Demands and resources of workers in the Australian construction industry: Identification and exploration using q methodology

Workers of the Australian construction industry experience demands, such as long working hours, irregular work schedules and geographically isolated work locations. Research has indicated a clear relationship between excessive work demands and work-life conflict, which has negative impacts for workers health and wellbeing. Coupled with work demands, workers also experience demands originating from their family and community domains, which are often driven by life stage and individual preferences of workers. In order to fulfil work, family and community demands, workers often call on resources such as supervisor support, flexibility of work schedule, and childcare. However, it is not clear how workers experience demands and resources, and what configuration is required so that workers can function effectively in multiple roles. Research is underway to: (i) identify the demands and resources relevant to workers of the Australian construction industry; and (ii) identify the demand-resource profiles of different worker groups within a diverse construction workforce. An innovative Q-sort method will be used to explore workers experience of demands and resources, and profiles of different worker groups will be identified. The innovative q-sort methodology using demands and resources unique to an Australian construction workforce is discussed.