The impact of actual payment and preferred payment of construction labourers on labour productivity

Abstract

Labour productivity is one of those core factors that need to be well-thought-out in order to achieve a successful construction project. Softer factors such as undesired wage payment to the construction labourers have a significant impact on labour productivity. Payment of construction labourers and labour productivity has a positive correlation and therefore a decent payment to the construction labourers can result to an effective performance of the overall project. This research studied the impact of “actual and preferred payments” of construction labourers on labour productivity at construction sites. The research was mainly investigating the current modes of payment, determining the “actual and preferred payments” of the construction labourers with an intention to establish the variance in the effects of the two on labour productivity. The research is a mixed study of extensive literature review on how payment of construction labourers affects labour productivity. Primary data was obtained using questionnaires from a random sample of sixty-five (65) ongoing construction sites. The analysis of the study was prepared and presented using Microsoft word and Microsoft excel where by the “actual and preferred” payments of construction labourers were attained and the variance in their effects on labour productivity were evaluated. This study hence recommended that every employer and/or contractor should pay their labourer wages per day. The study also suggested that the contractors should study the productivity of each worker to make sure that there is a difference between the “actual and preferred payments” and also adhere to provisions within payment-related legislation and contract forms.