Improving Labour Productivity in Construction Industries

Abstract

Construction productivity has become such a buzz word and one of the most frequently researched topics. In most countries, labour cost comprises 30 to 50% of the overall project’s cost, and thus is regarded as a true reflection of the economic success of the operation. There are many challenges facing the construction industry but one of the most important is low productivity. There are many challenges facing the construction industry in Kerala, but one of the most important, the writers debate, is low productivity. Despite all the technological advancements, abundance of construction materials, tools, and financial means available to local contractors, construction costs are constantly on the rise, completion durations of projects are substantially increasing, and most projects are significantly overrunning their budgets. The objective of this research, therefore, is to identify and rank the factors that affect the labour productivity on construction sites. To achieve this objective, a statistically representative sample of contractors was invited to participate in a structured questionnaire survey, comprising 30 productivity factors, classified under the following five primary groups: (1) manpower; (2) external; (3) communication; (4) resources and (5) miscellaneous. The main aim and objective of this study focuses on views from the construction industry about various factors affecting labour productivity, analyses factors affecting the labour productivity impact, and suggests appropriate measures that can be taken to improve labour productivity.