Evaluate project performance by calculating Management Overhead Ratio and Schedule Efficiency to balance supervision costs against progress.
This calculator evaluates two distinct aspects of site performance:
1. Management Overhead Ratio (MOR): Measures the administrative burden relative to direct work.
2. Schedule Efficiency (SE): Measures the overall time adherence of the project.
Example 1:
Example 2:
Construction and industrial projects rely heavily on the delicate balance between "doing the work" and "managing the work." The Site Management Productivity Calculator is a vital tool for project managers, quantity surveyors, and site superintendents to quantify this balance. Unlike simple financial ledgers, this tool analyzes productivity through the lens of time and labor allocation. It answers two critical questions: How much overhead support is required to drive production? And how effectively is the project adhering to its timeline?
The first metric, the Management Overhead Ratio (MOR), calculates the proportion of management support time relative to direct production time. Site management costs are typically fixed expenses tied to duration. Consequently, any project extension results in a direct and costly inflation of the total site overhead. Using the Site Management Productivity Calculator allows you to benchmark your overhead. While a low MOR suggests financial leanness, this must be balanced carefully. Overly aggressive reduction of supervision can degrade direct labor control, leading to a low Labor Productivity Index (LPI) and rework. The functional productivity of site management is ultimately assessed by the resulting efficiency of the direct labor force.
The second metric, Schedule Efficiency (SE), provides a high-level view of project velocity. By comparing the Standard Project Duration ($D_{Std}$) against the Actual Project Duration ($D_{Act}$), the Site Management Productivity Calculator highlights slippage immediately. A highly productive site management team ensures smooth logistics, coordinated material flow, and minimal delays, which results in a high SE score. This confirms that the management function has minimized non-productive waiting and friction for the craftsmen. For further reading on construction project management standards, you can refer to the Project Management Institute (PMI) or general productivity concepts on Wikipedia.
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A "good" MOR varies by industry and project complexity. For complex industrial projects, a ratio of 15-20% might be necessary for quality control. For simple residential construction, 5-10% might be sufficient. The goal is the lowest ratio that maintains safety and quality.
Schedule Efficiency is a leading indicator of profitability. Since management costs are often time-based (fixed per day), a Schedule Efficiency below 1.0 (100%) implies that the project is taking longer than planned, directly increasing the total cost of overhead.
Not necessarily. If the MOR is too low, it means there are too few supervisors per worker. This often leads to lack of direction for the crew, increased idle time, and higher rework costs. The Site Management Productivity Calculator helps you find the sweet spot.
You can use Man-Days or Man-Hours, provided you use the same unit for both Management and Direct Labor inputs. The ratio will remain the same.