return to Bench at their camp
4. Bench staff are available for reallocation to other jobs
5. If no reallocation is needed, employees may proceed to Separation

Best Practices

• Always allocate staff before payroll — Ensure every employee is allocated to the correct job before running payroll. Unallocated staff costs are charged to their camp's corporate job.
• Use the Match Score — Let the system's match scoring guide your allocation decisions for better skill-fit and reduced mobilisation costs.
• Keep the Demand tab updated — Accurate manpower budgets help avoid over-staffing and ensure mobilisation requests can be validated.
• Process demobilisations promptly — Delayed demobilisation means salary costs continue to be charged to the wrong job.
• Coordinate with Camp Boss — Always confirm camp capacity before allocating staff that require relocation.
• Review Bench Staff regularly — Idle bench staff represent a cost — review the bench list periodically to identify reallocation opportunities.
• Track requisitions end-to-end — Use the Requisition module's Unfilled/Filled tabs to monitor hiring pipeline and ensure no positions remain unfilled unnecessarily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where does an employee's salary cost go if they are not allocated to any job?

Their salary cost is charged to their camp's Corporate Job. This makes unallocated (bench) staff cost visible at the camp level.

Q: Can an employee be allocated to multiple jobs at the same time?

No. An employee can only have one active allocation at a time. If they split time between jobs, use the Timesheet module to record hours per job.

Q: What happens to attendance when an employee is demobilised mid-month?

Attendance up to the demobilisation date is charged to the original job. After demobilisation, attendance is charged to the camp's corporate job (Bench).

Q: Can I skip the mobilisation request and allocate directly?

Yes, if your organization permits it. Create an Ad Hoc (ADH) requisition directly in the Requisition module, then allocate from there. This bypasses the 4-level approval process.

Q: How do I see all currently unallocated (bench) staff?

Go to HR → Camp, select the relevant camp, and view the Bench Staff list. Alternatively, when allocating from a requisition, the Unallocated Staff tab shows all available bench employees.