Abstract
The primary objective of this study was to investigate the rank importance or most significant motivating factors on construction employees in South-South Nigeria. The research method for the study included a literature review and field survey. A sample population was selected from the target location. The findings indicated that the construction workers’ top five (5) motivation factors were: leadership, supervisor’s loyalty to employees, good salary, goal- setting, and good working conditions. When compared with related research, it also indicated that what motivates workers the most to perform best on their job differs given the context in which they work. Other findings indicated that the motivation programs organized by employers in South-South Nigeria were good, and employees are motivated to do well in the workplace. Recommendations were given to increase the overall levels of motivation within the construction employees in South-South Nigeria.
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Employee motivation in the construction industry is vital to the future success of construction companies. This is because if the motivational factors/elements are properly administered, top management could avoid the low work performances and productivity that often emerge when employees are less motivated. Construction managers must realize that in order to motivate their employees they need to gain a better understanding of their employees and identify what motivates them. It is important to realize that people have different needs, goals and objectives and will act differently toward obtaining or achieving their goals or satisfying their need deficiencies.
Care and motivation of human resources is one of the major problems in the construction industry. However, motivation must come from within the individual (Zacarelli, 1985; Simons & Enz, 1995; Nicholson, 2003). According to Mills, et al (2006), work motivation is one of the most researched yet misunderstood concepts. It is a subject that has been researched time without number, but still has far more questions yet to be answered.
Why do construction companies need motivated workers? The answer is survival (Smith,
1994). Motivated workers help companies to survive especially where there is presence of competition. For the continued success of a construction company, motivated employees are very important. The issue of motivating workers is a continuous journey that companies need to undertake. Low motivation levels of employees reflect poorly on the overall impression of a company. Motivated employees on the other hand will ensure that the company flourishes. Increased motivation will result into a “feel good” factor spread throughout the company.
One of human resource manager’s functions is related to ensuring employees’ workplace motivation. Human resource management’s function is to assist the general manager in keeping the employees motivated with their jobs.
1.1 Background of the Study
The use of Human Resource Management (HRM) knowledge to improve productivity in the construction industry has become a common practice among top management all over the world. Top management discovered that motivated employees are more effective, quality- oriented and productive more than depressed employees. Major companies started employing Human Resource Management (HRM) systems to regulate their needs for workers to carry
out tasks. They started introducing voluntary programs for workers to increase their comfort and satisfaction. The government on the other hand, intervened by introducing some basic human rights and the work safety legislations.
According to Pinnington and Edwards (2000), Human Resource Management (HRM) became known as a ‘way of thinking about people’ in organizations. They explained that HRM was proposed as an alternative ‘personnel management’ which had since been used in organizations to simply employ workers and set goals in order to control employee performance and carrying out administrative arrangements to pay employee wages and record-keeping. The early usage of ‘personnel management’ was largely concerned on the technical aspects of hiring, evaluating, training, and compensating employees and in most organizations it was very much of “staff” function. The personnel management department had large responsibilities. It had the responsibility for the implementation of different social and work place safety programs. Everything was focused on the employee productivity and the regular productivity increments were the key measures for the employee management.
During this period, the workers’ unions evolved and introduced many improvements at no significant cost for the employer. With the workers’ unions, the employer got a strong partner to discuss with. Though, today, workers’ unions are not as strong as they were used to be, it is right to say that many organizations still benefit or suffer from a strong presence of workers’ unions in their establishments. The quality of services became the crucial competitive advantage. HRM became necessary because the structure of the workforce changed.
Human resource management (HRM) is broadly defined as a field of organizational activity and of course professional practice. HRM remains a complex entity and hard to understand fully, variously interpreted by practitioners and researchers (Sharon, et al., 2007). Garavan, et al. (2006) described HRM as an academic discipline that includes the development of knowledge and expertise, and the enhancement of performance. Werther Jr., et al. (1982) stated that Human Resource (HR) planning involves plans for future needs of employees, their required skills, acquisition of employees, and personnel development. According to Liu, et al. (2005), for modern HRM enterprise; a quality HR program, personnel examination, and HR appraisement are the three basic areas of concern.
HRM is global today, and its policies drives processes in different nations, but the processes produce comparable results. Human Resources became the real business partner which
contributes strongly to the achievement of the overall business targets. It is definitely the competitive advantage of the modern and innovative company. The strategies in managing the human resources navigate employers and employees, as the overall performance of the organization beats the competitors.
HRM includes: organizational planning, staff acquisition, and team development according to PMBOK (Project Management Book of Knowledge). Training and motivation are the two main parts of team/employees development practices (Duncan, 1996). Motivation in construction industry may be simply defined as the characteristic of a construction worker willing to expend effort towards a particular set of behaviors. Prakash and Jaya (2012) defined motivation as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals. Quiñones (1995) defined motivation as variability in behavior not attributable to stable individual differences (for example, cognitive ability) or strong situational coercion. Tabassi, et al. (2011) explained this in his research paper to mean that motivation is a characteristic of an individual willing to expend efforts toward a particular set of behavior. It is important to note that each construction worker has different needs; therefore, the key to motivating employees is to find proper ways to satisfy their needs. This research focuses on determining the most significant motivating factors and identifying the rank importance of the motivating factors, to employ in construction project environments, in South-South Nigeria, to improve employees’ productivity and wellbeing.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In most of Nigerian construction industries today, work performance and productivity of employees are far below expectation. Motivating construction workers is one of the more challenging, but important roles of employers at any level of a construction project. The inherent problem the researcher has identified is that many employers have attempted several different incentive programs to motivate their employees, yet they have not been successful for everyone in the construction industry. This is a major problem faced by employers these days, due to the fact that each employer’s organization is founded on the strength of its employees’ performance. Ultimately, top management cannot compel employees to be productive and quality-oriented.
In South-South Nigeria, motivational problems lead to job performance issues which cost construction firms millions of naira losses each year. Another problem faced by construction industries is lack of proper training and development programs. As a result, employees may
not be motivated to become productive or quality-oriented in their assigned work package(s) due to lack of necessary skills. A lack of good motivation whether of individual team worker or with the team as a whole can create major problems for the company. Ineffective methods of motivation can lead to workers’ completion of work with simple but costly mistakes. Lacking self-confidence, the worker may be unable to form good work relationship or assert himself, which are important if the worker is to be successful in the workplace. Lack of work interest, appreciation of work done or job security can lead to decreased motivation, and hence failure to accomplish a goal. It is quite unfortunate that many employers do not have the right knowledge in terms of most or effective motivational strategies and training to boost work interest and appreciate work done among the employees. It is known that employees do not always receive benefits and perks especially when the extra work done by them is not recognized and not rewarded. Getting to know your employees and understanding what drives each one helps employers create an effective motivating and adequate training environment for them.
Questions may arise; are employers using the most significant motivational factors or strategies to motivate employees in construction companies in South-South Nigeria? Do they mobilize the needed and approved resources within the HRM to improve employees’ productivity in the workplace? Do they have the proper rank importance of the motivating factors to employ in enhancing employees’ performance in South-South Nigeria? Are these employees motivated at all?
1.3 Purpose/Objectives of the Study
The motivation of employees has become important for construction companies’ success and professional well-being of employees. In order to motivate employees, human resource managers/top management should take proper cognizance of the needs of employees so as to develop effective motivational strategies.
The primary objectives of the study is to determine the most significant motivational factors or strategies employers should use to effectively motivate employees in South-South Nigeria to enhance higher productivity, improve employee performance, and of course good construction work. This research would help many top managers, human resource managers and construction project supervisors in South-South Nigeria to identify the things that they need to do and also understand what new strategies they could implement in order to
successfully motivate their employees to perform at their best and to achieve optimal business results.
It is evident that there is a need for this research because of the many construction industries that are constantly spending money in various ways to increase employee motivation.
Specifically, the study objectives are:
1. To identify from literature the motivational factors that have impact on employee motivation;
2. To find out various motivation programs organized by employers in South-South Nigeria, and to what extent have employees been motivated to do well in the workplace;
3. To investigate the rank importance or most significant motivating factors (identified in objective 1) on construction employees in South-South Nigeria; and
4. To compare top 5 ranked motivating factors with related research.
1.4 Research Questions
In order to achieve the purposes/objectives of the study, the following research questions were used by the researcher to guide the study:
1. What are the motivational factors that have impact on employee motivation in the work place as discussed in literature?
2. What are the various motivation programs organized by employers in South-South
Nigeria, and to what extent have employees been motivated in the workplace?
3. What is the rank importance of the motivating factors on construction employees in
South-South Nigeria?
1.5 Research Assumptions
The following assumptions have been stated:
1. There is no statistically significant difference between employees in urban and rural project environment regarding their extent/level of motivation.
2. There is no statistically significant difference between male and female employees in the project environment regarding their extent/level of motivation.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The key to top management’s success is motivating others to do their best. Considering the significance of the research it is interesting to know and note that all organizations whether construction firms, governmental or non-governmental, profit or non-profit cannot overlook the relevance of efficient and effective utilization of human resource to accomplish their goals. It is through motivation that the human resources can be utilized by making full use of it. Hence, the study would attempt to propose the most effective motivational factors or strategies to employ in the construction project environment precisely in South-South States of Nigeria, which would help build willingness in employees as well as stimulating them and bringing out that natural drive to do a good job.
Understanding the factors that employees consider motivating lends to the rewards to which they more positively respond. The level of character of an employee at work does not only depend upon his/her qualifications and abilities. For getting best of his/her work performance, the study will attempt to fill the gap between the ability and willingness which would help in improving the level of performance of employees resulting into increase in productivity as well as improving overall efficiency.
The study is of immense benefits to top management of construction industries. The study is also relevant to academicians, other industries and to society at large, since it attempts to ascertain the need of HRM in areas of employee motivation and development in South-South Nigeria.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study will be limited to employees in construction companies (Nigerian and foreign owned) in South-South Nigeria. South-South Nigeria comprises of six states and is strategically located at the point where the ‘Y’ tail of the river Niger joins the Atlantic Ocean through the Gulf of Guinea. The states are: Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Cross River State, Delta State, Edo State, and Rivers State. This region will be the area of research.
The study will also be limited to employee motivation area of HRM. Findings from this study and recommendations by the researcher should be beneficial for Human Resource (HR) managers operating in South-South Nigeria but may not be used for general analysis as the researcher limited his study only to employees in South-South Nigeria.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM) IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS –A CASE STUDY OF SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA
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