Burning the midnight oil

When I arrive at the site around 4pm, SITE manager Phil Black introduces me to his day foreman Dave Beattie, who gives me a tour of the supermarket under refurbishment. It's still open. As we walk round the store, the clattering of a saw kicks in and shoppers cover their ears. I think Dave is concerned about the noise, but the saw is silenced before he has to speak to the contractor.

They are working to a tight six-week schedule. This includes a complete refit of the tills and shelving units, the bakery and deli being moved, the cold storage area being refitted and a refurbishment of all ceilings and floors. The store café is also being turned into a beer and wine section. Technical systems have to be installed and the painting completed. Phil has a lot on his hands and stress comes with the territory.

"Never let the workers think you haven't got control. Inside you might be churning, but you can never let that show," he says.

Phil has moved up steadily through the ranks of the contractor, Simons Construction. He explains what you need for the job: "Managing a 24-hour site like this does really boil down to experience and common sense. Some managers have had a lot of practical building experience, but you also need people skills."

Phil knows that there are many downsides. "Forget your regular weekends, it's intense. It's a single man's game really." The hours can be difficult and spending long periods of time away from home is not for everyone.

Phil explains that communications between him and the Somerfield store's manager are just as important as his relationship with his own colleagues. Phil meets with the store manager and the refit manager every day. Weekends are by far the busiest times, and Somerfield has to be flexible too, cutting its trading hours so essential work can be completed.

SITE FEVER
Night foreman Dave Welsh, 42, arrives. Friendly and talkative, he speaks openly about all aspects of his job. As we begin chatting, Phil leaves discreetly, saying he has to check on something. The exit is subtle but typical of a team that has mutual respect. I get the impression Phil wants to give Dave the space to speak openly without feeling he has to compromise what he says because of his boss's presence.

Dave feels that the job is about striking a good balance, personally and professionally, and that is not always easy to do. "People have to work around each other,' he says, "It's all well and good trying to be Mr Nice Guy, but we are here to get a job done."

Communication and trust are vital on a job like this, and the potential for delays seems greater. There may not be the right materials or equipment to solve the unexpected, or, come 4am, the best tradesman for the job is likely to be tucked up in bed. But deadlines still have to be met. Dave has first-hand experience of many midnight hold-ups: "The main drain gully burst along the roof two nights ago. Dirty water was leaking on to the shop floor. No builders merchants were open, so we had to fix it ourselves - a temporary fix till the morning - and then make sure Phil and the day foreman knew exactly what went wrong."

SHORT NAPS AND COFFEE GET ME BY

Dave Welsh, night foreman

On call
Phil elaborates: "There's nothing worse than arriving in the morning and being unaware of any problems that have occurred over night. I would prefer to be woken and informed in the middle of the night and deal with any problems then."

Their shifts are 6 to 6, and Dave has to fill in progress sheets at the end of each shift in order to pass on any important information to the next manager. Handovers usually include 45 minutes discussing the current status of the job.

When the painters arrive, Dave goes to meet them and discuss the night's work. He returns and tells us there could be problems. "I think those guys are Croatian - one of them didn't understand a word I said. What if there's a health and safety problem or a change of plan? They could be nodding in agreement, but really telling me to take a hike!" Dave is being lighthearted, but serious too.

Dave also tells us that the amount of unofficial cigarette breaks the guys take adds up. It could be the apparently less formal atmosphere of the nightshift. But it is down to him to make sure these breaks don't get out of hand. He doesn't like to be the bad guy, but later he points out the same painters having a long smoke break out the back. "See what I mean?" he says.

PERSONAL SACRIFICE
Staffing levels can cause real difficulties. Phil and Dave Welsh are both away this weekend, and day manager Dave Beattie is here on his own. His body clock is used to day shifts, so it will put more pressure on him — he will have to remain vigilant, especially with health and safety.

Like Phil, Dave Welsh accepts that he has to make sacrifices in his personal life. He has four kids, is divorced and has recently remarried. He only has limited time (every other weekend) to divide between his kids and partner and he wants this time to be good. This means that although he has been on nights for the last 11 days, he can't really afford to sleep during daylight, even if he needs to. Short naps and lots of coffee are his answer.

The money working with tools is probably better than within management, but despite that, Dave says he still enjoys his job. And he recognises that although he and Dave Beattie must try to improvise and push the job forward, the overall responsibility still rests with Phil. "He works 12 hours a day. The buck stops with him".

Phil was chosen for this job because he's had 24/7 experience before. In some ways, he prefers fast-track retail refurbs because client interaction is more intense and varied.