Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at construction site

Abstract

Construction industry involved very complicated process and extensive linkages to more than hundred of upstream and downstream industries. Therefore, an effective leadership at managerial level of construction organization is needed to well manage and control their subordinates in order to make sure the efficiency and productivity of the construction work. However, both managerial level of the construction organization and their subordinates also would experience stress due to increase of workload and work pressure. Hence, management competency has become significant in human resource practice in order to increase individual and organizational effectiveness. Consequently, a study on management competency of the managerial level is conducted for preventing and reducing stress at construction site in Johor. A total of 78 sets of questionnaires have been collected from several professions within 20 organizations. Among the 78 number of respondents, 21 persons were from managerial level and 57 persons were from subordinates? level. From the survey, managerial levels have the highest level of competency in managing conflict meanwhile the subordinates level assess their managerial level as the participative/empowering is the most competent in preventing and reducing stress at work. Generally, the managerial level and subordinates level have the same opinion that managerial level are most competent in managing and communicating existing and future work. The managerial level behaviour is an important determinant of theirs subordinate stress levels. Thus, throughout the study, the managerial level of the construction organization can have better understanding on stress as well as the skills, abilities and behaviours needed to implement the management standard and manage their subordinates in a way that minimizes work-related stress in construction works.