Continuity or disruption? An assessment of changing work and employment in the Victorian construction industry

ABSTRACT

This paper contributes to the literature on the changing nature of work and employment by focussing on the commercial and residential segments of the construction industry in one Australian state. Three key drivers of change in work and employment are identified and discussed: a changing competitive environment, technological advances in building methodologies and materials and a series of workforce-related issues. The findings are analysed through a theoretical lens which allows for a characterization of the nature, direction and extent of change in the industry. This combination allows for a characterization of the nature, direction and extent of change in the industry. Using interviews with key industry informants we identify and highlight reconfigurations of work and employment. A key finding of the study is that while technological advances are likely to give rise to some form of job destruction and deskilling, current developments are following an evolutionary rather than discontinuous trajectory of change.

KEYWORDS:

• Construction industry
• changing nature of work
• employment relations
• technological change
• future of work

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alex Veen

Alex Veen is an employment relations scholar at the University of Sydney Business School, teaching and researching in the International HRM and employment relations areas. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Western Australia.

Julian Teicher

Julian Teicher is the Deputy Dean (Research) in the School of Business and Law at Central Queensland University. His previous appointments include as the Director of the National Key Centre in Industrial Relations, Head of the Department of Management and Director of the Graduate School of Business at Monash University.

Peter Holland

Peter Holland is an Associate Professor in Human Resource Management and Employee Relations at Monash University. He is currently the Co-Director the Faculty research centre – The Australian Consortium for Research on Employment and Work (ACREW) and Head of the Human Resource and Employee Relations Discipline in the Department of Management. He also holds a visiting Associate Professor Positon at the University of Tasmania. Peter has worked in the Australian Finance sector and consulted to the private and public sector in a variety areas related to human resource management and employee relations. His current research interests include talent management, employee voice and monitoring and surveillance in the workplace. He has authored/co-authored 11 books and over 100 journal articles, monographs and book chapters on a variety of human resource management and employee relations issues.