Focus on Lumberer for the first 24 hours of gameplay. Wood is the universal currency. Once you have a stockpile of 100 Logs, switch to Scavenger to find rare items (Hammer, Nails, Blueprints).
While focused on story, the "work" aspect requires balancing company assets and emotional decisions to ensure the business doesn't fail. Progression Tips for Efficiency
Building in ZIsland is a "continuous work" action. Once you place the blueprint: