Semisystematic Literature Review on Temporary Employment in the Construction Industry: Consequences and Future Direction

Literature reviews have been useful in evaluating the evolution of any field and assessing the quality and impact of scientific work. Despite the growing use of temporary employment, its impact in the construction industry (CI) is poorly understood. Notably, no studies have sought to assess the evolution of this topic in the CI. This study provides a structured synthesis of literature through a semisystematic review approach. Literature search was performed on the Scopus database. A Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) review protocol was employed to appraise the quality of studies. Forward and backward snowballing were conducted to avoid missing any relevant articles. In total, about 14 articles were identified. During analysis, each article was thoroughly examined. Based on the results, the topic is emerging, with 79% of all reviewed articles published after 2020. Furthermore, the results revealed that temporary employment negatively affects performance, health and safety, technology adoption, workers’ well-being, and availability of skilled labor. Similarly, the results uncovered several research gaps from reviewed studies. These findings contribute to theory by identifying recurring themes and theoretical perspectives within literature that form the foundation for new theoretical insights. Moreover, the findings highlight areas where current theoretical knowledge is lacking, thereby providing future avenues for theoretical development. This study is limited to a single database. It recommends future studies to (1) include additional databases, (2) employ longitudinal design as all reviewed studies employed cross-sectional design, and (3) explore the impact of specific types of temporary workers. Furthermore, the study recommends policymakers and CI stakeholders to develop preferable recruitment policy for temporary workers.