Are the Ageing Workforce Satisfied with the Construction Work Environment?

Alex Torku*, Turker Bayrak, Stephen Olubodunwa Ogunlana, Albert Ping Chuen Chan, De Graft Owusu-Manu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Citations (Scopus)
116 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The construction industry is experiencing a shortage of workforce and skill gap due to the significant reduction in the younger workers entering the construction industry compared to the exponential number of retiring workers. Providing ageing workforce with a satisfactory construction work environment (CWE) can be one of the ways to encourage them to remain in the construction industry. Therefore, this study aims to assess the level of satisfaction of the ageing workers with the CWE. The study adopted a quantitative approach and data was sourced from older construction workers in Edinburgh, Scotland using a questionnaire survey. Factor analysis and mean score analysis were employed to assess the older workers level of satisfaction with the CWE. The study identified five components of the CWE termed as organisational-psychological environment, physical environment, functional environment, policies and practices environment and auxiliary environment. The older workers were most satisfied with the functional environment, followed by the auxiliary environment, policies and practices environment, physical environment and lastly, organisational-psychological environment. The study recommended that the construction industry put in more effort in making the CWE very satisfying to all workers especially the ageing workforce. A very satisfying CWE should compensate and amend the losses accompanying ageing. The authors encourage future studies to explore the relationship between the level of satisfaction with the CWE and the quality of life of the ageing workforce.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCollaboration and Integration in Construction, Engineering, Management and Technology
PublisherSpringer
Pages101-106
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9783030484651
ISBN (Print)9783030484644
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Event11th International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century 2019 - London, United Kingdom
Duration: 9 Sept 201911 Sept 2019

Publication series

NameAdvances in Science, Technology and Innovation
ISSN (Print)2522-8714
ISSN (Electronic)2522-8722

Conference

Conference11th International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century 2019
Abbreviated titleCITC-11
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityLondon
Period9/09/1911/09/19

Keywords

  • Ageing
  • Construction industry
  • Construction work environment
  • Older workforce

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Architecture
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Environmental Chemistry

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