NICMAR- SODE PGP-CM - MODULE NO: 01

ASSIGNMENT NO: ONE

CONSTRUCTION PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

COURSE CODE: NCP 22

PREPARED & SUBMITTED BY:

NAME: M.S.MADHURI REG NO: 212-06-11-10652-2141

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CONSTRUCTION PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION: Construction projects by their nature are fragmented, complicated, risky & uncertain. These challenges are arguably exacerbated in remote construction projects which have their own unique problems caused mainly by the remoteness of the project itself resulting in the loss of control over communication, management and overall work output quantity & quality. During the construction phase, all projects experience countless difficulties and cumbersome management problems. These potential hurdles negatively affect the project quality and cause substantial delay with increased construction costs. The project team has to not only tackle traditional management problems but also the problems that specifically occur due to the remoteness of the site which are often environmentally sensitive and lack of logistic support and also frequent shortage of material & skilled manpower. The construction industry remains largely a labour intensive one and the success of the industry has its roots from human factors like worker motivation, worker boredom and fatigue, worker attitude and morale, worker physical limitations, worker absenteeism, worker experience and worker satisfaction. This is made possible only if the project manager takes the lead to motivate the worker/employee for better performances.

PRESENT SITUATION: As per the given situation, a 3km long tunnel has to be constructed in a possibly remote area much away from the nearest civilized and inhabited location. Owing to the construction procedures required to be undertaken for the tunnel, the workers engaged are subjected to high risk as the procedures involve the drilling & chipping of heavy boulders & rocks. Extremities of the site conditions may be to the extent of a sudden fatal collapse of the rock masses with workers trapped under. Hence safety is a matter of great concern. Adding to this, due to frequent

illness, the site has noted a drastic affect on the attendance of the workers at site. The site is also witnessing the workers in a drunk state involving in frequent quarrels amongst themselves. Such malpractices have been hampering the progress of work at site. To combat all these the PI must first rule out the qualms of the workers and then in consultation with the higher management take adequate measures to ensure that the workers are well motivated to work with zest. The workers and staff should be motivated to perform better for their own benefits.

Besides the motivation techniques, the project manager must also look into the problems being faced by the workers and realize their basic needs, fulfillment of which will result in contentment of workers and improved work output.

PROBLEMS AND REASONS : The project managers must identify the problems and thereafter the reasons for the downfall in productivity of the workers and also the staff in order to get solutions for the same and march to betterment. 1. ALCOHOLISM: In any construction project, this is one major issue that needs to be kept under strict scrutiny by the project in-charge from day 0 of the project. The workers work under pressure & in severe conditions and are subjected to tremendous exertion to follow the safety measures as well as obtain the targets on time. Alcohol being an intoxicant is a cheap and easy option for the workers to release the mental pressure. 2. DEMORALISATION: Being far away from civilized areas, the workers are continuously subjected to work pressure and have no means of entertainment. This results in moral

downfall of the workers and they tend to lose interest in the job which causes deterioration in quality & quantity of work output 3. ISOLATION: As a part of regular routine life, every individual irrespective of class, cadre or designation requires entertainment of some kind for the relaxation of mind failing which they become irritable, cranky and rebellious. This nature slowly leads to aggressive situations arising between fellow workers for meagre reasons resulting in heated up arguments and also hand on fights. 4. HEALTH: The project site is far enough from the inhabited areas. Hygiene & health is a great matter of concern in such areas. Due to non availability of clean potable water and hygienic surroundings, there lies a high risk of frequent illness to shadow the lives of workers and staff members. 5. SAFETY: The project being an extremely hazardous one, requires skilled and highly experienced professionals and labour who should maintain utmost degree of safety standards at the site. 6. WORKER FAMILY: Another issue that creeps in is the workers whose families stay along at the site. Here the women folk and children are vulnerable to diseases & prone to ill health due to the site location & malnutrition. 7. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE: Due to the lifestyle and culture of the workers, they fail to gain knowledge about the basics of life. This results in un-manly behavioral situations of human beings.

SOLUTIONS SKETCHED: To overcome all the situations the management must first ensure worker/employee satisfaction. They must realize the basic needs and social needs of any human being for

happy living and working. Once these are near to fulfillment, the workers/employees show better productivity and performance due to increased interest in work.

BASIC NEEDS: Firstly the basic need of a person has to be considered videlicet food, clothing & shelter. It has to be made sure that for every worker at site including staff & sub staff, proper arrangements of food and shelter are done. The labour engaged at site must be entitled to temporary accommodation at site with adequate facilities made available. Some essential basic needs can be listed as below: 1. Accommodation 2. Electricity 3. Domestic Water 4. Drinking water 5. Hygiene and safety 6. Grocery & Vegetables

SOCIAL NEEDS: It is said that man is a social animal. Every human being irrespective of class, race, or cadre has some social needs which enable him to be at par with all others. In absence of such basic facilities, he is liable to become lonesome and thereby solidarity makes him mentally unstable posing unpredictable outbursts for minor issues. At remote construction sites, a worker is subjected to continuous working under stress. This encapsulates aggression, annoyance and lack of interest in due course of time. Often people try to relax themselves by consuming alcohol as it tends to suppress stress momentarily but at the same time it also acts as fuel to minor arguments between people leading to fierce quarrels. To help control such occasions, few measures must be taken up which are as follows:

1. Timely Breaks 2. Entertainment 3. Tele-communication 4. Recreation 5. Idle time 6. Welfare for children 7. Education of values/ Rehabilitation 8. Health aspects 9. Benefits/Incentives

METHODS TO FULFILL THE NEEDS Basic Needs: 1. Accommodation: The workers should be given proper accommodation with consideration of privacy aspects for workers living with families. 2. Electricity: All workers accommodation should be supplied with electricity and needs like lights and fans should be necessarily fulfilled. 3. Domestic Water: It should be ensured that the workers have enough supply of water for all domestic uses. The arrangement for this may be made in a common area. 4. Drinking water: All workers must be supplied with potable clean drinking water in sufficient quantities. This must be arranged from the nearest town by tankers or a temporary water purification set up must be established at site. 5. Hygiene and safety: Proper hygiene must be ensured for the labour accommodation area with facility for toilets/ wash areas. Separate closed bath areas must be made available for women and children.

6. Grocery & Vegetables: The project manager must ensure that one person is deployed for maintaining a temporary shop at the site that sells all necessary items at NO PROFIT NO LOSS basis. Things like vegetables, rice, pulses, wheat flour, edible oil, salt, soaps, etc purchased from the nearest markets must be made readily available to the workers.

Social Needs: 1. Timely Breaks: Workers must be allowed intermediate break from to release stress. If the project cost allows, then they may be provided with a tea for refreshment at that time. There must be a temporary makeshift arrangement for a tea stall at site that would sell tea for the workers at nominal charges (say @ Re.1/- per cup). The company may subsidize for the price for worker welfare. Sundays should be exclusively spared for the workers for relaxation. However some essential services like security and cleaners may be still deployed for work and allowed term wise off on any other week day. 2. Television/Radio: A common area with a television or a radio and adequate seating area must be arranged so as to provide the workers with entertainment and access to news during the non working hours. It should be monitored by one person so as to avoid clashes between them for entertainment. 3. Tele-communication: In case the site location fails in accessing mobile phone network coverage, then a temporary arrangement for communication by installing a telephone on nominally chargeable basis should be made available for all. 4. Recreation: Games and sports should be occasionally organized at site on holidays involving the participation of workers and staff. This not only imbibes a spirit of TEAM WORK in the workers but also ensures a development in cooperative

association between staff & workers. Here the management may also arrange for special games for women and children and encourage them with prizes. The staff and workers may be given transport facility occasionally for traveling to the nearest town for other recreational needs. The company may arrange for a picnic for workers once in two months or once in three months with facility for meals for bringing a change in atmosphere and energizing the workers. 5. Idle time: Womenfolk of the workers family may be engaged as female coolies with their consent. This will ensure avoidance of unnecessary quarrels of idle women and also increase the income of the workers family aiding to better living. The women folk may be given free training of self employment and women empowerment to boost self confidence in them. They may be taught tailoring at site by employing a temporary teacher from the nearest town biweekly. They can be taught weaving, basket making, and small handicrafts which will not only keep them busy and engaged but will also earn them some amount by selling them. 6. Welfare for children : The management must make sure that the children of workers must have a temporary crche with a trained teacher to give the basic elementary education free of cost. This will also make sure that children do not linger about in absence of their elders. The crche shall also ensure that children maintain proper hygiene and teach them good values. The children must be provided snack and milk once a day to encourage attendance daily. 7. Education of values & hygiene: The project manager may make arrangement for conducting occasional camps where the workers will be educated about the ills of drinking. They may be made to realize the per day losses they incur due to spending for alcohol and absenting from work. They must be made to realize that this amount otherwise can be of good use for the well being of their families and children. The staff must be guided to help the workers in this aspect.

Once the workers abstain from drinking, quarrels may subside automatically as a drunken person loses the state of mind to think before acting, hence he loses control over oneself easily and jumps into quarrels. 8. Health Aspects: There must be proper arrangement made for the health and first aid of all staff and labour at site. A well trained and qualified first aid personnel with good knowledge of first aid in various emergencies must be deployed. Occasional free health check up camps for all staff and workers must be organized at site for overall welfare of all staff and workers. The project manager must ensure one vehicle to be present at site at all time for emergency. This will help to rush the victim to the nearest hospital for immediate treatment in case of accidents. The following thing must be taken care of at the site to ensure good health for all staff and workers: Periodical health check up camps must be arranged. Children must be given free vaccination for major diseases like polio and tuberculosis. Women should be educated for maintaining high degree of hygiene during cooking and cleaning. They must be educated the importance of hygiene. All damp areas must be sprinkled with bleaching powder regularly to prevent infestation of flies and mosquitoes that may cause diseases. The locality must be treated for mosquitoes occasionally in view of preventing epidemics. Proper drainage and disposal of water from wash areas and toilets must be ensured. It must be made sure that garbage is not dumped in open and if done so, then it must be burnt to prevent growth of germs. Proper stacking of construction materials must be strictly vetted upon to prevent accidents.

9. Benefits/ Incentives: The staff and workers may be encouraged to perform even better by incentives. Incentives are tangible rewards given to those who follow successful performance and also as a motive for employee/worker encouragement.

EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE/ WORKER MOTIVATION: Workers are an asset to the business and it is up to the management to value them. It can not be a solution to hire and fire continuously as has been the common practice. Every employee/ worker has his own important role in industry and the management must take enough measures for not only providing the workers with adequate facilities but also through Motivation. Motivation on its own is an abstract term. It imparts incentives that require a response on part of someone else to achieve a defined goal. In business, motivation is not synonymous with salaries; money is a means for accommodating the economic needs of workers. Motivation means an inner wholesome desire to exert effort without the external stimulus of money. Motivating is the ability of indoctrinating the personnel with a unity of purpose and maintaining a continuing, harmonious relationship among all people. It is a force which encourages and promotes a willingness of every employee to cooperate with every member of the team. To maintain it is to create and perpetuate the climate which brings harmony and equilibrium into the entire work group for the benefit of all who are involved the company as a whole. Since the effective motivation comes from within, by motivating others, the manager can do more than create proper conditions that cause people to do their work with willingness and enthusiasm. To motivate the employee, the employee must be reached; to reach him there must be a completed understanding of the complexity his make-up. Motivation efforts must be directed towards improving company operations. To be effective, however, they must also be designed to show benefits to the employee. Ways to Motivate Workers: The employer should show a greater trust of employees. Job content should be improved.

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Work should be made more interesting. Workers should be educated about the need for productivity and the importance of profit if a company is to offer continuing or repeated employment. Pay should be increased as a workers skills improve. Employers should be strict about enforcing performance requirements. Worker should feel good about the employer. There should be no artificial barriers to communication between workers and management. Workers should be given authority to work on their own time. Salary reviews should be held irregularly to stimulate enthusiasm. Regular raises tend to be taken for granted. Workers should be kept appraised of the performance levels of other workers because such work crews tend to compete. Workers should be able to have a sense of contribution to the final product. Employers should provide company-sponsored recreation.

RECOMMENDATIONS: The management of construction companies should provide a policy that motivates workers and show strong support for welfare of the labourers as this will possibly, increase productivity and reduce rework. Also the organization should encourage initiative and creativity by allowing for some flexibility in application of rules and regulation. Too much rigidity in applying the rules may constitute a setback in the modern growth of the organization and dampen initiatives and creativities. Also the management must understand that work cannot be extracted from employees and staff by only increasing the salaries and by enforcing rules and regulations. Worker satisfaction also plays an important role in the quality and quantity of work done. Hence the management must also ponder upon the probable problems faced by workers and ways to solve them for the organizational growth.

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CONCLUSION: The study has examined the methods of motivation for workers on construction sites and the challenges militating against them in a remote construction site. The following conclusions are made that staff work best when working equipment and facilities are adequately provided and workers' welfare should be a paramount issue of concern to the top management. Also, wellmotivated staffs have a positive attitude towards work and rewarding good work can contribute to more excellence and healthy competition as monetary rewards bring out the best in workers. The main challenges faced by the motivation of casual worker are its sustainability, fees paid, poor health care, source of income and no welfare benefit policy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Principles of Management Harold Koontz and Cyril O Donnell Research paper on Motivation & Productivity- D Wellington Research paper on Motivation of workers at construction sites- Adedokum O.A,

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