34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) - Singapore, Singapore - 2026

https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0167

Workforce readiness: the need for a competency framework in off-site construction to support Lean transformation

Dana Sobh1, Lynn Shehab2 & Farook Hamzeh3

1PhD Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0009-0004-2609-054X
2Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-2708-3550
3Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-3986-9534

Abstract

Off-site Construction (OSC) has shifted the work from traditional sites to more controlled production environments. However, lean implementation in OSC remains restricted because workforce readiness is often addressed through trades or stand-alone skills rather than as a combination of integrated competencies that enable lean practices and impact performance. Furthermore, existing research on OSC workforce development remains fragmented and offers limited guidance on how workforce capabilities support lean transformation. This study presents a conceptual literature review that examines how workforce competencies are currently framed within OSC, and identifies gaps in how those competencies are defined and structured. Building on this analysis, the research proposes a competency framework that positions workforce capabilities as socio-technical enablers of lean practices in OSC. The framework organizes competencies into four themes: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics, and is embedded within the Toyota Production System (TPS). To demonstrate its applicability, the competencies are identified as primary or secondary enablers of four commonly used lean tools: 5S, Last Planner System (LPS), 5 Whys, and Value Stream Mapping (VSM). The study contributes to the understanding of workforce readiness in OSC and serves as the foundation for future empirical research on competency development and understanding its impact on performance.

Keywords

Off-site construction, workforce competencies, Lean implementation, KSAO.

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Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Sobh, D., Shehab, L. & Hamzeh, F.. (2026). Workforce readiness: the need for a competency framework in off-site construction to support Lean transformation. In Hamzeh, F., Poshdar, M., & Garcia-Lopez,, N. P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) (pp. 1052–1063). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0167

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Sobh, D., Shehab, L. & Hamzeh, F.. (2026). Workforce readiness: the need for a competency framework in off-site construction to support Lean transformation. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0167

 

Founded in 1993, the IGLC is an international network of researchers from practice and academia in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who feel that the practice, education, and research of the AEC industry have to be radically renewed in order to respond to the global challenges ahead.

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