Evaluation of Labor Positioning Factors Influencing Construction Manpower Allocation

Abstract

The emerging challenges and task demands in construction projects require manpower having the multi-skill set to reinforce the manpower allocation process. Although the organizations had competent engineers, the negatives from the workforce cause anxiety in construction manpower allocation. Construction professionals need to sustain manpower allocation. In this regard, this study identifies and evaluates twelve labor positioning factors influencing the manpower allocation in construction projects. In this study, 288 valid data samples were collected through a questionnaire survey from construction site engineers, project engineers, project managers, contractors, and civil engineering consultants. These questionnaire data were further analyzed by using the relative important index method and independent samples Kruskal–Wallis test. Analysis of data explores that the manpower assignment practices were adversely influenced by construction workers’ quality. This study concludes that the construction workers’ lack of skill, workers’ lack of experience, aging workers, workers’ lack of involvement, and workers’ absenteeism rate are the dominant factors in labor positioning in the construction manpower allocation. The results of this study suggest that by knowing the effects of labor positioning factors, construction professionals can build up their managerial skills and sustain manpower allocation in construction projects.