Contractors’ human resource development practices and their effects on employee soft skills

Abstract

Human resource development (HRD) strategies are important to enable firms to recruit, retain and develop their employees. The aim of this study is to investigate the HRD of flexible construction firms in Singapore. The research was based on a questionnaire survey and data were collected via face-to-face interviews with 45 construction industry experts. Thirteen significant HRD practices were identified. The results show that the practices can be characterized along intra-organizational relationship management, competence development, performance management and stress management. A structural equation model was developed to explain the relationships between HRD strategies, employees’ soft skills and their resistance to change. It is found that firms’ competence development strategy has a significant positive impact on employees’ soft skills, and that employees who possess superior soft skills are less likely to resist change. It is recommended that contractors adopt some of these significant HRD practices so as to cultivate a motivated flexible workforce.