Who Drives Circularity?—The Role of Construction Company Employees in Achieving High Circular Economy Efficiency

Abstract

The circular economy in the construction industry is still in its infancy. It seems particularly difficult for companies in this sector to make strategic decisions that enable sustainable operations and ensure long-term business success. This article investigates factors such as employee involvement at the operational level that facilitate circular economy practices for companies in the construction industry. For this purpose, we conducted a company survey and analyzed it using a structural equation model. The results show that it is worthwhile for companies to empower their manufacturing employees to take actions independently in order to increase process quality and to reduce setup time, which together lead to better circular economy efficiency.