Material handling installations run on a tight sequence. Installation feeds commissioning. Commissioning feeds testing. Testing feeds go-live.
That sequence is also the risk. A staffing gap in any one phase delays every phase after it, whether you’re standing up a conveyor system in a distribution center, sortation equipment in a warehouse, or baggage handling systems at an airport.
Here’s how that risk plays out, and what a stronger staffing approach looks like across all three phases.
The Critical Path Problem
Picture this: your equipment vendor delivers on schedule, and your systems integrator is ready to start. But your commissioning crew is short by three people. Your go-live date slips two weeks.
That two-week delay almost always costs more than the labor it would have taken to prevent it. You owe extended contractor fees. Revenue you expected at opening gets pushed back. And the relationship with the client or operator running the project takes a hit, since delivery delays are hard to explain away.
This isn’t a hypothetical risk. Workforce and talent shortages rank among the top trends impacting supply chains in 2026, according to the MHI and Deloitte Annual Industry Report. At the same time, more than half of supply chain leaders are increasing their investment in innovation, with the majority planning to spend over $1 million. Companies are automating more, but automation doesn’t remove the need for a skilled workforce to install, commission, and test the systems that run it.
That combination, rising automation investment alongside a persistent labor gap, makes staffing strategy more important at every phase of a project, not less.
The Three Phases and Their Workforce Requirements
Each phase of a material handling installation needs a different kind of worker.
Installation Phase
This is where the physical system goes in. You’ll need:
- General laborers for material handling
- Equipment spotters
- Positioning helpers
- Debris removal support
- Site organization workers
These roles call for physical availability and safety compliance, not specialized credentials. Most operators staff this phase reasonably well, since the need is visible early.
Commissioning Phase
This is where the system comes online. You’ll need:
- Technical helpers who support systems integrators during equipment calibration and testing runs
- Safety monitors for live system activation
- Material handlers for equipment component staging
This phase needs workers who can follow precise instructions in a technically active environment. Some roles may require licensed or factory-trained workers, depending on the equipment.
Testing Phase
This is where you confirm the system works before go-live. You’ll need:
- Documentation support workers who record test results and flag discrepancies
- Equipment operators for functional run-throughs
- QA assistants who verify performance against spec
Accuracy matters most here. A mistake caught in testing is far cheaper than one discovered after go-live.
Where Material Handling Projects Get into Trouble
Most staffing shortfalls don’t happen in installation. They happen in commissioning and testing, the two phases that require the most precision and the least flexibility on timing.
It’s a common and costly assumption that your installation crew can simply shift into commissioning and testing support. Those phases need different skills, and a gap here is harder to recover from. Sourcing labor at the last minute for commissioning or testing means paying a premium for availability, not quality, and often waiting days for workers you needed immediately.
The Case for a Project-Based Labor Solutions Partner
A staffing partner who understands project-based labor solutions plans your workforce across all three phases, not just the first one. HireQuest Direct’s industrial team pre-vets workers with industrial site experience, which cuts onboarding time and keeps safety orientation requirements on track from day one.
That approach lets you scale your workforce up during intensive phases and release workers once each phase wraps, so labor cost stays aligned with what the project actually needs. For more on how labor planning intersects with facility structure and throughput, see our breakdown of how warehouse structure shapes staffing needs.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
A two-week go-live delay on a major distribution center installation can cost six figures in deferred revenue and extended contractor fees. Client relationships are built, or lost, on whether you deliver on time.
Understaffing the final phases of a material handling project is one of the most preventable mistakes an operator can make. The fix is straightforward: plan your labor strategy alongside your equipment plan, not after it.
Ready to staff your next installation? Contact your local HireQuest Direct staffing office to talk through workforce planning for material handling and industrial installations.
