Investigation of the Effect of Labour Productivity Factors on Schedule Overruns in Building Construction Projects: Case Study in Uganda

Productivity in the building construction industry in Uganda significantly contributes to economic development and the creation of employment opportunities for individuals. However, building construction projects in the country persistently face challenges of schedule overruns, delays and, in some cases, incompletion and abandonment. These challenges are largely attributed to labour productivity factors, which are dynamic and difficult to predict. There is, therefore, need for a better understanding of the major factors contributing to these challenges, in order to facilitate improvements in project schedules. The purpose of this study was to investigate the labour productivity factors that contribute to project schedule overruns and their effects on the completion of construction projects across cities in four regions of Uganda. The research employed a quantitative approach to collect data from 262 randomly selected respondents. The study concentrated on two categories of labour productivity factors that contribute to project schedule overruns. These were: technological and management labour productivity related factors. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and R-studio. The study assessed significant factors contributing to project schedule overruns using relative importance index (RII), while their effect on schedule was examined through correlation and regression analysis. Findings revealed that the most significant factors contributing to schedule overruns were technological (RII= 0.770), followed by management with (RII =0.769) labour productivity factors. Correlation results indicated a very strong positive relationship between project schedule and labour productivity factors, technological related (r =+0.939) and management related (r = + 0.947). Regression model results indicate that adjusted= 0.87, further confirmed that these technological and management labour productivity factors were statistically significant contributors of project schedule overruns. It is recommended that contractors and construction professionals prioritize the identified significant factors and strengthen management practices through implementation of productivity monitoring and reward of hardworking workers in order to meet project time lines.