PRACTICES and EMPOWERMENT of LABOURERS

- Karthick P
Co-Founder, Studio Masons

These days, the construction industry is a large and complex world. It is no longer just about building houses and roads or digging foundations. This industry includes many different participants, from the owners of construction companies to the workers who scour the foundations. However, the distinction between labourers and employees has always existed in India. We make sure that all the employees know their rights. We also provide numerous training for them. But often, we forget labourers.

Labourers have to put in a lot of hard work and face challenges even before starting their job. Especially it is true when the construction industry faces criticism for poor practices, low wages, unsafe working conditions, and lack of empowerment among workers. The distinction between Labourers and employees has always existed in India. Whether Labourers or employees, both desire to be recognised and valued. Employees usually work in an office setting with constant skills up-gradation and training. Those performing construction worker jobs were concealed in dirt and grease and worked mainly in trade or manual labour jobs. Therefore, Labourers must be given the necessary skills and training to perform optimally, reduce accidents and risks at work, and ensure the well-being of labourers. Reducing risks and empowering labourers can only be achieved through a change in mindset. The construction labourers' well-being depends not only on training but also on how we think. High-performing labourers are vital to succeed in business. Empowering your labourer to take on leadership roles will also help you keep things running smoothly and improves working conditions.

Benefits of construction worker training

Increased worker productivity: When workers are trained and empowered, they can perform their tasks much better and faster resulting in higher productivity. When construction companies can meet their project deadlines, it helps them win new customers and retain existing ones.

Reduction in employer's costs: Investment in construction worker training reduces the costs of hiring and retaining new employees. This is because a trained workforce is more likely to stay in the company longer than an untrained one. When construction companies invest in training, they can also use performance-management tools to assess workers and identify their areas of improvement. This allows employers to help their workers improve their performance and stay in the company.

Better workplace conditions: Construction worker training allows employees to feel confident and empowered while working. This helps them work more effectively and efficiently, improve the quality of their work, and reduce the likelihood of making mistakes. Moreover, trained workers are less likely to engage in workplace misconduct, which helps construction companies maintain their reputations.

Health, safety, and well-being: Construction worker training aims to reduce accidents at work and increase workers' health, safety, and well-being. This is achieved by providing workers with information regarding accidents and how to prevent them. In addition, it helps workers identify the hazards they are exposed to at work and shows them how to control these hazards.

What does good construction worker training look like?

Construction worker training is a continuous process that begins when workers apply for a job and ends when they retire. This is because labourers face different challenges with each project, which requires them to acquire new skills. Therefore, a construction worker must be trained to adapt to new conditions and workflows to perform optimally.

Good construction worker training programs have the following features:

Ongoing: Construction worker training is an ongoing process that requires regular updating and continuous training. Therefore, construction firms must have a training and development program to keep their workers updated with new technologies and best practices.

Real-world application: Labourers should be trained in the work they are expected to perform. This applies to new workers joining the industry and existing ones. Hands-on experience is more effective when it involves hands-on experience. It also helps workers retain their knowledge for a longer period.

Authentic and appropriate: Construction firms must choose an authentic and appropriate training provider. This provider must understand the construction industry and the challenges facing it. They must also have experience delivering quality training to labourers, including those employed in other firms.

Ongoing evaluation: Good construction worker training involves continuous evaluation of its usefulness. This is necessary because some companies may choose the same training provider after achieving their desired results. However, several changes can happen in the industry, which requires workers to be trained in new skills. Therefore, training providers must conduct an ongoing evaluation to identify the gaps in workers' knowledge.

Problems with the current system of construction worker training

While construction worker training is crucial, there are several issues with the current system. These include:

Lack of standardisation: Construction firms have different expectations from their workers, but there is no standardisation in their training programs. Therefore, it is likely that some workers learn new skills while others don't. Moreover, there is no standardisation in how training providers are evaluated and accredited, making it difficult for construction firms to choose one.

Lack of measurability: There is no way for construction firms and their employees to measure the effectiveness of their training programs. This makes it difficult for them to know if their investment in training is worth it.

Recommendations

Given the challenges in the current system of construction worker training, there are a few recommendations that can be helpful. These recommendations include:

Standardisation of training programs: Construction firms should standardise the training programs they provide to their workers. This can be done by creating industry-wide standards for training.

Standardisation of program requirements: Program requirements for construction firms are different, making it difficult for workers to understand the skills they need to acquire. Therefore, the firms should adopt standard requirements for their programs so that workers are aware of what they need to learn.

Standardisation of program delivery: Since most construction firms use independent training providers, there must be a standard way of delivering training. This can be done by adopting industry-wide standards for program delivery.

Standardisation of program evaluations: Construction firms and their employees need clear and accurate information regarding the effectiveness of their training programs. This can be achieved by standardising the program evaluations.

Standardisation of program accreditation: There are many training providers in the industry, but there are no ways to measure and compare their effectiveness. Therefore, it is essential to standardise the program accreditation process so that construction firms know which training providers are worth investing in.

Introduce systems that give individuals more visibility within the company or allow them to manage and plan their future accordingly. Another area where we should stress is up-skilling and development. Many companies invest in training for their employees then why not invest in labourers. Their skills will help organise the company from the primary level.

Rather than focusing only on boosting corporations' profits, let's focus on enhancing workers' lifestyles and job satisfaction, which will upgrade and benefit the construction industry in the long run. It is impossible to achieve growth by investing only 40% of its workforce, so now we should change how we manage our labourers.

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