Building Employee Resilience in Extreme-Environment Construction Projects: A Paradoxical Perspective

Construction employees in extreme environments face demanding tasks, harsh natural conditions, spatial isolation, and safety-critical coordination. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources model and the challenge-hindrance framework, this study examines how work stressors are associated with employee resilience in extreme-environment construction projects. Survey data were obtained from 235 project employees at high-altitude sites in western China. Regression-based conditional process analysis estimated direct, indirect, and moderated associations, while fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) examined the configurational patterns linked to high resilience. Challenge stressors were positively associated with resilience, whereas hindrance stressors were negatively associated with resilience. Psychological safety statistically accounted for part of both associations. Perceived digital safety support strengthened the positive challenge-stressor association with psychological safety and the negative hindrance–stressor association with psychological safety. The fsQCA analysis identified three near-threshold patterns associated with high resilience, but the overall solution consistency was 0.7966 and should be interpreted cautiously. The results suggest that project organizations should preserve manageable challenges, reduce avoidable hindrances, support psychologically safe communication, and ensure that digital safety systems provide practical assistance. These findings primarily concern technical and managerial project employees and do not establish causal effects or intervention efficacy.