Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISM

China’s construction industry is facing serious problems of aging construction workers and labor shortages. Improving the job satisfaction of construction workers is a key point for retaining existing construction workers and for attracting younger generations into the construction field in China. A...

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Main Authors: Guodong Ni, Huaikun Li, Tinghao Jin, Haibo Hu, Ziyao Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-05-01
Series:Buildings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/5/609
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author Guodong Ni
Huaikun Li
Tinghao Jin
Haibo Hu
Ziyao Zhang
author_facet Guodong Ni
Huaikun Li
Tinghao Jin
Haibo Hu
Ziyao Zhang
author_sort Guodong Ni
collection DOAJ
description China’s construction industry is facing serious problems of aging construction workers and labor shortages. Improving the job satisfaction of construction workers is a key point for retaining existing construction workers and for attracting younger generations into the construction field in China. At present, the new generation of construction workers (NGCW) born after 1980 has been the main force on construction sites in China. Therefore, it is very important to study and explore the influencing factors of the job satisfaction of the NGCW. This paper aims to determine the influencing factors of job satisfaction of the NGCW through literature research and to clarify the interaction mechanisms and hierarchical structures of influencing factors using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to design appropriate human resource practices to promote their job satisfaction. Research findings show that there are 12 main influencing factors of job satisfaction of the NGCW, which are at three levels: personal traits, job characteristics and social environment, and the influencing factors can be divided into a cause group and an effect group, including four layers: the root layer, controllable layer, key layer and direct layer in the multi-level hierarchical structure model. Furthermore, the critical influencing factors of the job satisfaction of the NGCW consist of education level, competency, career development, salaries and rewards, rights protection and work–family balance. This research enriches the job satisfaction literature of construction workers and provides an important reference for decision makers in construction enterprises and the construction industry to understand what influences the job satisfaction of the NGCW and how it is influenced to then improve it in China.
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spelling doaj.art-6a82351c115e4f1b8003b86c4803163e2023-11-23T10:20:33ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092022-05-0112560910.3390/buildings12050609Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISMGuodong Ni0Huaikun Li1Tinghao Jin2Haibo Hu3Ziyao Zhang4Research Center for Digitalized Construction and Knowledge Engineering, School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaDepartment of Architectural Engineering, Xuhai College, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaChina’s construction industry is facing serious problems of aging construction workers and labor shortages. Improving the job satisfaction of construction workers is a key point for retaining existing construction workers and for attracting younger generations into the construction field in China. At present, the new generation of construction workers (NGCW) born after 1980 has been the main force on construction sites in China. Therefore, it is very important to study and explore the influencing factors of the job satisfaction of the NGCW. This paper aims to determine the influencing factors of job satisfaction of the NGCW through literature research and to clarify the interaction mechanisms and hierarchical structures of influencing factors using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to design appropriate human resource practices to promote their job satisfaction. Research findings show that there are 12 main influencing factors of job satisfaction of the NGCW, which are at three levels: personal traits, job characteristics and social environment, and the influencing factors can be divided into a cause group and an effect group, including four layers: the root layer, controllable layer, key layer and direct layer in the multi-level hierarchical structure model. Furthermore, the critical influencing factors of the job satisfaction of the NGCW consist of education level, competency, career development, salaries and rewards, rights protection and work–family balance. This research enriches the job satisfaction literature of construction workers and provides an important reference for decision makers in construction enterprises and the construction industry to understand what influences the job satisfaction of the NGCW and how it is influenced to then improve it in China.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/5/609job satisfactioninfluencing factornew generation of construction workersDEMATEL-ISM
spellingShingle Guodong Ni
Huaikun Li
Tinghao Jin
Haibo Hu
Ziyao Zhang
Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISM
Buildings
job satisfaction
influencing factor
new generation of construction workers
DEMATEL-ISM
title Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISM
title_full Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISM
title_fullStr Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISM
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISM
title_short Analysis of Factors Influencing the Job Satisfaction of New Generation of Construction Workers in China: A Study Based on DEMATEL and ISM
title_sort analysis of factors influencing the job satisfaction of new generation of construction workers in china a study based on dematel and ism
topic job satisfaction
influencing factor
new generation of construction workers
DEMATEL-ISM
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/5/609
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