Job satisfaction of project managers in green construction projects

Abstract

Purpose Green building is a promising approach to improve resource efficiency and achieving sustainable development. The success of green construction projects is closely associated with the performance of project managers (PMs), while job satisfaction plays a major role in the performance of PMs. However, the emphasis placed on the job satisfaction of PMs in green construction projects remains minimal. The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships between the job satisfaction of PMs and its key influencing factors in green construction projects, and to propose feasible strategies to improve the job satisfaction of PMs. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey is conducted, data collected from 105 construction PMs are analysed using structural equation modelling. Interviews with five industry experts are further conducted to substantiate the results. Findings The results identified four major components of job satisfaction, namely, “job content”, “resource adequacy”, “work context” and “the personality and competence of jobholders”. The analysis also found that “technical requirement” and “split incentive” condition of green construction projects, “the expertise and awareness of PMs” and “demand and support from stakeholders” has significant impacts on PMs’ job satisfaction. Furthermore, this study developed eight strategies to improve PMs’ job satisfaction, including “increase recognition opportunities for PMs”, “government incentives and financial support” and “introductory and training courses on green construction legislation and processes”. Originality/value The findings assist construction companies in formulating measures to improve the job satisfaction and performance of PMs in green construction projects.

Early career women in construction: Are their career expectations being met?

“…Many researchers have attempted to examine the effects of personal, work and organisational factors on job satisfaction of different cohort of workforces in the industry. While there are studies that focussed on all construction professionals in general, some recent works have specifically focussed on project managers (e.g., Ling et al, 2018;Hwang, Zhao and Lim, 2019;), architects (e.g., Sang, Ison and Dainty 2009), quantity surveyors (e.g., Bowen and Cattell, 2008;Lian and Ling, 2018), craftworkers (e.g., Albattah et al, 2016;Shan et al, 2016;Oo, Liu and Lim, 2020), and labourers (e.g., Hosseini, Chileshe and Zillante, 2014;Hsu and Liao, 2016). However, there is little or no study on job satisfaction of early career women or new female CM graduate hires in the construction industry.…”

Impact of organizational decentralization degree on job satisfaction and job performance: a hierarchical linear model analysis for construction projects

“…Task performance and contextual performance together comprise employees' overall performance. It has been shown that employees' high participation in an organization's decision-making process can improve the connection between personal goals and organizational goals (Hwang et al , 2019). Tightening this connection will reduce any role conflict or cognitive dissonance, further reduce employees' stress and lead to better JP.…”

“…Job satisfaction and job performance have been an important research topic in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry, and many researchers have explored their relationship with various elements from personal aspects, e.g. pay rate, promotion opportunity and working hours (Sang et al , 2009), job stress and burnout (Leung et al , 2011; Wu et al , 2019), job content and resource adequacy (Hwang et al , 2019), work–home interference, fairness of rewards (Sun et al , 2020), to more abstract elements at organizational level, e.g. personal-organisational value conflicts (Panahi et al , 2016), HR management practices (Ling et al , 2018), external coordination and client management (Salvatierra et al , 2019), knowledge sharing and organizational commitment (Sang et al , 2019).…”

Supporting early career project managers in construction: a multi-vocal study

“…In alignment with the resource-based view, which defines resources as any organizational characteristic that can constitute either a strength or a weakness (Wernerfetlt, 1984), ECPMs serve as an organizational strength to construction employers whose work is performed through projects (Borg and Scott-Young, 2020b). Both the RBV and the SHRM theory (Lepak and Snell, 2002) regard ECPMs as a valuable and rare resource, given their criticality to construction project success (Hwang et al, 2020) and the current shortage of project managers and projected growing demand worldwide (Project Management Institute, 2017). In addition, the lengthy formation period of four years of university study, means that unlike the lowvalue, non-unique construction trades and manual workforce, project management professionals are not readily replaceable.…”

“…Project managers are essential to the initiation, planning, control and execution of the project management process, which is critical for successful project delivery (Hwang et al. , 2020).…”