Construction workforce productivity can improve when qualified workers perform tasks across multiple trades, according to new field research from Associated Builders and Contractors and the Simplar Foundation.
The study, released Sept. 2, examined multiskilling practices across construction projects and found measurable gains in direct work time and reductions in idle time. The findings also highlight the importance of accurate classification and timekeeping when workers perform duties associated with multiple trades.
Researchers from the University of Kansas, Arizona State University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte conducted 40 site visits covering 36 projects in 24 states and 22 project types.
The research examined 60 multiskilled crews representing 644 workers at 30 contractors and included more than 11,400 work-sampling observations.
Workers spent approximately 36% of their time performing activities outside their primary trade across 128 trade combinations. Compared with a single-trade staffing model applied to the same observed work sequences, multiskilled crews recorded 39% more direct work time and 68% less idle time.
The study also found that completing comparable work without multiskilling could require 45% to 72% more workers.
The productivity findings come with additional requirements for contractors managing workers who perform duties across classifications.
On federally funded or assisted projects subject to prevailing wage requirements, contractors need payroll records that accurately identify the classifications and hours worked. Wage calculations can also become more complicated when employees perform different types of work at different rates during the same workweek.
In Ohio, workers’ compensation payroll allocation similarly requires records reflecting actual time spent in each applicable classification. Contractors that do not maintain the required records can face classification at the highest applicable rate.
Training and competency documentation are also important. Multiskilled workers need appropriate instruction and demonstrated competency for the tasks they perform, particularly when moving between different work environments and hazards.
The findings also have implications for discussions surrounding project labor agreements and construction workforce models. The research provides field-based productivity data that contractors can use when evaluating staffing approaches and project delivery requirements.
For contractors considering multiskilling programs, the findings point to the need for both operational planning and strong documentation systems. Timekeeping, payroll classification, training and competency records need to reflect the work actually performed.
For owners and contractors, multiskilling can offer a potential way to reduce idle time and improve workforce utilization, particularly on projects where work sequences create frequent handoffs between trades.
The research also demonstrates that productivity gains must be supported by accurate labor records and task-level qualifications. Contractors that combine flexible workforce practices with disciplined compliance procedures may be better positioned to capture the operational benefits while managing wage, safety and workers’ compensation risks.
Source: ABC Central Ohio.
