Strategic framework for advancing digital talent management in the UK construction sector

The built environment consistently suffers from skills shortages, which was exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, as many employees left the sector and were not replaced. The UK Government has issued numerous public journals since World War Two, demonstrating the need to enhance talent management strategies that refute the numerous barriers the construction industry constantly faces. Now, whilst the world has entered a new digital era targeting Industry 5.0 technologies, there is a greater need to enhance digital talent management strategies throughout the UK construction industry to overcome key issues and meet industry pressures. The aim of this research is to find a solution to the talent management issues throughout the construction industry and to manage current talent and digital talent management within the sector. To do this a framework has been developed to enhance digital talent management strategies by undertaking a literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) mechanism to review strategies to understand the challenges the sector is trying to overcome and what the desired outcomes are. Following this, qualitative research was undertaken to collect and analyse data from 23 interviewees across 19 construction organisations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and thematic analysis was chosen to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the interviews. Resources provided by the UK Government, Tier 1 contractors and construction bodies were analysed and included to help evaluate the status of the sector and answer research objectives. Analysis identified that the construction sector is lagging behind many other industries who are digitally advanced, striving towards Industry 5.0 while the construction sector is struggling towards Industry 4.0, suffering from skills shortages and not able to build key construction projects within programme or budget. Using the literature review and the information provided by the interviewees, a framework was developed from the research results. The findings of this research provides valuable insights that would help the construction sectors decision makers to implement enhanced digital talent management strategies to help both the sector as a whole and individual businesses.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

PhD

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wolverhampton

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Stride, Mark

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Suresh, Subashini
• Renukappa, Suresh

• Industry 4.0
• Industry 5.0
• digital skills shortages
• construction technologies
• intersectionality
• sustainable technologies
• construction diversity

Licence

• https://wlv.openrepository.com/bitstreams/be4ad57d-3ef4-45f0-9276-5366e6ce1088/download