Exploring Labor Presence in Work Zone and Tiling Trade Labor Productivity: The Moderating Role of Skilled-Labor Proportion

Labor-tracking technologies, including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), have been studied extensively for their applicability in labor presence detection within the construction industry. Although prior research has utilized labor presence time in work zones (LPTWZ) to measure productive time on construction sites, its direct link to labor productivity (LP) has remained unexplored. Hence, this research investigated the LPTWZ-LP relationship and the moderating effect of skilled labor proportion (SLP) in five tiling projects at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). This research involved three variables: LPTWZ, SLP, and LP. LPTWZ data were collected using BLE technology, whereas SLP and LP data were collected using manual recordings. Hierarchical regression analysis explored the direct impact of LPTWZ on LP and the potential moderating role of SLP. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between LPTWZ and LP, indicating that increased LPTWZ corresponds to heightened LP. Moreover, the study establishes that SLP positively moderates the relationship between LPTWZ and LP, accentuating the importance of skill development in optimizing LP outcomes. This research provides a novel perspective on the intricate LPTWZ-LP relationship and highlights the SLP’s crucial moderating influence in the tiling trade. In addition to offering practical insights into labor management strategies, this research demonstrates the applicability of BLE technology for LP monitoring in the construction industry.