Analysis of influential factors affecting workers’ productivity on highway construction projects during Covid-19 pandemic in Cagayan Valley Region, Philippines

Abstract

In highway construction projects, labor-oriented work is an integral part of the management process, requiring analysis of factors affecting labor productivity during Covid-19 pandemic. This research identified 53 influential factors affecting construction labor productivity at selected cities and towns in Cagayan Valley Region, Philippines. Due to the pandemic, the construction industries incurred substantial profit losses. More so, the construction workers are too much affected because of the Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ) imposed by the local government. Results indicated there was laxity on the Covid-19 protocols. No health worker in the project site ranked the highest in the health & safety factor group with an RII of 0.97 and ranked 1st among 53 factors on the different groups. Besides, no safety engineer was assigned to the projects and ranked 2nd with an RII of 0.93. Among the 7 groups of factors, the health and safety group ranked 1st with 0.81, followed by the schedule compression group with an RII of 0.78. Hence, these two groups of factors have a strong relationship, as evidenced by number of workers reduced. It was learned that the contractors’ strategy was to increase the number of working days to cope with their schedules. Hypothesis testing supported that there are various significant factors influencing labor productivity loss during the Covid-19 pandemic, as suggested by more than 50% of the respondents.

Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on the United States Construction Industry: Challenges and Opportunities

“…The projects affected by the pandemic are located in California (32%), New York (20%), Texas (15%), Illinois (12%), Missouri (9%), Michigan (7%), and Ohio (5%). Further information about the projects affected by the pandemic was requested from the respondents such as project duration, project budget, number of employees, and the losses in terms of time, budget and employees in the (Gamil and Alhagar [23], Araya [25], Ogunnisi et al [39], Biörck et al [46]) Time and cost overruns (Rehman et al [11], Gamil and Alhagar [23], Pamidimukkala and Kermanshachi [24], Bohannon [30], Kabiru and Yahaya [33], Ogunnisi et al [39], Rajabi and Bheiry [40], Raoufi and Fayek [41]) Financial and economic impact (Gamil and Alhagar [23], Alsharef et al [28], Bohannon [30]) Shortage of supplies (Gamil and Alhagar [23], Pamidimukkala and Kermanshachi [24], Alsharef et al [28], Bsisu [42]) Poor planning and scheduling (Gamil and Alhagar [23], Alsharef et al [28], Quezon and Ibanez [43]) Restriction on movement and travel (Rehman et al [11], Gamil and Alhagar [23], Ogunnisi et al [39]) Problems related to legal issues (Rehman et al [11], Gamil and Alhagar [23], Kabiru and Yahaya [33], Rajabi and Bheiry [40],…”