Factors Influencing Construction Labor Productivity in Egypt

Abstract

Construction is a labor-intensive industry. Therefore, construction labor productivity is of critical importance to the profitability of most construction projects. Many construction industry sectors have been experiencing chronic problems such as poor management, inferior working conditions, and insufficient quality. Many researchers have identified these problems as factors that affect construction productivity and will affect a company’s performance and the overall economy of the country. This paper aims to identify, investigate, and rank factors perceived to affect construction labor productivity in the Egyptian construction context with respect to their relative importance. To achieve this objective, practitioners and experts comprising a statistically representative sample were invited to participate in a structured questionnaire survey. The questionnaire comprised 30 productivity factors that were classified under the following three primary categories: (1) human/labor, (2) industrial, and (3) management. The management category was ranked first, followed by the labor category and the industrial category. This study revealed that the following five factors, ranked in descending order, are the most significant in their effects on construction labor productivity in Egypt: (1) labor experience and skills; (2) incentive programs; (3) availability of the material and ease of handling; (4) leadership and competency of construction management; and (5) competency of labor supervision. Industry practitioners and researchers can use the primary outcomes of this study in developing systems to enhance and improve construction labor productivity in Egypt. Also, this paper can serve as a guide for contractors and construction managers for the effective management of construction labor forces and help to achieve a competitive level of quality and a cost-effective project.