Manoharan, K; Dissanayake, P; Pathirana, C; Deegahawature, D and Silva, R (2024) Assessing the performance and productivity of labour in building construction projects through the application of work-based training practices. Construction Innovation, 24(2), pp. 558-583. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
Purpose: Sources highlight that lack of systematic labour training components results in low performance and productivity of labour, which leads the construction industry of many countries to face various challenges. This study aims to quantify the variations in the performance and productivity levels of labour in building construction projects through the applications of effective work-based training components. Design/methodology/approach: A comprehensive literature review and a series of experts’ discussions with action-oriented communication approaches were conducted to develop a set of practices related to labour training, performance assessment and productivity measurements within a framework. The developed practices were applied to around 100 labourers working on nine building construction projects through a construction supervisory training programme. Findings: The study presents the detailed patterns of the significant changes in labour performance and productivity levels. The majority of trained labourers have grown to perform the work process with some relevant theoretical and operational knowledge and skills. The overall results spotlight the significant behavioural changes that can be observed in workforce operations by improving labour performance, which resulted in implementing effective labour-rewarding practices within a framework. Research limitations/implications: Although the study findings were limited to the Sri Lankan context, the proposed practices can be applied to the industry practices of the construction sector of other developing countries and the other developing industries in similar ways/scenarios. Practical implications: The study outcomes contribute to uplifting the work qualities of labourers with life-long learning opportunities and unlocking the potential barriers for expanding the local labour supply while controlling the excessive inclination of the local firms towards foreign labour. This paper describes further implications and future scopes of the study elaborately. Originality/value: The study provides generalised mechanisms and practices that transform the labour characteristics and add new attributes for strengthening the values of construction supervision practices to obtain well-improved work outputs. The study outcomes reinforce the chain relationships among the training elements, labour performance and productivity levels, leading to upgrading current planning and operational management practices, especially adding constructive mechanisms in resource levelling and productivity benchmarking practices.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; labour skills; performance assessments; productivity measurements; supervision practices; work-based training |
| Index terms: | productivity, training practice, labour supply, resource levelling, behavioural change, construction industry, supervision, performance assessment, face, literature review, building construction, programme, upgrading, developing country, construction sector, foreign labour, benchmarking, methodology, management practice, variation, strengthening |
| Subjects: | business, strategic management, learning methods, control systems, psychology, resource management, data analysis and analytics, research methods, management, performance measurement, structural engineering, development economics, labour economics, contractual condition, building construction, assessment methods, project controls, behavioral psychology, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Research Practice, Site Management, Organizational Design, Contract Administration, Time Control, Education, International Construction, Human Resources, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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