The Real Reason Bottlenecks Happen, and How to Fix Them
- Jones Financial Accounts
- Nov 18
- 5 min read
Introduction
In fast-growing construction and engineering businesses, the biggest financial problems often have nothing to do with invoices, cashflow or project overruns.
They come from something far simpler: people sitting in the wrong roles. Whether it’s a site manager trying to run procurement, an office manager forced into bookkeeping, or a supervisor covering commercial tasks, one misaligned role can create bottlenecks, low morale, slow problem-solving, and weak leadership.
In this blog, we break down why role alignment matters, how it affects profitability, and the practical steps SMEs can take to structure their team correctly as they scale.
For related guidance, see:➡️ Why Every Small Business Should Have a Monthly Finance Health Check
When Staff Are in the Wrong Role, Morale Drops and Performance Declines
In construction and engineering, people are the engine. If someone is placed in a role they don’t understand, or don’t enjoy, performance drops instantly. This isn’t a small-business problem; it affects companies at every level. But SMEs feel the pain faster because every employee carries more responsibility.
When staff feel overwhelmed or under-skilled, morale drops. When morale drops, productivity follows. And when productivity drops, deadlines slip, costs rise and quality suffers.
Done Right:
People operate in areas where they are competent, confident and supported. Projects run smoother, issues get raised earlier, and the leadership team receives accurate information.
Done Wrong:
The wrong people performing the wrong tasks:
Miss small problems that later become big commercial issues
Produce inaccurate data (e.g., incorrect CIS, poor cost coding)
Avoid asking for help because they feel judged
This often leads to late invoicing, poor communication, and escalating project costs.
What to Review
Does each employee clearly understand their responsibilities?
Are skilled staff spending time on tasks that don’t match their strengths?
Are junior or admin staff handling tasks requiring technical knowledge (VAT, WIP, procurement, scheduling)?
Are you rewarding staff for performance or simply workload?
Strategy to Fix It
Map out every role and responsibility
Ask staff what they feel comfortable with
Adjust workloads to align with skills
Provide targeted training for technical areas
Introduce regular check-ins to review fit and performance
A well-aligned structure boosts both morale and output.
Real Example
A £1.2m drainage contractor assigned billing to their admin assistant. She didn’t understand retention rules, so every invoice was wrong. Fixing the role alignment increased invoice accuracy from 60% to 99% and improved cashflow by £45,000 in one quarter.
Misconception
“Anyone clever can do any role if you give them time.”No. Skills, experience, and confidence matter, especially in finance-heavy industries.
2. Poor Problem-Solving Comes From Poor Role Placement
Construction and engineering companies run on problem-solving. Whether it’s a delayed supplier, a design change or a margin dip, issues need quick decisions from the right people.
But when employees are misaligned:
Problems sit in inboxes
Decisions get delayed
Site teams waste time waiting
Costs creep without oversight
Done Right:
Problems are solved by people who have the authority, knowledge and confidence to act quickly.
Done Wrong:
Tasks bounce between roles because no one feels responsible.
What to Review
Who is responsible for materials?
Who signs off variations?
Who owns customer communication?
Who handles cost approvals?
If responsibilities overlap, you will have delays, and delays cost money.
For deeper insights into cost control and decision-making, use JFA’s free project costing templates:➡️ https://www.jonesfa.co.uk/resources
Strategy to Fix It
Create a RACI matrix (Responsible / Accountable / Consulted / Informed)
Train staff on decision-making boundaries
Remove “role overlap” where two people partially own a task
Introduce weekly operational reviews (15–20 minutes max)
Real Example
A £3m M&E contractor had procurement and project management shared across two managers. Both assumed the other was ordering parts. A single missed order caused 3 days of downtime. Cost of delay: £7,500. Fix: assign procurement to one individual and create a clear approval workflow.
Misconception
“Teamwork means everyone helps with everything.”Teamwork means clarity, everyone knows their lane.
3. Leadership Weakens When the Wrong People Lead or Influence Key Decisions
When someone is promoted into a role they are not ready for, or retained in a role they have outgrown, leadership becomes inconsistent. Staff get confused, operational problems repeat, and financial decisions become reactive instead of strategic.
In construction, poor leadership is one of the biggest hidden financial costs.
Done Right:
Leaders understand the numbers, know how decisions impact margins, and guide the team with confidence.
Done Wrong:
Leaders guess, avoid decisions, or manage through pressure, not structure.
What to Review
Are your supervisors trained to lead?
Do managers understand margins, prelims and cost movement?
Does leadership rely on gut-feel or data?
Is anyone “too senior to question” even when wrong?
Strategy to Fix It
Provide simple financial training to supervisors (P&L basics, job costing, WIP)
Give leaders weekly dashboards (KPIs, project profitability, labour usage)
Hold monthly 30-minute financial reviews
Remove decision-making from staff who feel overwhelmed
Real Example
A fabrication company promoted their best welder to a workshop manager. He had no management or financial training. Within months, labour overspend increased by £18k due to inefficient scheduling. After leadership training and realigning tasks, productivity rose 15%.
Misconception
“Promote the longest-serving employee.”Experience matters, but capability in leadership matters more.
4. Misplaced Staff Create Bottlenecks That Slow Growth
A bottleneck is a single point in the company where work piles up because the person responsible either doesn’t have time, training or authority.
Typical SME bottlenecks:
One person doing all purchasing
Admin staff doing technical finance tasks
Project managers handling commercial paperwork
Directors signing every small decision
Done Right:
Processes flow smoothly. Staff know exactly who owns what. The business can scale without breaking.
Done Wrong:
Work backs up. Information is late. Staff get frustrated. Cashflow suffers.
What to Review
Who slows down decision-making?
Where are staff constantly waiting for sign-off?
Which tasks repeatedly run late?
Are responsibilities spread evenly?
Strategy to Fix It
Split roles based on strengths (admin vs commercial vs operations)
Reduce director involvement in low-value decisions
Assign clear ownership of each workflow
Use systems and automations to remove admin load
See JFA’s automation-ready templates:➡️ https://www.jonesfa.co.uk/resources
Real Example
A £900k contractor had one office manager doing payroll, invoicing, CIS, supplier queries and job costing. She was overwhelmed. After splitting the role into admin and finance tasks, invoice turnaround improved by 6 days and cashflow stabilised within 8 weeks.
Misconception
“It’s quicker if one person does everything.”Not in a growing business.
Key Takeaways
When staff are misaligned, morale drops and financial performance follows.
Problem-solving improves when people are placed where they have confidence and authority.
Strong leadership comes from capability, not longevity or convenience.
Bottlenecks disappear when roles, responsibilities and strengths are clearly defined.
If your team feels stretched, unclear, or overwhelmed, JFA can help you restructure roles, improve workflows and build a finance function that grows with the business.
Explore our free tools and downloads at www.jonesfa.co.uk/resources
Wrapping up today's insights, tomorrow we simplify another accounting challenge
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