Management Behaviour towards Operatives on Construction Sites and Its Effects on Production

Abstract

Over the years, the construction industry has given much attention to aesthetics, the use of materials, technological developments and impacts of buildings on the external environment. However, how human resource are organized and managed for effective production, has received flimsy attention. Owning to economic and social pressures, there is a tendency for many management decisions in large companies to no longer be the prerogative of individual but then collective opinion of all the people concern. In other words, the direct effort of all the stakeholders of a project will leads to achieving the set goals. The research aimed at investigating into problems associated with management behaviour towards operatives on construction sites and its effects on production. Both primary data and secondary information were used as the basis for the research in addition to direct field observation. A total of one thousand operatives from ten construction firms were selected. Sample size of fourteen percent of the population undertaking projects within the Cape Coast Metropolis were chosen and distributed with closed ended questionnaires. The findings revealed that operatives on construction sites labelled their superiors as not being friendly and easily approachable. With regards to human relations between management and operatives on construction site, there were indicators that managers have not properly assessed the way they relate to operatives on site. Recommendations to help improve leadership styles in relation to operatives and their motivations suggest that, managers should take personal interest for the needs of their employees and accept individual differences amongst members of staff. Leadership styles employed on construction site must be such that operatives’ suggestions and contributions are valid.