Comparing Stressors and Stress among Diverse Foreign Ethnic Minority Workers Groups in the Construction Industry

To overcome the shortage of construction workers in developed countries, a foreign minority workforce is recruited from developing countries. However, foreign construction workers experience numerous stressors in the host country that may induce stress significantly, which could affect their overall health and performance. It is essential to explore what unique stressor and stress foreign construction workers are experiencing and then propose targeted practical recommendations. This research adopted a large-scale questionnaire survey with 91 valid responses included for data analysis, focusing on differences between Nepali, Pakistani and Other worker groups. Five key stressors (including away from family, unfair treatment, lack of trust, manual material handling, and unclear job responsibilities) and two stress outcomes, being easily upset and emotionally drained, are identified among foreign ethnic minority workers in Hong Kong's construction sites. Significant differences were found in the experience of specific stressors: Nepali workers reported a higher lack of trust in colleagues, influenced by limited social interactions and reliance on their community for employment-related needs. In contrast, Pakistani workers, actively engaging with diverse local and foreign contacts, showed more clarity in job responsibilities but higher emotional stress, attributed to challenges in adapting to advanced construction technologies and cultural barriers. The findings suggest targeted interventions to address distinct stressors faced by different ethnic groups, enhancing their work environment and reducing overall stress levels.