Impact of technologies towards addressing stress-related problems among practicing quantity surveyors in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Construction operates under tight time constraints and deadlines and this worsens the stress situation in the construction industry. Stress is a condition or feeling experienced when an individual perceives demands exceed personal and social resources the individual can mobilize. According to studies, a large percentage of workers are experiencing unacceptably high levels of stress at work, and the impact on productivity levels cannot be overstated. Construction projects are notorious for being complex and involving tangled work connections, making this a difficult sector for all involved. Quantity surveying is one of the professional practices subject to the stressing situations in the construction industry. Therefore, with the ultimate goal of improving the performance of quantity surveyors in the industry, this study focuses on the impact of technologies on addressing stress-related problems among practicing quantity surveyors and the goal is to proffer solutions for reducing/eliminating stress/stressors in the profession. Primary data were collected through the administration of questionnaires to quantity surveyors (QSs). The total pollution was one thousand one hundred and thirty-five (1135). After using AusVet Animal Health Service formula a total of one hundred and nine (109) respondents were gotten and questionnaires were administered using the convenience sampling technique; seventy-eight (78) of them were returned and found suitable for analysis, representing a response rate of approximately 71%. The data collected were analyzed using Percentiles, Mean Item Score, and Kruskall-Wallis. The result shows that Mobile phones, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Smartwatches, Strap/band/patch, Wearable Sensors, and Virtual Reality (VR) are the most available technology for reducing stress levels among quantity surveyors. Kruskall-Wallis test was to identify the significant difference and it revealed that six (6) variables are significantly different while others are not. The study concludes that the availability and use of these technologies can help to reduce and identify the stress level imposed on quantity surveyors. Based on the findings, the study recommends that construction organizations or companies should ensure some of these technological tools are made available to quantity surveyors to ensure the stress level is well managed or prevented. Quantity surveyors should also try as much as possible to get (affordable ones) any of the available technologies to help themselves achieve better results. The study was limited to quantity surveyors in Lagos State; further research can also appraise the stress among other construction professionals and identify the available technologies for stress management.