The Key Human Resource Challenges Facing Construction Companies In Europe
Title page
Title
Introduction
Research Problem
The booming construction industry in Europe has brought along Human Resource (HR) issues related to work safety, finding qualified staff, payroll and advancement in technology.
Importance Of The Problem For Specific Stakeholder Groups
The aforementioned issues is of utmost importance to various stakeholders in the construction industry including Project Managers, contractors, suppliers, architects and clients.
Background to the Research Problem
Considering that the construction industry in Europe is large, many organizations that include the construction companies, contractors, subcontractors, and numerous people from varied backgrounds encounters diversified issues that revolve around management of human resources.
Introduce Research Question
What are the he key human resource challenges facing construction companies in Europe?
Objectives
To identify the common challenges faced by construction industries across Europe as it relates to Human Resource Management
To identify the specific Human Resource areas that needs improvement so as to combat the issues identified
To assess the contemporary Human Resource Issues issues that have emerged as a result of technological advancement within the construction industry in Europe.
To explore the possible recommended solutions to solve these issues.
Research Road Map and Main Argument
The major HRM issues faced by most European based construction companies include health safety issues, finding skilled labor, workplace diversity, and payroll issues. In trying to assess these issues, the literature review will evaluate the previous research related to the same in a bid to gain more insights regarding these concepts and later present a research design for further research.
Literature Review
Health And Safety Issues
International labour organization indicated that health and safety in the construction industry is becoming more extensive than it had been before (Murie, 2007).
Physical Risks
Construction industry involves much of technical work hence prone to physical injuries from the work environment and building materials.
Chemical Risks
Construction raw materials used for production of composites contain harmful mineral binders and high radiation products that affect employees in the companies (Kowalik et al., 2019)
Psychological Risks
Construction companies are susceptible to mental health issues due to the exposure to job-related psychological stress such as high-performance pressures and complex decision making (Oswald, Borg & Sherratt, 2019)
Finding Skilled Workers
Construction work is highly dependent on skilled labour to complete companies’ production operations. However, there has been significant skills shortage affecting time, cost and quality of work (Mohamed, Pärn & Edwards, 2017).
New Technology
Low supply and unavailability of skilled ICT personnel has become a challenge due to high technological innovation and new ICT developments (Brixiova, Li & Yousef, 2009).
Insufficient Trained Workforce
Trained workers in the construction industry is diminishing as the growing population prefer indoor activities and relate construction work to wage inequality.
Constructions Skills Gap
Construction industry has undergone a lot of changes therefore new skills and roles are emerging, with no skilled workforce to cover (“How to tackle the skills gap head on – UK Construction Online”, 2019)
Workplace Diversity
Workforce population spring from diverse platforms, but as they join the company, they have to actively and effectively contribute to a common goal.
Language and Communication
Workplace diversity leads to communication and language challenges, which affect construction companies as conversation is one of the most critical competencies required for high performance (Burkard, Boticki & Madson, 2002)
Gender Equality
Diversity sources may be treating technological and project-based work as masculine hence companies are limited to preferring a certain gender to the other, even if one is competent enough. (Emuze, Smallwood & Han, 2014)
Ethnic and Cultural Differences
Cultural differences reflect on human relation, ethics and habits, which affect workers emotionally, contributing to loss of concentration and poor performance (Mbazor & Okuoma, 2014).
Payroll
Payment is a challenge in the construction industry as most jobs are manual and there are no stipulated payment amounts for each type of job (Grimshaw, 2016)
Tracking Overtime
Lack of a developed technique for tracking overtime workers and dishonesty makes it difficult to get the required information for allocation of payments (Hussin, Rahman, & Memon, 2013)
Late Payments
Workers usually need their payments to be made on time hence late payments demoralize the workforce leading to poor performance (Kazaz, Ulubeyli & Tuncbilekli, 2012)
Misclassifying Employees
Emerging roles in the technological basis lack a specific classification in the companies’ human resource hence lack a specific evaluation of their payments (Grimshaw, 2016)
Research Design
The design are the strategies used to address the question on the challenges facing construction companies in Europe.
Quantitative Research Approach
This approach emphasizes on statistical analysis of the data collected.
Data Collection Methods
The methods used to collect data were physical observations and use of surveys.
Observations
Data on some of the challenges of construction companies such as health and safety issues and workplace diversity could easily be done through observation (Kawuliwich, 2005)
Surveys
Surveys provide actual, broad perspective and reliable statistical data from research conducted on a sample of the construction workforce population (Carrillo, 1994).
Data Analysis
Statistical Analysis
The data acquired was in respect of the research question- to find the key human resource challenges facing the construction companies in Europe
Conclusion
The main challenges faced by human resource in construction industries are health and safety risks, lack of skilled workforce, diversity and payment rate issues for the workers.
References
Black, R., Engbersen, G., & Okólski, M. (Eds.). (2010). A continent moving west?: EU enlargement and labour migration from Central and Eastern Europe. Amsterdam University Press.
Brixiova, Z., Li, W., & Yousef, T. (2009). Skill shortages and labor market outcomes in Central Europe. Economic Systems, 33(1), 45-59. doi: 10.1016/j.ecosys.2008.07.002
Burkard, A. W., Boticki, M. A., & Madson, M. B. (2002). Workplace discrimination, prejudice, and diversity measurement: A review of instrumentation. Journal of Career Assessment, 10(3), 343-361.
Carrillo, P. (1994). Technology transfer: A survey of international construction companies. Construction Management And Economics, 12(1), 45-51. doi: 10.1080/01446199400000006
Cooke, T., & Lingard, H. (2011). A retrospective analysis of work-related deaths in the Australian construction industry. In ARCOM Twenty-seventh Annual Conference (pp. 279-288). Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM).
Emuze, F., Smallwood, J., & Han, S. (2014). Factors contributing to non-value adding activities in South African construction. Journal Of Engineering, Design And Technology, 12(2), 223-243. doi: 10.1108/jedt-07-2011-0048
Grimshaw, D. (2016). Minimum wages, pay equity and comparative industrial relations. New York, NY: Routledge.
How to tackle the skills gap head on – UK Construction Online. (2019). Retrieved 4 January 2020, from https://www.ukconstructionmedia.co.uk/features/tackle-skills-gap-head/Hussin, J. M., Rahman, I. A., & Memon, A. H. (2013). The way forward in sustainable construction: issues and challenges. International Journal of Advances in Applied Sciences, 2(1), 15-24.
Kawuliwich, B. (2005). Participant Observation as a Data Collection Method. FQS, 6(2).
Kazaz, A., Ulubeyli, S., & Tuncbilekli, N. A. (2012). Causes of delays in construction projects in Turkey. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 18(3), 426-435.
Kowalik, T., Logoń, D., Maj, M., Rybak, J., Ubysz, A., & Wojtowicz, A. (2019). Chemical hazards in construction industry. E3S Web Of Conferences, 97, 03032. doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/20199703032
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Mbazor, D., & Okuoma, O. (2014). Multicultural Work Force in Construction Organisation-Issues of Health, Safety & Environment. Researchgate, 6(10), 24.
Mohamed, M., Pärn, E., & Edwards, D. (2017). Brexit: measuring the impact upon skilled labour in the UK construction industry. International Journal Of Building Pathology And Adaptation, 35(3), 264-279. doi: 10.1108/ijbpa-05-2017-0023
Murie, F. 2007. Building Safety-an International Perspective. International Journal of
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Oswald, D., Borg, J., & Sherratt, F. (2019). Mental Health in the Construction Industry: a Rapid Review. Proc. 27Th Annual Conference Of The International Group For Lean Construction (IGLC). doi: 10.24928/2019/0141
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