Labor performance and productivity in masonry construction in Cajamarca, Peru

Abstract

The performance and productivity of labor in masonry constructions are significant factors influencing the costs of such projects. In light of this, a study involving the participation of Civil Engineering students from the National University of Cajamarca was conducted. The study involved visits to nine masonry constructions to assess the performance and productivity of the labor force, as well as measurements to determine the productive time of the same workforce in tasks carried out during construction. It was observed that half of the analyzed tasks exceeded the performance levels indicated by CAPECO. However, this increased performance did not necessarily align with the required quality standards for producing a suitable product, leading to costs associated with poor quality or inadequate work. For tasks where values were below those provided by CAPECO, the lower performance could be attributed to the poor quality of the workforce, affecting both productivity and the quality of the product, as mentioned earlier. Regarding the productive time of labor, it was noted that the results were similar to those found in Tullume's research. Based on these findings, it is deemed essential not only to conduct studies to determine performance, productivity, and labor time but also to propose the implementation of new construction processes and apply innovative methodologies in project management.