COVID-19 AND INFORMAL LABOUR IN CONSTRUCTION: A NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF WEBINAR DISCUSSIONS

Abstract

Many countries after a remarkable spike in COVID-19 cases, opted to lockdown and quarantine curfew that restricted the movement of people. Construction is one of the main sectors experiencing a clear impact due to COVID-19. As a significant growth driver of the economy, the domestic construction industry employs nearly one million of the population directly in various trades. Unfortunately, almost every project has been severely hampered. It is, therefore, prudent to address the impact of the pandemic on construction labour at the outset and end of the crisis to prepare for any future challenges or opportunities that it may undergo. This study aims to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on the construction industry's survival and possible measures to be taken in both the short and the long run. This paper summarizes using a narrative analysis of the key takeaways of 15 webinar discussions on the COVID-19 impact and outlook of the construction sector in Sri Lanka. The impacts and fallouts have been addressed by key industry personnel. The study found the most prominent impacts of COVID-19 are the suspension of projects, labour impact, and job loss, time overrun, cost overrun, and delay in payments. The findings of this study shed light on the consequences of the sudden occurrence of a pandemic and raise awareness of the most critical impacts which cannot be overlooked. The findings also help project stakeholders prepare for any future worst-case scenarios.