Understanding working class lives: An examination of the quality of life of low income construction workers

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Dhar, Rajib Lochan

Affiliations: Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, 247667, India. Tel.: +91 01332 284760; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The construction industry is considered to be one of the oldest trades of mankind. Even though this industry has shown phenomenal growth in the developing economies like India, hardly any research has been done to understand the living condition and status of the people who have contributed with their sweat and blood for the growth of this industry. OBJECTIVES: The study aims at understanding the living condition of the low income construction workers from one of the small construction companies of eastern India, from the state of Jharkhand. PARTICIPANTS: In all twelve families staying at the construction site agreed to volunteer. The average age of the respondent parents (i.e. mother as well as father) was 28.5 years. METHODS: Qualitative methods have been used in order to collect the data. Ethnography and photo elicitation was used as a primary method of data collection. Apart from this, in-depth interviews were also conducted with the workers of the construction company. RESULTS: Discussion with the participants led to the emergence of four themes. They were (1) Daily Rituals, (2) Living Condition, (3) Quality of food and (4) Health and Hygiene. The research findings indicate that the conditions at which the workers live at the construction site can be considered to be in a state of pitiful situation which is mainly due to their acute level of poverty. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the study findings, there is an imperative that the societal forerunners, policy makers and philanthropists continue to use research findings to understand the living condition of the low income construction workers and draft strategies accordingly, to improve their status and Quality of Life.

Keywords: Labour, living conditions, health, photograph, manual, stress, qualitative, India

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131654

Journal: Work, vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 87-105, 2014