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International Journal of Management (IJM)
Volume 10, Issue 1, January–February 2018, pp.83–93, Article ID: IJM_10_01_012
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijm/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=10&IType=1
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ISSN Print: 0976-6502 and ISSN Online: 0976-6510
© IAEME Publication
FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSTRUCTION
SITE OPERATIVE TRAINING IN NIGERIA
Oni O.Z, Amusan L.M, Akinbile B.F, Owolabi J.D, Ogundipe K.E
Department of Building Technology
Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This research assesses the factors influencing construction site operative training
in Nigeria with a view to enhancing safety practices among construction sites
operatives. A cross-sectional research design was adopted, where snowballing and
random sampling techniques were used to select the construction company and the
respondents. Respondents to be sampled were drawn from the list of professionals in
the built environments such as Architect, Quantity surveyors, Builder and the Engineers
and site operatives such as skilled, unskilled, semi-skilled labors and operators working
with each construction company. Data were collected using a well-structured close-
ended questionnaires designed based on the stated objectives of the study. 188 copies
of questionnaires were distributed out of which 137 was completely filled and returned,
representing 72.9 response rate. Returned data were analyzed using percentile, Relative
Important Index (RII) and independent Sample T-Test with the aid of the Statistical
Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 21.0. The result revealed that
changes in government policy, poor job performance, quality improvement, high rate of
rework and technological changes were the major ranked factors influencing
construction site operative training in Oyo State. It further show that there are
significant difference in the opinion of site operatives and professionals on
organizational peer pressure, high level of material wastage and promotion exercise or
change in position. The study concludes that operatives in the study area tend to be
trained only when there is change in government or organization policy. The study
recommend that government/organization should frequently review there policy in favor
of operative training.
Key words: Construction site, Operatives, Performance, Safety, Training
Cite this Article: Oni O.Z, Amusan L.M, Akinbile B.F, Owolabi J.D, Ogundipe K.E,
Factors Influencing Construction Site Operative Training in Nigeria, International
Journal of Management, 10 (1), 2019, pp. 83–93.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=10&IType=1
1. INTRODUCTION
Training is a learning procedure that includes the obtaining of knowledge, sharpening of
abilities, skill, standards, or modifying mindset plus conduct to enhance the employee efficency.
Oni O.Z, Amusan L.M, Akinbile B.F, Owolabi J.D, Ogundipe K.E
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“Training is about acquiring understanding, aptitudes, plus capabilities (KSA) via professional
enhancement” [1].
Construction industry is an important segment in the financial improvement of several
countries; its contribution to national economy cannot be underrated as it provides considerable
amount of employment opportunities [2], [3].
Regardless of the significant contribution of construction industry to the country’s
economy, greater percentage of construction site operatives still lack adequate training. This is
substantiated by [4] who contend that construction industries in developing countries lacks
adequate operative training and improvement bringing about low quality, high wastage as well
as decrease in profitability level. This as indicated by [5] is owing to the non-permanent nature
of the building production work. This has debilitates organizations from training their staff as
a result of the likelihood of discontinuity of function once a specific project is finished.
Notwithstanding, it is a mandatory duty for organization to train their staff [4], [6].
Similarly [7] and [8] assert that training and retraining have turned into the main wellsprings
of appropriate as well as lasting competitive edge in the construction industry. In the
construction industry there is an expanded requirement for more varied skills including the
capacity to address technical, as well as economic, assets controlling, plus environmental issues.
[9] Opined that Construction consists of high risk activities, and in many parts of the world
information about the degree and the reason for accident and sick wellbeing are limited. This
circumstance can only be reduced when government, employers and laborers have a typical
enthusiasm for guaranteeing that health and safety standard are met [10]. This can be viably
accomplished through operative and staff training. As indicated by [11] the level of accident
will be lessened if every personnel engaging in construction are appropriately educated as
regards hazard as well as trained to securely complete their task. The Construction Industry
Training Board (CITB) in the UK is exceptionally worried about this and has set up, some solid
measures, one of which is that no staff will be engaged on construction site without verification
of capability, including confirmation for their comprehension of health and safety issues [12].
But this is yet to be embraced in Nigeria.
In increasing organization efficiency training has been a vital variable. Various researchers
including [13, 14, 15, 16 and 17] demonstrated that training is a major as well as useful tool in
fruitful achievement of the organization’s objectives and goals, bringing about greater
profitability. Based on the aforementioned roles of training this study is set to assess the factors
influencing construction site operative training in Nigeria.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
According to [18] the variation in training from one organization to another organization
majorly relies on the quality and quantity of training required. The factor that influences the
need for training may include but not limited to: Technological changes, Changes in job
environment, need to improve job performance, promotion exercise and pressure from other
organization.
Similarly [19] conducted a research on the perceived factors influencing staff training
decision at the Kenya cooperative banks. The research adopted a descriptive survey method
where about 186 number of survey form was distributed among cooperative banks staff. The
result of the findings shows that cost, change in position, age, change in technology, low level
of productivity, change in work scope, government policy, availability of time were among the
factors influencing staff training.
Also regular changes demand is one of the elements that influence training. There are
possibilities that one will encounter some regular changes in his/her organizations movement
regardless of what category of industry you are working. Occasional changes in the construction
Factors Influencing Construction Site Operative Training in Nigeria
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industry makes training harder to convey and considerably more difficult to organize. In this
manner it is essential to investigate the issues of training in the construction industries and the
associated difficulties in other to organize an effective improvement training programs [20]. In
the same vein [21] in their study express that the construction industry's prosperity will keep on
relying upon training the operatives with the end goal to get ready for the occasional variances.
Operatives training are seen as a way to oversee work difficulties but the construction industry
isn't outstanding in providing adequate training for its operatives [22].
Similarly [23] discoveries showed that operative improvement fundamentally influenced
operative turnover (p=.005) 2-tailed. The examination expresses that training is a tool that can
assist construction industries in raising an enthusiastic as well as productive operatives. In spite
of the fact that training assumes a noteworthy job in this procedure, construction industries need
to take a gander at extra methodologies and practices that can upgrade performance and
efficiency.
According to [24] introduction of new methodologies and procedures to business
extraordinarily influence operative training. As job idea is modify, operatives are progressively
obligatory to build up an extensive, alterable arrangement of capabilities which is fundamental
to tasks accomplishment. However little percentage of operatives has the social capability,
technical abilities and mechanical capability required for these changing work requests.
Similarly [25] in their descriptive examination expressed that various members effectively
looked for information on training and advancement openings and their reasons incorporated
their desire to stay up to date with the most recent improvements in their work and to also
maximize the networking opportunity that are embedded in the participation of external training
and advancement program. [26] Expressed that mechanization and computerization have
brought about numerous progressions that calls for retraining of trained staff so that they can
possess more skills to match up with this progressions. They expressed further that the
organization in this way ought to train their operatives in other to equip them with the most
recent innovation and skills. With present day modernization, innovative upgrade and
enhancement the greater part of the organizations activities have turned out to be exceptionally
mind boggling and staff training has accordingly turned out to be very important. The
worldwide economy and mechanical advancements of today expect organizations to make
steady modifications with the end goal of keeping up their competitive strength [27] Such
modification includes the arrangement of talents, technicalities plus capacities which is
currently basic for performance. Many operatives don't innately have the characteristics
expected to meet these changing work requests, in any case. Therefore, organizations are
expected to allocate more resources in training intercessions consistently [28].
3. METHODOLOGY
For the purpose of this research work cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. This
according to [29] is the type of research design where the research variables are in existence
and cannot be manipulated by the researcher and the survey is carried out at specific point in
time. The targeted population comprises all the 123 construction companies that are registered
with Oyo state Government according to the department of due process governor’s office Oyo
state, this cut across small, medium and large construction firms. The sampling frame comprises
the professionals such as Architect, Quantity surveyors, Builder and the Engineers including
the construction site operatives which includes skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labours
within the study area. A convenience sampling technique was used to select the construction
firms within the study area; while Random sampling technique was also used to select one
professional and one operative each from the construction firms where questionnaires were
administered. Questionnaires with well-structured close-ended items were designed based on
Oni O.Z, Amusan L.M, Akinbile B.F, Owolabi J.D, Ogundipe K.E
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the stated objectives for both the professionals and operatives to collect data. Descriptive
statistical tools such as percentages and means were used in analyzing the data collected. This
was archived with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 and
excel spread sheet 2016. In section A of the questionnaire which was the respondents and
Organization profile, percentile method was used, while relative importance index (RII) was
use in analyzing section B and independent-samples t-test was use in testing the research
hypothesis.
Yamane model was used to determine the study’s sample size from the targeted population
(Yamane, 1967 sited in [30]. It has a confidence level of 95%.
The Yamane model:
S = P
[1 + P(f2)]
Where;
S - Sample size
P - Population size
f - = 0.05
Since P = 123, then;
S = 123
1 + 123(0.052)
= 94
Therefore a total number of 94 construction firms were selected via convenience sampling
and two questionnaires were administered each, where one operative and one professional were
randomly selected making the total number of structured questionnaire administered to be 188
copies
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Table 1 Profile of respondents
Site operatives
Professionals
Year of experience
Freque
ncy
Percent
Year of experience
Freque
ncy
Percent
1-5 years
7
9.7
1-5 years
8
12.3
6-10 years
15
20.8
6-10 years
12
18.5
11-15 years
23
31.9
11-15 years
15
23.1
16-20 years
22
30.6
16-20 years
21
32.3
over 21 years
5
6.9
over 21 years
9
13.8
Total
72
100.0
Total
65
100.0
Designation of respondent
Designation of respondent
Skilled
32
44.4
Architect
21
32.3
semi-skilled
16
22.2
Builder
17
26.2
Unskilled
5
6.9
Quantity surveyor
12
18.5
Operator
19
26.4
Structural engineer
15
23.1
Total
72
100.0
Total
65
100.0
Academic qualification
Academic qualification
primary school certificate
1
1.4
HND
17
26.2
SSCE
8
11.1
BS.c/B.Tech
31
47.7
Factors Influencing Construction Site Operative Training in Nigeria
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technical/vocational
certificate
17
23.6
MS.c/M.Tech
15
23.1
ND
17
23.6
Phd
2
3.1
HND
29
40.3
Total
72
100.0
Total
65
100.0
Age of respondent
Age of respondent
20-30 years
6
8.3
20-30 years
5
7.7
31-40 years
41
56.9
31-40 years
20
30.8
41-50 years
16
22.2
41-50 years
22
33.8
51-60 years
6
8.3
51-60 years
12
18.5
over 61 years
3
4.2
over 61 years
6
9.2
Total
72
100.0
Total
65
100.0
Type of organization
Type of organization
Public
23
31.9
public
23
35.4
Private
40
55.6
private
30
46.2
4
5.6
corporate
6
9.2
public private partnership
5
6.9
public private partnership
6
9.2
Total
72
100.0
Total
65
100.0
Professional (N= 65) Site operatives (N=72)
In table 1 which shows the demographic of the respondents, it was deduced that 20.8% of
the operatives has between 6-10years experience of construction works, while 31.9% has
between 11-15 years’ experience of construction work representing the highest percentage,
while 30.6% has between 16-20 years’ experience of construction works, while 6.9% has over
21 years’ experience of construction works, while only 9.7% has between 1-5 years’ experience
of construction works, in all 90.7% of the operatives has over 6 years’ experience of
construction works. On the other hand only 12.3% of the professionals have below 6 years’
experience of construction works while the remaining 88.7% of the professionals has over 6
years’ experience of construction works. This implies that the respondents in both categories
have adequate experience of construction works which makes their response to be more reliable.
The table also depicts the designation of the respondents, and it shows that only 6.9% of the
operatives are unskilled while the remaining 93.1% are semi-skilled, skilled and operators. On
the other hand all the professionals are affiliated with at least one profession in the construction
industry. This means that all the respondents have pass through one professional training or the
other which in turn qualifies them to fill the questionnaire correctly.
The table also shows the academic qualifications of the respondents, where only 12.5% of
the operatives has primary and secondary school education while the remaining 87.5% has
higher academic qualifications ranging from technical certificate to higher national diploma.
On the other hand the entire professionals have degree qualification ranging from higher
national diploma to doctorate degree. This implies that greater percentage of the respondents is
knowledgeable enough to fill the questionnaires correctly.
The table also went further to show the age of respondent, where only 8.3% of the operatives
are below 30years of age while the remaining 91.7% of the operatives are 31years old and
above. On the other hand only 7.7% of the professionals are below 30 years of age while the
remaining 92.3% of the professionals are above 30 years old. This justify that greater percentage
of the respondents are matured enough to fill the questionnaire correctly and also give an
independent answer to the questions.