I am raising an issue from the brick and mortar industry, seeking input from the group.

I belong to a mid size manufacturing company. We are revisiting the hardship allowance / benefit we give to our site engineers.

These site engineers are responsible for the execution, erection and commissioning of projects. These projects are for industrial establishment which are located outside the city limit and require extended stay of 3 - 6 months. Due to business exigency, many a times the engineers are required to put in more than 12 hours a day to ensure successful implementation.

I seek input from the group to compensate these untiring efforts by monetary / benefit mechanism. Do let me know your valued advise.

Hi Jayde,

Employees in underground mines, off-shore oil rigs and hazardous industries (blast furnaces, metallurgical plants, chemicals etc) are exposed to hardship as well as hazard. They get certain allowances as percentage of their basic pay.

For example, for employees working in underground mines, underground allowance is given based on actual number of days he worked underground, per diem basis.

Off shore oil rig employees also have extra salary (percentage of basic pay)to compensate the actual number of days spent on the rig. This can be obtained from HR executives in ONGC etc.,

Since yours is a construction site, you can design the incentives in certain ways:

1. per centage of basic pay x number of days spent at the site
2. Incentive for the work performed at the site
3. per centage + additional incentive
4. Lump sum per month.

Since I dont know whether you are from India or elsewhere and the city your firm is located.

With regards

Prof Tandon