Assessing the performance and productivity of labour in building construction projects through the application of work-based training practices
ISSN: 1471-4175
Article publication date: 5 October 2022
Issue publication date: 13 February 2024
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.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the construction professionals who actively participated in the discussion sessions, workshops and reviews for this study. The authors also acknowledge the labourers, labour trainers and construction management team members who were directly involved in the work-based training components in the selected projects. In addition, the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission of Sri Lanka, Construction Industry Development Authority, University of Peradeniya and Wayamba University of Sri Lanka are also acknowledged for providing valuable support to this study.
Disclosure statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Citation
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, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 558-583. https://doi.org/10.1108/CI-05-2022-0126
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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