Time Management Strategies for Construction Work on Site by Contractor during Pandemic

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Malaysian government implemented a Movement Control Order (MCO), mandating that all enterprises function remotely. However, the construction industry requires hands-on and on-site work, particularly for contractors. On May 4, 2020, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) permitted several industries, including the construction sector, to resume work by following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on MITI and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) guidance to ensure projects were safe to recommence. The implementation of SOPs at construction sites has added increased pressure, particularly on contractors, concerning managing work progress, such as time management, where productivity is restrained. This study aims to develop comprehensive strategies for contractors in terms of time management to ensure on-site construction work delivery within the specific time stated in the contract. Its objective is to ascertain the procedures employed by contractors managing construction work time on-site during the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia, identify the challenges faced, and develop comprehensive strategies for contractors' time management for construction work at the construction site during the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia. The study was conducted via literature review and questionnaire surveys. The research findings provide knowledge to the construction industry, particularly contractors, about time management for site work and provide available strategies to overcome challenges faced during construction work during the Covid-19 pandemic. Keywords: Construction work, COVID-19 Pandemic, On-site, Strategies, Time management.