Construction employees’ perspectives on workforce motivational drivers in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

Abstract

PURPOSE: The global demand for increase in construction activity necessitates the improvement of project performance. In the construction industry, motivation is seen as an intermediate variable between principle project activity and project performance. This paper assesses the positive motivational drivers that can propel construction employees’ behaviours towards achieving project success. METHODOLOGY: The literature scan between 2000 and 2012 reveals thirty-three employee motivational drivers; these were selected for the research. The study adopts qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate current practices and identifies the most significant motivating drivers in the Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. FINDINGS: The results show that the majority of respondents agreed on the use of rewards for achieving optimal outputs. The professional and personal developments of employees have not been promoted efficiently by their employers. Prospects of promotion, participation in decision making and respect for people are ranked as the most significant employee motivational drivers. VALUE OF RESEARCH: The findings create an insight for the construction practitioners to gain better understanding of the key areas to focus on in order to achieve optimal outputs