FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN THE UAE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Nabil Ailabouni1, Kassim Gidado2 and Noel Painting3

1 Research Student, School of the Environment, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 GJ, UK 2 School of the Environment, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 GJ, UK 3 School of the Environment, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 GJ, UK

E-mail: nfa1@bton.ac.uk

Abstract: Productivity of various trades in construction is the basis of arriving at estimates for time and cost required to complete a construction process. Productivity figures however vary from country to country, region to region, and from company to company. More specifically the factors affecting productivity could be related to how motivated the employee feels to do his work in the most efficient manner given a set of common conditions for him and his team.

This research paper therefore considers significant factors categorized broadly as general work environment, organizational work policies, group dynamics and interpersonal relationships and personal competence of the employees, as applicable in the Middle East region, especially the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the construction industry depends largely on foreign expatriate labour.

The broader research aims at utilizing further sub-factors within the broad categories above and developing an appropriate model that can be used to monitor, measure and enhance the trade specific productivity of the employees in the UAE. A significant saving potential exist in maximizing productivity of the employees contributing to the profit in each project, not mentioning the harmonized relations and overall high morale of the employee.

A survey was conducted amongst the different levels of personnel within the construction industry. A total of 238 responses were received and the various sub factors have been ranked in terms of importance index, frequency index and the combined severity index identifying the first 8 significant factors affecting the productivity in the construction industry in the UAE.

Keywords: construction, factors, productivity, performance measurement

1.0 INTRODUCTION The construction industry in UAE is a multibillion dollar industry, contributing approximately 20 % to the nations GDP. It is buoyed by high liquidity, high oil prices, stable political environment and availability of cheap labour from the Asian countries. (Gulf News, 26 Dec 2006). The fast and vast economic transformation has resulted in dramatic changes to the labour market which has affected the work, employers and employees in many ways. The result is that the labour market is subjected to influences from a variety of sources that are changing rapidly and drastically. The influences include different management styles, language barriers, customs, new currencies, availability of food materials, separation from families, level of supervisors, camp accommodations and so on. Such influences have direct impact on productivity rates.

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Productivity – achieving quantity and quality of results while controlling the inputs is therefore a key challenge for all contractors. Improved productivity will help contractors not only to be more efficient and profitable whilst executing the jobs, knowing actual productivity levels could also make the contractors more competitive whilst bidding for the projects. On the other hand, the shortages faced by the construction industry could be overcome by better productivity on site and utilization of available manpower resources. All contractors within the UAE face the same amount of constraints; same specifications apply and therefore the bottom line performance of contractors is influenced by how effective & well planned, the construction methods are, and whether the construction operatives work at optimal productivity. 2.0 RESEARCH AIM & OBJECTIVES For the sake of this paper the research is aimed at identifying the significant factors affecting productivity. It is worthwhile mentioning that - the overall research is still ongoing and only a part of the overall research is presented in this paper. The significant factors returned from this survey will then be varied during the ongoing research to determine the combination or a model which will give increased productivity. 3.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE UAE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The UAE Construction industry is made up of a mix of different nationalities, common to the overall Gulf region and has the following characteristics. a) Demographic Influences: The UAE population is relatively low compared to the influx of foreign workers in UAE, especially in the construction industry. Expatriate workers make up approximately 90% of the UAE labour force, with 98% of the workforce in the private sector. The total labour force is more than 3.3 million and this is dominated by foreign workers, especially from the Asian countries. b) Diverse Background / Culture Differences

The labour force from these countries have a varied background in terms of culture, education, family background, and individual cases of the need to work overseas to care for specific requirements back home. Some are skilled, some are semi skilled; some have GULF experience, some do not. Productivity from a set of people with similar background also varies.

c) No organized unions or agreed productivity rates

UAE law does not allow organized unions for workmen, nor has statistics on standard productivity rates, except for some surveys on National Workplace Employment Relations (2001). Each contractor has his own experience and database to go by.

d) Environmental Conditions

The UAE has a hot humid climate with temperatures reaching upto 45-47 degrees centigrade and relative humidity, varying from 40 -80 and in some cases upto 95%.

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The UAE Labour Law stipulates midday break from 12.30 -3.30 pm during the hottest months of July and August every year.

e) Living Conditions

Most of the workmen are housed in labour camps 8 to a room with / without cooking facilities. It is common to find that monthly salaries are retained for upto two months for workmen by most of the contractors. Most workmen go on leave once every two years. High inflation and cost of transport limits their ability to shop and move around. f) Sponsorship Laws

UAE Labour laws does not allow free movement of labour, except for some exempt categories such as Engineers, Doctors, Qualified Accountants, etc. that too only after they have served at least one year with the current sponsor. g) Cheap Labour & Short Term Focus

Compared to the liquidity in the region; and the value of the contracts / construction projects, the cost of labour is relatively cheap. This sometimes stifles productivity as contractors would rather push in more people and get the job completed rather than go in to the hassles of increasing productivity. Also most of the projects are of 1½ to 2 years duration; workmen allocated to the project are new / from other sites and teams are formed new.

4.0 FACTORS AFFECTING PERFORMANCE OF

CONSTRUCTION OPERATIVES The list of probable factors affecting productivity as identified below is derived from previous literature as referenced herein and from the author’s experience of controlling / managing multiple projects of varying nature and price and the collection of theoretical considerations by numerous authors on organizational behaviour. These are grouped and discussed further as below. • Environmental envelope which includes factors and parameters • Organization work policies which include factors • Group / Team Dynamics & Interpersonal Relationships • Personal Factors 4.1 Environmental Envelope 4.1.1 Work timings and working hours A balance is presumed to exist between the paid work that employees perform and the lives that they hold outside their job. (Sparrow, 2003, pg. 215). R. Tyler in his book the Future of Work Life Balance (Tyler, 2002, pg. 217) states that the word “balance” implies the existence of a settled equilibrium that can be achievable between paid employment and a life outside the job. A proper balance of work timings and work hours sets minds at rest and enable people to perform better. 4.1.2 Safety and job security Safety and security are among the basic requirements and needs of human beings. Once the basic physiological needs are relatively well gratified, then according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a new set of needs emerge, which we may categorize

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roughly as the safety needs (Maslow, 1987, pg. 18). Much of the management of job security lies in the hands of the management, especially building confidence about the future expectations of employment security and promoting progressive human resources policies and practices (Guest, 2000, pg. 144). 4.1.3 Welfare schemes Welfare schemes are one of many mechanisms that control the relationship between employees and organizations. They help in creating a sense of belonging and the fact that you are well looked after. 4.1.4 Appraisal schemes While appraisal schemes are basically beneficial to organizations to enable the management to reward able employees or improve their work conditions, they are equally important to the employee since – if carried out properly – would give him the assurance of fair treatment and an opportunity to improve upon his weak areas. At the individual level the most important factor to employee would be the perception of fairness and the desire for equity (Rosinski, 2003, pg. 202). 4.1.5 Company Brand Name The knowledge that you are working for a good company and a return acknowledgement from your associates and friends motivates an individual to do his best. In short that is his contribution to the company. 4.1.6 Timely Payment of Salaries The prospect of being paid monthly – rather a known source of income rests one’s mind about the ability to fulfil his and his family’s needs at the right time. This factor is pertinent in UAE as some of the contractors do not pay on time and have arrears of more than 4-6 months at a time. Unfortunately, although not legal, some companies still retain a two month salary from the workmen and pay off all dues before the workman departs for his leave. 4.1.7 Overall Well Being of the company Similar to the brand image, if all is well with the company, and if this information is communicated and known amongst the workforce, a contagious sense of overall well being is felt by the employees. 4.2 Organization Work Policies 4.2.1 Discipline/hierarchy order Discipline represents the abidance by statutory rules and regulations of the work, this means following up general company’s policy or directives from superiors. Although discipline and hierarchy order are two different entities, yet they are very much inter linked. It helps put plans into actions and ensures accountability down the ranks and vice versa. However this could stifle creativity and block a worker from doing a thing more efficiently if he has to only follow instruction! 4.2.2 Delegation It is broadly accepted that delegation leads to success and proper expansion of organizations. Organizations that are sized according to one man capabilities remain limited regardless of the abilities of that man or his dormant team members (Rosinski, 2003, pg 120), where as, a hierarchal orientation can lend itself to the making of

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unilateral decisions and efficiency in dealing with a crisis situation, delegation orientation will naturally cause managers to foster team work and an individual sense of autonomy and responsibility. 4.2.3 Reward Schemes Reward schemes play an important role in employee’s performance and achievement of the feel of care and fair treatment. The role of organization justice in the reward given to employees plays an important fact in employee /organization relationship. It lends better to the employee’s perception of fair or unfair treatment and subsequent work behaviour and performance (Sparrow, 2003, pg. 96). 4.2.4 Competencies of supervisors/seniors/managers In many cases superiors represent the example to be followed by the subordinates or give an example to the degree of achievement one can reach. The degree of competence of the supervisors and managers shape in many ways the employees performance whether positive or negative. Most of the professionals at all levels tend to be unenthusiastic about being managed. They prefer to do things their own way without reference to the ideas and view of colleagues (Smith, 2004, pg 7). Much depends on the competencies of supervisors/ seniors/managers in improving the employee’s performance by advising how to achieve the goals and setting the example. Moreover a good effective supervisor will know the team members strength and weakness and using this knowledge to get the best out of his team. 4.2.5 Management involvement and awareness. Management involvement and awareness can be constructive or destructive at the same time, depending on the degree and type of involvement. It plays a constructive role if played to exhibit commitment and care about the organization and the employee, yet can be destructive if played in such a way to imprison initiative, creativeness and new methods of operation without proper communication. 4.3 Interpersonal Relationships/Groups/Teams 4.3.1 Group/Team structure. Working in a group or team does not mean over shadowing individual or personal skills but rather enhancing them by integrating them with other individuals’ skills. A work group is two or more people in a work setting with a common goal (Gordon, 1999, pg 165). There is a subtle, yet distinctive difference between a group and a team. When a work group emphasizes collaboration to achieve its stated goals, then it becomes a team. 4.3.2 Individual skills (talents) Individual capability (talents) and individual engagement (heart and mind) is now becoming a key differentiator for many organizations in the effectiveness of the employment relationship (Sparrow, 2003, pg 155). However Maslow says it is important to distinguish between special talent creativeness and self actualizing creativeness (Maslow, 1987, pg 160) 4.3.3 Nature of work/assignment The nature of the job and type of assignment given to an employee has much to do with his performance. Dewey (1939) and Thorn Dike (1940) have stressed one important aspect of motivation that has been completely neglected by most

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psychologists, namely possibility. On the whole, we yearn consciously for that which might conceivably be actually attained (as in Maslow, 1987, pg. 12). Therefore setting realistic attainable targets is important. 4.3.4 Demography of team / nationalities The Asian workforce within the company comes from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh – i.e. countries which have fought wars with each other. Although there is no real life animosity between common people, there are subtle overtures, remarks, comments which antagonize people at work and this could be a factor which could influence behaviour and performance at work. 4.3.4 Current Wars or Political Situations As in 3.3.3 above, if there is an ongoing war between countries, workmen from those countries are prone to discussions, analysis and comments. This does not bore well for their mental state and in turn productivity. 4.4 Personal Factors 4.4.1 Level of academic achievements or education Level of academic achievement or education plays an important role in performance. It starts by giving the first and common ground for communication between people. Although academic level is important in employee’s performance yet it is not always a decisive factor on how well the employee performs as experience together with accumulated training, together determines competence of an individual. 4.4.2 Past experience Professional service firms with a good record for taking able people usually place a higher value on basic ability and attitude of mind than on specific technical skills (Smith, 2004, pg. 166). However, this does not undermine at all the past experience of the employee which involves knowledge, skills, practice and situational familiarity. 4.4.3 Age Age plays an important role in performance. Generally speaking there is a direct relationship between age and performance, assuming that we learn something every day and become more experienced every day. However, we must note that with some specific jobs that need physical attributes the performance is generally inversely related to age. Age also inhibits ambition and could make man complacent. 4.4.4 Individual culture Because of the socio-economic conditions in certain countries or environment conditions, we note that some people are more knowledgeable, fit or experienced for certain type of work than others. Here in the UAE we have Indians from say Punjab area being good carpenters and masons and heavy duty operators. Most of the drivers in the company are Pakistanis. 4.4.5 Motivation Human beings have an innate tendency to move towards higher levels of health, creativity and self fulfilment. Business efficiency and personal growth are not incompatible. In fact, the process of self-actualization leads each individual to the highest level of efficiency. Performance is goal oriented, this means that individuals are motivated to perform. The level of motivation therefore differs in individuals and

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affects productivity. Moreover, motivation is not related to the nature of the individual only, but also related to the situation or environment in which the individual finds himself (Friday, 2003). 4.5 Significant Factors Affecting Productivity Results of Pilot Survey Whilst it is possible that all factors somehow contribute to productivity at different levels of significance, some of the factors are more significant than the others. The construction industry players consist of:- a) Clients - Major Property Developers / Oil Companies / Private Owners b) Consultants also called as Engineers c) Contractors – of different categorizations from the Town Planning Department d) Subcontractors – specialist trades As a first point of research, we intend to narrow down the significant factors affecting performance. A questionnaire, ref. Annexure 1 - was designed which was sent to different levels of personnel amongst the players identified above. Efforts are still on to secure at least 50% response to the survey by personal interviews, telephone conversations and email follow up from the targeted respondees. See table 1 below. Table 1: Survey Response Reckoner   CEO / Sr. 

Management 

Project 

Managers 

Sr. 

Engineers 

Foremen / 

Chargehands 

Operatives 

Clients x 5  X 2  X 2  X 3  ‐  ‐ 

Consultants x 5  X 2  X 2  X 3  X 3  X 5 

Contractors x 5  X 2  X 2  X 3  X 3  X 5 

Subcontractors x 5  X 2  X 2  X 3  X 3  X 5 

= 20  8  8  12  9  15 

= 20  = 52 = 1040 responses 

However, for the sake of this paper and as a means to test out the questionnaire, a pilot study was conducted amongst selected company employees and similar levels from other contractors. Results from this pilot study are being reported in this paper. Following this pilot study, a detailed survey has been planned to include a cross section of all interested parties – clients, contractors, subcontractors together with different levels of personnel involved as depicted in table 1 above. These questions asked were related to the four groups identified at the start of this section earlier namely - • Environmental Envelope • Organization Work Policies • Group / Team Dynamics and Interpersonal Relationships • Personal Employee Factors

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Following formulas have been used to determine the importance index, frequency index and severity index. (Kadir, et, al, 2005, pg 47)

Importance 

Index  =   

5n1 + 4n2 + 3n3 + 2n4 + n5  

      5(n1 + n2 + n3 + n4 + n5) 

Frequency Index  =  3m1 + 2m2 + m3  

      3(m1 + m2 + m3) Severity Index   =  Importance Index x Frequency Index 

                  Where, n1 = number of responses for “Very Important” degree of importance n2 = number of responses for “Important” degree of importance

n3 = number of responses for “Neutral” degree of importance n4 = number of responses for “Not Important” degree of importance n5 = number of responses for “Strongly Not Important” degree of importance, and n1, n2, n3, n4, and n5 each have a weight of 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 respectively.

And, m1 = number of responses for “High” frequency of occurrence m2 = number of responses for “Medium” frequency of occurrence

m3 = number of responses for “Low” frequency of occurrence, and m1, m2, m3 each have a weight of 3, 2 and 1 respectively.

Table 2: Significant Factors Affecting Productivity (First 8 within groups)

Significant Factors – First 8 within groups 

Ref. No. 

Category   Probable Factors affecting productivity Importance 

Index Frequency 

Index 

Rank (Severity Index) 

1 

Enviro

nmen

tal F

acto

rs 

Proper Work Timings giving a balance between work and recreation and time with family  

0.9025  0.7339  0.6624 

2  Salaries on time   0.8496  0.7507  0.6378 3  Reasonably well paying job   0.8462  0.7465  0.6317 4  Safe Secured Job   0.8412  0.7479  0.6291 

5  A job where your voice is heard and experience is valued  

0.8361  0.7297  0.6101 

6  Employee Welfare oriented schemes ? Health, Recreation, Vacation 

0.8361  0.7101  0.5937 

7  Appraisals where improvements needed are identified  

0.8067  0.7269  0.5864 

8  Free and Frank Two Sided Performance Appraisals  

0.8202  0.7087  0.5812 

  1 

Organ

izationa

l Fac

tors 

Leadership Skills of supervisors   0.8437  0.7619  0.6428 

2 Transparency and Accountability of each level of management   0.8555  0.7283  0.6230 

3 Overtime Paid for work done beyond normal Working hours   0.8353  0.7381  0.6165 

4  Materials available on time   0.8580  0.7185  0.6165 

5 Defined policies and procedures by management  

0.8185  0.7521  0.6156 

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6  Competence of supervisors  0.8244  0.7451  0.6142 

7 Systematic method statements / procedures in place and known? 

0.8345  0.7353  0.6136 

8  Setting of goals and targets  0.8496  0.7115  0.6045 

  1 

Gro

up Dyn

amics 

Individual or Personal Skills   0.8050  0.7633  0.6145 2  Knowledge of Work  0.8261  0.7423  0.6132 3  Overall Work Group / Team Skills   0.8126  0.7395  0.6009 4  Self Initiative and Competence   0.8118  0.7157  0.5810 5  Reasonable / Achievable targets given  0.7975  0.6961  0.5551 6  Nature of work given  0.7815  0.7059  0.5517 7  Frequent changes in teams   0.7412  0.7129  0.5284 8  Frequent changes in work allocation   0.7496  0.6961  0.5218 

  1 

Person

al Fac

tors 

Technical qualified / educated for the trade   0.8437  0.7507  0.6334 2  Attitude of person   0.8210  0.7255  0.5956 3  Overall appreciation of ones work  0.8303  0.7101  0.5895 4  Previous Experience   0.8143  0.7199  0.5862 5  Overall job satisfaction   0.8017  0.7269  0.5827 6  Accumulated Training   0.8151  0.7087  0.5777 7  Motivation of the Operative   0.7849  0.7269  0.5705 8  Overall appreciation of ones work   0.8925  0.7164  0.6394 

Results / Analysis of Pilot Study Following is a summary of the results from the pilot study.

Total Questionnaires sent   =  500 Medium        =  hard copies Follow Up Medium    =  telephone /personal interviews / email Time taken to respond    =  1 month Total Responses Received  =  238 % Response      =  48% 

Significant Factors Analysis

Table 2 returns the results of the overall pilot study. The factors have been sorted for ranks within the group for identifying the most significant of the group. As the rank scores differed within each group, it was difficult to put a threshold value; so the first 8 within each group have been retained in the table. Table 2 has been reproduced as a matrix below for comparisons within the groups.

Environmental 

Factors Organizational 

Factors Group Factors  Personal Factors 

1  Proper Work Timings giving a balance between work and recreation and time with family  

Leadership Skills of supervisors  

Individual or Personal Skills  

Technical qualified / educated for the trade  

2 Salaries on time  

Transparency and Accountability of each level of management  

Knowledge of Work  Attitude of person  

3  Reasonably well paying  Overtime Paid for  Overall Work Group /  Overall appreciation 

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job   work done beyond normal Working hours  

Team Skills   of ones work 

4  Safe Secured Job   Materials available on time  

Self Initiative and Competence  

Previous Experience  

5  A job where your voice is heard and experience is valued  

Defined policies and procedures by management  

Reasonable / Achievable targets given 

Overall job satisfaction  

6 Employee Welfare oriented schemes ? Health, Recreation, Vacation 

Competence of supervisors 

Nature of work given  Accumulated Training  

7  Appraisals where improvements needed are identified  

Systematic method statements / procedures in place and known? 

Frequent changes in teams  

Motivation of the Operative  

8 Free and Frank Two Sided Performance Appraisals  

Setting of goals and targets 

Frequent changes in work allocation  

Overall appreciation of ones work  

Thus the most significant amongst each of the groups are:- Work Timings (Environmental Factor) Leadership Skills of Supervisors (Organizational Factor) Individual or Personal Skills (Group Factor) Technical Qualifications for the trade (Personal Factor) This is followed by the second set of factors such as Salaries on Time (Environmental Factor) Transparency & Accountability of Management (Organizational Factor) Knowledge of Person (Group Factor) Attitude of the Person (Personal Factor) Thus the most significant factors affecting productivity is related to the players involved – the supervisors and their leadership skills, the workmen themselves – their competency and attitude, work timings and whether salaries are paid on time and how transparent and accountable the management is. Other factors within the environmental envelop affecting productivity are related to whether the workman is paid well, feels a sense of security and feels appreciated and effective appraisals. Organizational factors also include whether overtime is paid, whether materials are made available, known management policies, procedures and method statements, set goals and targets, how competent the supervisors are and whether goals are set. Group factors also include the team skills, self initiative, achievable targets, nature of work, whether teams are changed frequently and work allocation is disturbed.

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The personal factors further include overall appreciation of ones work, previous experience, overall job satisfaction, training, motivation and overall competence of the workman himself. The above discussion summarized the factors within groups – however when we assign the ranks and sort them out – the most significant factors with overall ranking are:-

No Probable Factor affecting productivity 

Importance Index 

Frequency Index  

Rank 

1 Proper Work Timings giving a balance between work and recreation and time with family 

0.9025  0.7339  0.6624 

2  Leadership Skills of supervisors   0.8437  0.7619  0.6428 3  Salaries on time   0.8496  0.7507  0.6378 

4 Technical qualified / educated for the trade  

0.8437  0.7507  0.6334 

5  Reasonably well paying job   0.8462  0.7465  0.6317 6  Safe Secured Job   0.8412  0.7479  0.6291 

7 Transparency and Accountability of each level of management  

0.8555  0.7283  0.6230 

8 Overtime Paid for work done beyond normal Working hours  

0.8353  0.7381  0.6165 

9  Materials available on time   0.8580  0.7185  0.6165 

10 Defined policies and procedures by management  

0.8185  0.7521  0.6156 

11  Individual or Personal Skills   0.8050  0.7633  0.6145 12  Competence of supervisors    0.8244  0.7451  0.6142 

13 Systematic method statements / procedures in place and known 

0.8345  0.7353  0.6136 

14  Knowledge of Work  0.8261  0.7423  0.6132  These factors will then be used further within the study as variable parameters to see how the productivity is affected. On the other hand a review of the factors which did not return high rankings are also worth a mention – For example – political situation, high temperature / humidity or in general climate conditions scored low – giving a possible indication of the mindset of most of the expatriates in the UAE. Again on organizational front, contract system of getting a fixed volume of work in a day scored low as against what is normally practiced on the sites! Further financial and non financial incentives scored lowly compared to the systematic delegation of tasks and a demonstration of management commitment. On the group / team front, the cultural differences seem not to matter as is the nationality of the team members, structure and the language. Again on the personal front, the age of person, creativity, overall communal feeling and camp conditions seemed not to matter much in productivity.

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5.0 FUTURE RESEARCH The significant factors found from this survey are being utilized to formulate how a combination of these could affect productivity in the construction industry. Average productivity rates currently used by Target Engineering Construction Company are being used as a basis for comparison with specific productivity rates derived from data collection from the selected sites. Data collection is currently under progress. Following trades are being considered. Table 3: Site Teams & Activities

Trade Code  Trade Description 

1  Shuttering / Form Work) preparation and installation 

2  Rebar cutting and bending 

3  Concrete Casting 

4  Block Work 

5  Plaster Work 

6  Tiling (Ceramic, Terrazo, Marble) 

7  Excavation. 

The study is being carried out at current projects being executed at different site locations, varying the factor, then comparing the results and trying to find out the correlations. The different sites have been purposefully selected as each of them is unique in nature and productivity rates vary tremendously due to nature of client involvement, location – remote / city based and the workmen demography / competence levels will vary considerably. 6.0 CONCLUSIONS

Productivity of various trades in the construction industry are critical for an accurate estimation of the time and cost of a job. Having better productivity would mean optimal utilization of manpower resources; more accurate estimates of cost to build, better profits, high morale of employees and better relations between employer and employee. This is all the more important in UAE as the construction industry workforce come from a varied background, and different cultures and there is shortage of manpower.

Factors affecting productivity have been classified broadly as - Environmental Factors, Organizational Factors, Group Factors and Personal Factors. A pilot study has been conducted amongst the various levels of personnel from company and competitors giving weightage to each of the factors in terms of importance and frequency of occurrence. Ranks or severity index of each factors was then determined using the product of the importance index and the frequency index. The significant factors were established on the rank / severity index in descending order.

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The most significant factors in their order of ranking are proper work timings giving a balance between work and time for family, leadership skills of supervisors, technical qualifications, whether they are well paid or not and on time, security of job, transparency and accountability of management, payment of overtime, whether materials are available, procedures, policies, work method statements are available, an finally personal skills, competency of supervisors and knowledge of work on an individual level.

The overall study is still ongoing and the best combination of factors that will lead to

increased productivity will be determined in due course of time in the form of a model.

Further the study for significance itself could be limited by possible bias of the

company personnel and it is expected that as more responses come from non company sources, the results might change a little. 7.0 REFERENCES Bishop, D. (1968), Notes on Some Factors Affecting Productivity, Report of the Committee of Inquiry

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Gordon J. R. (1999) Organizational Behavior: A Diagnostic Approach

Graham, L D and Smith, S D (2004) A method for effectively implementing construction process productivity estimation models. In: Khosrowshahi, F (Ed.), 20th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2004, Heriot Watt University. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Vol. 2, 1043-52.

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