Ecatenate Builds a Custom HR System for McLaughlin & Harvey
In a construction business, HR data answers operational questions. Who holds the certification this task requires. Who is available next month. Who still needs their refresher training before they can go on site. When that information lives across spreadsheets, inboxes and filing systems, every one of those questions costs somebody an afternoon.
Ecatenate has delivered a custom HR web application for McLaughlin & Harvey, consolidating the entire employee lifecycle into a single centralised system.
A single employee record
At its core is a complete employee record holding personal, contractual and job-related information. Every change is tracked through a structured internal workflow and routed via automated approvals, so the record carries not only its current state but the history of how it got there — and who signed it off.
That history matters as much as the data. When a contractual detail is questioned months later, the answer is in the system rather than in somebody’s recollection.
Self-service for a dispersed workforce
Employees submit time-off requests, log expenses and complete timesheets directly, with managers and HR reviewing and validating submissions in the same place.
Self-service earns its keep in construction more than most sectors. A workforce spread across project sites, much of it away from a desk, is exactly the case where routing everything through a central HR team creates delay — and where giving people direct access removes it.
Training and performance
Training programmes are recorded, assigned and tracked, covering both mandatory requirements and skill-based development. In a safety-conscious construction environment this is the difference between believing the workforce is qualified and being able to demonstrate it, on request, for any individual.
Performance Development Reviews (PDR) are managed end to end, with goals, appraisals and records held together rather than scattered across review cycles.
Onboarding and documents
Secure PDF documents are assigned to employees, and custom forms streamline the collection of new-starter information — useful in a business that mobilises people onto new projects regularly, where onboarding arrives in waves rather than one hire at a time.
Why it matters
- Answers on demand — qualifications, availability and records are queried, not assembled
- Accountability by design — approval workflows and full change history on every record
- Time returned to HR — self-service removes the administrative middle step
- Evidence for compliance — training and certification status is demonstrable per employee
- A modern experience — for the HR team and for the 850 people using it
About McLaughlin & Harvey
Founded in 1853, McLaughlin & Harvey is a privately owned construction and civil engineering company employing over 850 people and delivering projects across the UK and Ireland, with a focus on long-term partnerships, sustainable delivery and supporting local communities.
Technology
ASP.NET Core · JavaScript · SQL Server · Azure · Aspose
