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Multicultural workplaces: A state of the art study of the Norwegian construction industry

Abstract

A multi-method case study, including interviews, a survey and participatory observations, was undertaken to describe opportunities and challenges related to multicultural workplaces in the Norwegian construction industry, and the consequences for occupational safety, working environment and work performance. The findings show that challenges related to language and cultural differences are the most common, and that employment relationships and duration of relations have proven to affect many of the challenges. Consequences due to challenges related to language and culture were found more prominent for working environment and work performance than for safety. The focus on opportunities is limited and the potential is not fully exploited. Measures implemented to improve the conditions at multicultural workplaces mainly focus on solving the challenges and mitigating the consequences in a shortterm perspective. A more future-oriented focus is needed, including measures that may lead to long-term gains for the industry.
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Category

Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

Language

English

Author(s)

Affiliation

  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • SINTEF Digital / Software Engineering, Safety and Security
  • Diverse norske bedrifter og organisasjoner

Year

2018

Publisher

CRC Press

Book

Safety and Reliability – Safe Societies in a Changing World. Proceedings of ESREL 2018, June 17-21, 2018, Trondheim, Norway

ISBN

9781351174657

Page(s)

213 - 220

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