Effects of Project-Related Factors on Construction Labour Productivity in Bayelsa State of Nigeria

Abstract

Construction labour productivity has continued to be researched into because of its importance in nations’ economy. This study assesses and compares the relative effects of project-related factors on construction labour productivity in Bayelsa State of Nigeria from the perspectives of building craftsmen and project supervisors/engineers. A field survey involving a stratified random sample of 146 building craftsmen and 81 project supervisors/engineers was conducted. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using Mean Item Score and Mann-Whitney U-test. The result shows that there is no significant difference between building craftsmen’ and project supervisors’/engineers’ perceptions of the relative effects of project-related factors on construction labour productivity (p = 0.646 > 0.05). In addition, the selected project team members ranked specification and standardisation, availability of material, project goals and milestones, high quality of required works and availability of drawings as the first five significant project-related factors affecting construction labour productivity respectively. The study therefore, recommends that construction managers should make more explicit project
specifications; address the effects of availability of materials, high quality of required works and nonavailability of project documents on construction labour productivity with clients and motivate craftsmen with realisable goals and milestones.

Keywords: Construction, craftsmen, effects, labour, factors, productivity