INFLUENCE OF WORKFORCE ON PRODUCTIVITY OF LABOUR INTENSIVE WORKS ON FEEDER ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN GHANA

Construction labour productivity is regarded as an effective indicator of the efficiency of industry activities. This research aims to develop a labour productivity framework based on worker component in achieving construction labour productivity in labour-intensive public works in Ghana. The objectives are to identify the factors that affect labour productivity on the sites and evaluate the effect of the identified factors that affect labour productivity in Ghana and develop a worker framework for labour-intensive works. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 40 districts as they were into road construction projects. Out of 120 sites, one facilitator, one-time keeper, one site engineer and one contractor from each site were selected making a total of 480 respondents and 80 comprised district engineers and GSOP desk officers. Out of 560 respondents, 543 gave a complete response to the questionnaire which gave a response rate of 97%. Exploratory factor analysis was used to classify the factors into components and structural equation modelling was used to develop the worker component labour productivity framework in which the importance of the factors in the component was evaluated based on the strength of their impact. Principal axis factoring revealed the presence of four (4) components with eigenvalues above 1 and these are Component Age of worker; Workers’ knowledge; Safety Compliance and Motivation of worker. However, the structural equation modelling indicated the motivation of workers and the age of workers influenced the worker component with 0.662 and 0.614 as correlation figures respectively. The novelty of this study also lies in the labour productivity framework for labour-intensive works on road construction, it informs as to the variables that affect the worker component that determines labour productivity of labour-intensive works on road construction in the Ghanaian construction industry.