Rodriguez, F S; Spilski, J; Hekele, F; Beese, N O and Lachmann, T (2020) Physical and cognitive demands of work in building construction. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 27(3), pp. 745-764. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Investigating demands within an occupational context has always been an essential endeavor to guarantee worker well-being and performance efficiency. In blue-collar occupations, the physical demands of manual labor have always been the major focus, but recent technological changes may come with higher demands on the intellectual capacities of workers. For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to assess physical and cognitive demands that construction workers face. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a quantitative study using standardized research instruments. Construction workers of three German construction companies were asked to volunteer to participate in interviews (n=35) and a survey (n=30) that assessed the extent of physical demands and a variety of cognitive demands experienced by construction workers. Findings: The results suggest that construction work is demanding in physical terms as well as in perceptual, psychomotor, social and cognitive terms. Using and updating specialized knowledge, giving advice and providing consultation, friendliness, assertiveness and reliability are important demands among construction workers. Research limitations/implications: Construction workers face an undervalued level of demands in their everyday work environment. As high demands can affect well-being and mental health, construction companies would greatly benefit from investing efforts into evaluating the multi-component demands profile of their workers and the impact on their health, in particular through the strongly increasing cognitive demands due to the ongoing digitization of the sector. Originality/value: The study identified essential demands in construction work that are relevant for the workers' productivity and well-being.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cognitive demands; cognitive ergonomics; construction; construction work; interview; job analysis; management; occupational health; physical demands; questionnaire survey; risk management |
| Index terms: | questionnaire, well-being, ergonomics, methodology, occupational health, survey, construction company, job analysis, volunteer, face, occupation, building construction, guarantee, interview, mental health, construction worker, risk management, work environment, construction work, technological change, productivity, efficiency |
| Subjects: | psychology, operations management, data collection methods, workforce, risk assessment, mental health and wellbeing, organization, innovation studies, practitioner, occupational health and safety management, building construction, health conditions and diseases, sociology, management, contract structure, research methods, performance management |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Project Management, Business Strategy, Health and Safety, Procurement, Construction Technology, Risk Management, Roles and Professions, Quality Management, Human Resources, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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