Just to back up Rob slighty, I think hes using the wrong wording as abroad projects are in general better managed. Their workers are working more efficiently and work is probably more efficiently assigned.
Over the past year I've been dealing with two large sites, all falling behind schedule, all down to poor management. worker's are overloaded with tasks, deadlines are missed and in general I find British workers seem to working their socks off but not getting anywhere.
Foreign workers tend to get things done, quicker and without as much issues so maybe when Rob says they aren't working as hard, it could be that the work is more evenly assigned.
I've seen some **** managed projects in the UK and overseas Boss, as well as some very well managed projects in the UK and overseas.
Although I don't want to keep going against the grain, in my experience I would say that construction professionals in the UK are a higher standard than anywhere else. That's based on working on projects in the middle east and with professionals from south Africa, Australia, US, as well as Indian, Emirati, and various others. There are loads of expat professions - particularly older guys - who wouldn't be able to hold a job down in the UK. Saying that, there are some very good expats (including british) on the big projects.
I don't mean any disrespect to labourers in the middle east, but these are guys who (as we know from this discussion) are paid a a pittance, and who live in crap conditions, with no prospect for advancement. It's no wonder really that they don't break their backs trying to impress, and they don't have to because there are 1,000s of them on every job. To that extent, I would agree with you when you talk about work being "evenly assigned".
I've seen loads of major delays in the middle east. These can relate to payment issues, material shortages (concrete was almost impossible to get in Dubai in 2007), issues with permits and licenses (you have to get 'no objection certificates' in UAE before you start work, connect power etc), and all manner of other problems including the usual variations, late designs, contractors not having management resources available etc. That said, as notso has pointed out, some projects out there do fly up, but it's not due to labourers working hard but I'd guess more to do with : wide availability of major plant such as cranes, lack of care about quality (some of the concrete is absolutely ****), sites flooded with labour, repetitive nature of construction and simple structural designs, and probably as you say, so decent planning and organisation.
while it comes to light whether you work their or not, I notice you ignored my Q to you whether you had worked middle east like I have some days ago. While I was there my observation is that labourers work like trojans, hence the speed buildings get put up. You're confused, its this country where labourers stand around on their mobile phones watching others piss around with a shovel. Not sure what time of the day you make your observations, but not much goes on in the heat of the day....presumably when you're milling round doing **** all!
