Enhancing Productivity in Construction Trades in Labour-Intensive Construction Projects

Purpose: The study sought to investigate the factors impacting productivity in labour-intensive construction projects, focusing on bricklaying and concreting in Zambia. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopted structured interviews and a questionnaire to collect data for the dependent and independent variables. The independent variables were project-related, management-related, labour-related and industry-related factors, while labour productivity was the dependent variable. 150 sets of questionnaire were administered to stakeholders in the construction industry, and a response rate of 81% was obtained. The primary data was evaluated for validity and reliability and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software. The analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between the factors of the independent variables and the dependent variable. Findings: The data analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between factors of the independent variables and the dependent variable. Among the research findings were the 36 key factors affecting productivity identified from the literature review and grouped as project-related, management-related, labour-related and industry-related. The extent of the impact of each factor on construction labour productivity was also established using descriptive statistics. The management and project-related factors were found to have the highest impact on workers’ productivity. Research Limitation: The study was limited to bricklaying and concreting trades. Other trades must be examined to check if the results are similar. Practical Implication: Manpower planning and human resource management help improve the workforce's efficiency, thereby substantially increasing the number of youth and adults with relevant technical and vocational skills. Social Implication: Labour productivity helps create meaningful employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Originality/Value: The study sought to identify the factors impacting productivity in labour-intensive construction projects, explore the most critical variables and develop a model to improve construction output and build capacity.