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

https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0205

Recognition as an engagement mechanism in Kaizen programs in construction

Melissa A. Freitas1, Raquel H. Reck2, Pedro H. A. Bonkowski3 & Marcus C. T. Fireman4

1Lean Consultant at Climb Consulting Group, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, +55 31 995183808, [email protected], orcid.org/0009-0004-1824-5054
2PhD and Lean Consultant at Climb Consulting Group, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, +55 51 998711561, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0003-1928-3461
3Project Manager at Climb Consulting Group, Caçapava, SP, Brazil, +55 12 992474048, [email protected], orcid.org/0009-0005-9836-5482
4Founding partner of Climb Consulting Group and PhD candidate at NORIE/UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, +55 51 8216-9070, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0001-5843-4715

Abstract

This paper examines the implementation of a structured Kaizen program in the construction industry, focusing on the tension between initial employee engagement and the difficulty of sustaining continuous improvement. The study analyzes a three-month pilot project in a paving company, which linked Kaizen to an internal recognition system for implemented improvements. The research, descriptive and exploratory in nature, combined operational participation data with a survey of employees. The questionnaire assessed nine dimensions, including knowledge, motivation, cross-functional collaboration, recognition, and psychological safety. The results indicate high conceptual clarity and engagement: 94.4% of participants strongly agree that the program objectives are clear, and 88.9% report increased motivation. However, 72% identify the maintenance of improvements as the main challenge. The findings reveal a central tension: recognition mechanisms stimulate participation but are not sufficient to institutionalize continuous improvement as a sustainable practice. The study contributes to Lean Construction by positioning recognition as a key engagement mechanism, highlighting the need to combine it with governance structures and standardization.

Keywords

Kaizen, lean construction, recognition, engagement, sustainability.

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Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Freitas, M. A., Reck, R. H., Bonkowski, P. H. A. & Fireman, M. C. T.. (2026). Recognition as an engagement mechanism in Kaizen programs in construction. 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. 1099–1109). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0205

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Freitas, M. A., Reck, R. H., Bonkowski, P. H. A. & Fireman, M. C. T.. (2026). Recognition as an engagement mechanism in Kaizen programs in construction. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0205

 

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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