Wolters, R S and Burleson, R C (1996) Merit shop recruitment and selection practices in Alabama. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 122(2), pp. 152-157. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Despite the fact that the majority of construction workers today are hired by merit shop (nonunion) contractors, little prior research is available on the recruitment and selection practices of such employers. This paper examines the recruitment and selection of skilled and common labor based on mail survey responses from 44 Alabama merit shop (nonunion) contractors. Both the frequency of use and perceived effectiveness of different recruitment sources and selection methods were examined. Sixty-five percent of contractors surveyed did not have a formal written policy covering recruitment and selection procedures. Few firms (<7%) included a specific estimate of recruitment and selection costs as part of project bid proposals. Internal sources (e.g., current employee referral or previous hires) were primarily used to recruit both skilled and common labor. Contractors used an average of seven different sources to recruit skilled labor and six different sources to recruit common labor (e.g., referral from a current employee, previous hires, walk-in applicants). On average, contractors used five different methods to select skilled labor and four different methods to select common labor applicants (e.g., job interview, reference check, written application, drug test). None of the recruitment sources or selection methods used were rated by contractors, on average, as either excellent or very good. Contractors frequently encountered problems recruiting common labor including an insufficient labor supply; inadequate math, technical, and oral or written communication skills; and a poor work ethic or motivation level. Fifty percent of contractors also experienced an inadequate supply of skilled labor. General contractors required significantly fewer days than specialty contractors to hire skilled labor (20 versus 52 days, respectively). General and specialty contractors required, on average, six days to fill a common labor position. These results and recommendations for construction human-resource management practice are discussed in this paper.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | construction worker, estimate, communication skill, recruitment, resource management, effectiveness, labour supply, specialty contractor, referral, selection method, general contractor, motivation, survey, interview, skilled labour, proposal |
| Subjects: | performance management, tendering, management, professional development, labour economics, psychology, financial and cost management, project planning, professional practice, data collection methods, practitioner, control systems |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Procurement, Cost Management, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Project Management, Research Practice, Organizational Design, Human Resources, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here