Lean-based Analysis of Factors Influencing Metal Stud Framing and Drywall Workers’ Productivity

Over the past five decades, the U.S. construction industry has experienced a steady decline in value added per worker, prompting researchers and industry professionals to examine the root causes of production inefficiencies.While much of the existing research on labor productivity has focused on broader industry trends and certain project types, the unique challenges faced by individual trades have often been overlooked.This study seeks to fill that gap by investigating key factors affecting the productivity of metal stud framing and drywall workers on commercial construction projects, using four projects managed by a national general contractor in central and north Texas as a case study.The research employed a combination of lean construction tools-including process mapping, individual plus-delta interviews, and a big-room meeting-alongside structured descriptive surveys.Results identified 20 major factors influencing labor productivity, with workers emphasizing 10 as the most critical: inadequate or limited tools, scheduling conflicts with other trades, inconsistent material and tools storage points on jobsites, excessive phone usage by coworkers, frequent interruptions, poor overtime management, long commutes to the jobsites, limited choice in work partner selection, excessive heat during summers, and insufficient training.These findings provide valuable insights for metal stud framing and drywall trade contractors and researchers, highlighting specific challenges that impact labor productivity and offering a foundation for targeted interventions based on the reported factors in this study.