How to Improve Workforce Development and Sustainability in Construction

Abstract

Due to the innate characteristics of the construction industry, including the dynamic and cyclical nature of construction operations, employee turnover rates in construction remain high. The high employee turnover rates present substantial challenges to industry stakeholders. In addition, the construction industry faces a significant shortage of skilled laborers across different work classifications. These persistent challenges make it paramount to initiate a systematic process, based on research and feedback from industry experts, to attract and develop a skilled workforce in the construction industry, and then implement strategies to maintain and retain the developed workforce. A systematic process increases workforce sustainability, a measure of the extent to which a workforce is sustainable. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the foundational attributes contributing to workforce sustainability in construction and potential strategies to address each attribute. A review of literature was initially carried out to identify relevant studies on the topic. After identifying relevant studies, qualitative methods involving content and thematic analyses were employed to identify attributes of construction workforce sustainability. Findings from the analysis indicate that there are eight foundational attributes contributing to construction workforce sustainability, namely: nurturing, diversity, equity, health and well-being, connectivity, value, community, and maturity. In response to the recognized list of attributes, the study identified multiple strategies to assess and enhance each of the workforce sustainability attributes. Construction companies can adopt these strategies to develop and sustain a skilled, motivated, and productive workforce.

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