Moyo, T; Crafford, G and Emuze, F (2021) People-centred management for improving construction workers' productivity in Zimbabwe. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 11(2), pp. 350-368. ISSN 2044-124X
Abstract
While operational factors reduce construction workers' productivity in Zimbabwe, the impact of the people-centred management aspects has not been empirically interrogated as a remedy. This article reports on a study that sought to determine significant people-centred management aspects that lead to improved labour productivity and assesses the existence of statistically significant differences due to the demographic variables of respondents. Demographic-specific strategies that enhance construction "workers" productivity were revealed. The survey research design using a self-administered questionnaire was deployed to collect the primary data. The design followed a positivist paradigm to evaluate objectively how people-centred management affects construction workers' productivity. The statistical data were descriptively and inferentially analysed. People-centred management was determined to be significant in improving construction workers' productivity, with the most significant aspect being the building of employee confidence in related approaches. Designations and educational levels mostly indicated a statistically significant difference in several aspects that included the adoption of a functional reward culture for workers and training on people-centred principles. Training on-site management and construction workers in people-centred management and its application are crucial to improving construction workers' productivity. Construction companies should drastically improve their concern for people while they sustain a high concern for production within their construction sites. Although several factors affect construction workers' productivity, this study determined that management-related factors and people-centred management were significant towards influencing low productivity in Zimbabwe. The study determined people-centred management and demographic-specific interventions as being able to improve construction workers' productivity in Zimbabwe.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | labour; productivity; Zimbabwe; communication; gender; leadership; developing countries; demography; training; statistical analysis; construction sites; labor standards; labor productivity |
| Index terms: | labour standard, construction worker, questionnaire, labour productivity, Zimbabwe, site management, paradigm, demographic variable, survey, construction company, statistical analysis, research design, demography, construction site, strategy, productivity, developing country |
| Subjects: | work location, construction operations, data science, research design and methodology, organization, data collection methods, practitioner, demography, education and knowledge transfer, management, professional development, development economics, Geography |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Geographical Context, Information Management, Business Strategy, Roles and Professions, International Construction, Urban Studies, Site Management |
| 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