Health Infrastructure focus areas and partners

Health Infrastructure is actively partnering with the construction industry to embrace healthier work hours and enhance worker wellbeing and gender balance.  

Project 5: A weekend for every worker

In 2021, we trialled the benefits of a 5-day work week for construction workers on the Concord Hospital Redevelopment. 

The trial was based on a break-through study called Project 5: A weekend for every worker and conducted in partnership with Roberts Co and the University of NSW.

The Project 5 study found that construction workers working a 5-day week with a 2-day weekend reported significantly improved work-life balance and wellbeing resulting from changed work patterns.

Since that time, Health Infrastructure has implemented 5-day work week arrangements on approximately 86% of all awarded tenders. We have not experienced any material project impact in terms of time or cost.

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Video transcript

Project 5: A weekend for every worker

[Music]

Alison Mirams, Chief Executive Officer - Roberts Co:
The cost of time now is negligible. In our industry, when we give an inch, it's gone forever, and we need to recalibrate. We need to stop shouting safety and whispering health. I'd love to see the industry change to a five-day work week. It will bring more people into the industry, including more women, and make it more sustainable. All of those things are good.

Rebecca Wark, Chief Executive - Health Infrastructure:
The driver for me personally is making sure that we send every worker home safe every day. 
Suicide rates in the construction industry are tragically high.

Stephen Surjan, Heard of Operations - Roberts Co:
The more companies that adopt this approach, the more people will get used to it, and it will become part of what we do and how we do it over time.

Justin Miller, Subcontractor - Fredon:
I've got three young boys, and for most of their lives, I've never been able to watch them play sport on a Saturday morning because I've been at work. Last year was the first year I got to watch my kids play sport every Saturday, which was amazing."

Sosiua Vehikite, Subcontractor - BKH:
I've got three kids, I have them on my hard hat. The last thing I want to see before I put my hard hat on. The reason why I'm here. So, yeah...and that's it.

Sosiua Vehikite and Family, Subcontractor, BKH:
So, I guess a five-day work week would mean we get to spend more time with him.

Rebecca Wark:
We know that mental health is now so important and part of construction safety and worker safety. I'd like to think that through this, we can prove that a five-day week is successful, it's not more costly, it is efficient. It's not costing the program, and that we can make it business as usual for the construction industry of the future."

[Music]

Culture Standard: prioritising worker wellbeing

Health Infrastructure also participated in a major study by the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce in partnership with RMIT University to support the development of an industry-wide Culture Standard to prioritise worker wellbeing, work-life balance and diversity.

The study piloted elements of the Culture Standard on five government projects, include the Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre project at Randwick.

To learn more about the development of the Culture Standard visit the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce website.  

Gender diversity in construction helps improve worksite culture and behaviours, promotes fresh ideas and helps alleviate skill shortages. 

Health Infrastructure is working with the NSW Government’s Women in Construction Program and a range of principal contractors to attract, upskill and retain female employees.

Several major sites have dedicated Women in Construction officers, including:

• John Hunter Health & Innovation Precinct
• Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct
• Randwick Campus Redevelopment
• Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Redevelopment
• Ryde Hospital Redevelopment
• Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital Redevelopment
• St George Hospital Redevelopment – Stage 3
• The Children’s Hospital at Westmead – Stage 2 Redevelopment

For more information visit NSW Women in Construction.

Hard Work Knows No Gender

Health Infrastructure is supporting the rollout of the NSW Government’s Hard Work Knows No Gender campaign across Health Infrastructure sites in NSW.

Explore the experiences of several women involved in health projects who shared their perspectives on why they view construction as a compelling and rewarding career path.

Health Infrastructure is actively seeking opportunities to simplify and streamline the capital delivery process. 

The NSW Government's amendments in December 2024 to Part 5 planning rules enable Health Infrastructure to self-assess more projects and minimise planning determination time. 

This is done in line with Health Infrastructure's rigorous Design Assurance Process and guided by the Design Guide for Health, developed in partnership between the NSW Government Architect and Health Infrastructure. 

In addition, Health Infrastructure is implementing a design standardisation program that provides a suite of standardised catalogues and guidance notes to facilitate the selection of commonly used design elements. 

This will enable health facilities to be more sustainable, efficient, safe and consistent in quality across NSW.

Health Infrastructure is embedding electrification, energy efficiency and innovative waste management in our capital projects. 

This is in line with the NSW Government environmental policy and legislation targeting Net Zero goals to 2050. 

Find out how NSW Health is getting to net zero and learn more about Health Infrastructure's sustainability priorities and case studies on the strategy page.