Impact of foreign workforce on productivity in foreign-funded infrastructure projects

Purpose – The aim of this study is to explore the impact of using foreign workers on construction productivity in project situations. Generally, foreign-funded projects use both native and foreign workers. Foreign workforce entering into the construction industry may affect the productivity positively or negatively, depending on the migrants’ attributes, institutional arrangements and native workers’ responses, thereby impacting the cost of the project. In Sri Lanka, large construction sites have become multicultural and depend on foreign workers brought in by foreign contractors for infrastructure projects. Design/methodology/approach – A survey-based approach was used to collect data. Structured interviews were conducted to explore the characteristics of the foreign workforce and their impact on productivity. Further, potential strategies were analyzed to establish industry motivators (IM) to enhance productivity. Findings – The study on the foreign workforce identified ten employee characteristics that may impact project’s productivity either positively or negatively. Further, 16 significant strategies were compiled to establish six IM to enhance productivity. Originality/value – These proposed motivators will be useful for construction practitioners in mitigating negative impacts and proactively managing the foreign workforce in a way to enhance construction productivity.