Jin, X H; Senaratne, S; Fu, Y and Tijani, B (2024) Tackling stress of project management practitioners in the Australian construction industry: the causes, effects and alleviation. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 31(10), pp. 4016-4041. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: The problem of stress is increasingly gaining attention in the construction industry in recent years. This study is aimed at examining the causes, effects and possible alleviation of stress of project management (PM) practitioners so that their stress could be appropriately managed and reduced, which would contribute to improved mental health. Design/methodology/approach: Primary data were collected in an online questionnaire survey via Qualtrics. Questions ranged from PM practitioners’ stressors, stress and performance under stress to stress alleviation tools and techniques. One hundred and five PM practitioners completed the questionnaire. Their responses were compiled and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression. Findings: The results confirmed that the identified stressors tended to increase stress of PM practitioners. All stressors tested in this study were found to have negative impact on the performance of PM practitioners. In particular, the burnout stressors were seen as the key stressors that influence the performance of PM practitioners and have a strong correlation with all the other stressors. It was also found that a number of tools and techniques can reduce the impact of stressors on PM practitioners. Originality/value: This study has taken a specific focus on stress-related issues of PM practitioners in the construction industry due to their critical role in this project-dominated industry. Using the Job Demand-Resource theory, a holistic examination was not only conducted on stress and stressors but also on alleviation tools and techniques. This study has thus made significant contribution to the ongoing research aimed at finding solutions to mental health-related problems in the project-dominated construction industry, thereby achieving the United Nations’ social sustainability development goals.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction safety; project management; questionnaire survey |
| Index terms: | United Nations, statistics, construction industry, project management, mental health, job demand, social sustainability, survey, burnout, stressors, construction safety, methodology, questionnaire, practitioner |
| Subjects: | institutional frameworks, mathematical modelling, data collection methods, practitioner, health conditions and diseases, occupational health and safety management, environmental health, communities and social development, industry analysis, research methods, management, project management theory and practice |
| Topics: | Human Resources, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Governance, Sustainability, Health and Safety, Project Management, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here