Adding More Workers to a Delayed Project Can Make It Worse

When a project is behind schedule, working overtime can be helpful, up to a point. Of course, too much overtime can lead to burnout, and it costs a lot of money. While some people enjoy getting paid extra, others may be salaried and exempt from being paid extra for overtime, so they might resent that.

What usually does not work is adding a lot more people, especially when it’s too late.

Brooks’ Law

“Adding manpower to a late project makes it later.”

Brooks’ Law states: “Adding manpower to a late project makes it later.” He wrote that in the context of software development and acknowledged that it’s an oversimplification.

While construction is a different beast, the general rule is often true. Throwing more people at a problem doesn’t always speed up progress, it can slow things down.

Why?

🚩 Training & Supervision: New workers need time to onboard, and experienced crew members probably have to stop or slow down productive work to train them.

🚩 Coordination Overload: More workers means more communication, scheduling, and logistical challenges. Bottlenecks form when people are waiting and the flow of work is disrupted.

🚩 Site Congestion: Construction sites have physical limits. Overcrowding and “stacking trades” can reduce efficiency and increase safety risks.

🚩 Quality Issues: Rushing work with an unbalanced or unfamiliar team often leads to rework, which adds time instead of saving it.

Are There Exceptions?

Yes, there are some exceptions, but they require strategic execution:


🔹 Pre-Qualified Talent: If the additional workers are already familiar with the project’s methods and quality expectations, they can integrate more quickly.

🔹 Modular or Parallel Work: If tasks can be performed independently (for example, off-site prefabrication), adding labor there can be beneficial.

🔹 Highly Divisible Tasks: Adding more people to a task that can be split into independent parts, like cleaning rooms, can decrease the overall duration (up to the point where additional workers get in each other’s way), but this is not necessarily efficient. And in construction, many tasks are sequential, so more people don’t always equal more progress.

Better Solutions Than Just “More People”

✅ Front-Load Planning: Reduce the risk of delays by thoroughly planning logistics, procurement, sequencing, and workers early on.


✅ Lean Scheduling, Takt & Pull Planning: Identify the constraints and optimize workflows rather than trying to brute-force labor increases.


✅ Cross-Training & Upskilling: A smaller, well-trained workforce can be more effective than a larger, less-skilled one.


✅ Tech & Prefab Integration: Use technology (BIM, scheduling software, visuals for communicating plans with workers, etc.) and prefabrication to reduce on-site complexity.

The Bottom Line

I’ve seen projects where managers panic and ramp up the workforce too late, thinking it will catch up the schedule. To be honest, I’ve even tried it myself. More often than not, it backfires and just costs more time and money.

Instead, focusing early on planning, problem-solving, and efficiency yields better results.

If delays come from poor planning, incorrect sequencing, insufficient materials, or labor shortages, try to identify and resolve those issues ASAP. Then learn from those mistakes and apply those lessons to future projects.

What Do You Think?

Have you encountered Brooks’ Law in your construction career? How do you handle labor shortages and project delays?