Associated Builders and Contractors released Multiskilling in the U.S. Construction Industry, “the largest national dataset documenting the relationship between multiskilling labor strategies and performance outcomes,” according to a news release.

The research showed that multiskilling increased the share of crew time spent on directly advancing construction work by 39%. Multiskilled craft professionals build verified capabilities by obtaining credentials in multiple crafts.

In the research, the typical observed multiskilled worker used nearly three distinct skill classifications, and some workers used as many as six in one day.

Benefits were largest where the work created frequent opportunities to cover adjacent tasks, avoid handoffs, and keep the crew moving. By contrast, limiting workers to one trade reduced the share of crew time spent directly on construction work from nearly half to about one-third.

Multiskilling preserves craft depth while giving workers more ways to earn, remain employed, advance, lead, and shape the direction of their careers, the release says.

Using multiskilled workers also enables the use of fewer workers and crews. This improves safety in tight work areas by reducing congestion and coordination pressure.