Dynamics of Working Hours in Construction

Abstract

The effects of different aspects of working hours on performance, including length of work and rest periods, time of day, and amount of set overtime, have been studied separately by scholars from different disciplines, including construction. Most of these studies have accounted for specific factors and for specific types of work. Current approaches fall short of enabling a work manager to estimate the impact of various working-hour arrangements on productivity with a reasonable degree of accuracy. We have developed a dynamic modeling tool that can be used for estimating expected productivity in a range of construction jobs for different working-hour arrangements. Through this dynamic modeling tool, construction managers can see the expected effects of working-hour changes on productivity and adjust work-hour schedules to improve productivity. To test the applicability of the model, it has been applied to a real construction case, and the effects of different working-hour arrangements on productivity have been investigated.