Turnover intentions of site-based civil engineers in India: a demographic comparison study

The construction sector in India serves as a key driver of economic growth through large-scale infrastructure development and employment opportunities. Despite its significance, the industry continues to struggle with high turnover intentions, limited availability of skilled professionals, and declining enthusiasm among civil engineering graduates. These challenges hinder productivity, disrupt project delivery, and threaten organisational stability. This research investigates the factors contributing to turnover intentions among site-based civil engineers and suggests strategies for retaining talent. Eighteen critical factors were identified through an extensive literature review and assessed using a structured questionnaire distributed to engineers across various construction sites in India. From 465 surveys circulated, 179 valid responses were obtained, yielding a 38.49% response rate. The data were analysed using the relative importance index, supplemented by comparative analysis based on demographic characteristics. Findings indicate that delayed or non-competitive wage payments, favouritism, limited role autonomy, adverse market conditions, and weak peer collaboration significantly influence engineers’ decisions to leave. The study offers practical implications for policymakers and industry professionals, emphasising improved compensation and recognition systems, merit-based advancement, work–life balance, collaborative environments, and strengthened safety and inclusivity to enhance retention and sustain long-term industry growth.