Building Capacity w/ an Employee Experience, Feat. Chris Pomey

Elevating Capacity and Employee Experience

Lately, I have been reflecting on how much we ask of people in this industry. Construction is demanding, and too often the expectation is that individuals should carry impossible workloads as if that is a badge of honor. I have seen teams stretched so thin that their energy and creativity vanish, and I have been guilty of pushing too hard myself. What I have learned over the years is that capacity is not unlimited, and if we want consistent performance and happy teams, we must focus not only on getting work done but on building the right employee experience around that work.

This reminder came into sharp focus during a recent conversation with my friend Chris. He shared a perspective that struck me deeply. Chris said we often think of employees as people who simply show up and execute tasks, but they are not just task-doers. They are human beings who want to contribute meaningfully, be respected, and have an experience that leaves them better off at the end of the day than when they started. That perspective was powerful because it reframed the way I was looking at capacity. Instead of asking, “How much more can I get out of someone?” The better question is, “How do I design the experience so they can succeed sustainably?”

Chris explained how he once managed a team that was consistently falling behind. On paper, they had enough manpower. But the way the work was being planned and assigned left everyone exhausted. People were scrambling for information, supplies were late, and priorities kept shifting. Morale plummeted. When Chris took a step back, he realized it was not about pushing people harder; it was about creating an environment where they could actually win each day. He began focusing on full planning, aligning resources ahead of time, and making sure people had clarity. The team did not just catch up on production, they started enjoying the process again.

That story resonated with me because I have seen the same pattern play out countless times. Leaders often default to adding more hours or increasing pressure when performance slips, but that only accelerates burnout. True leadership is about creating capacity, not by stretching people thinner but by removing obstacles and designing an experience where they can thrive.

This connects closely with something I believe in deeply: the concept of full kit. Just as a cooking show cannot function without every ingredient and tool prepared ahead of time, a crew cannot succeed if they are constantly searching for missing information or waiting on resources. Full kit is not just about efficiency; it is about respect. When you give people everything they need, you communicate that their time and energy matter. That is a huge part of creating a positive employee experience.

Chris also emphasized the importance of balancing short-term demands with long-term sustainability. It is tempting in construction to celebrate the crew that pulled an all-nighter or the superintendent who carried the project on their shoulders. But those stories are not victories. They are warnings. Every time we rely on heroics, we are eroding the foundation of consistency. Instead of glorifying overwork, we should be celebrating well-planned days, teams that finish on time without stress, and individuals who can go home with energy left for their families.

I find myself asking new questions now. Am I designing schedules that allow for a sustainable pace? Am I measuring success by outcomes alone, or am I paying attention to how my people feel at the end of the week? Am I setting up systems that support, or am I just piling more onto already overloaded shoulders? These questions are uncomfortable at times because they expose areas where I need to improve. But they are necessary if we want to shift this industry into a healthier, more effective future.

Chris’s words reminded me that construction is not just about buildings; it is about people. If we want excellence in the work, we must invest in the human beings doing the work. That means elevating employee experience, respecting capacity, and creating the right environment for success.

Takeaway: True capacity comes not from pushing people harder but from creating an environment where they have the clarity, resources, and respect to thrive.