FOREIGN WORKERS � PERSPECTIVES AND CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

The construction industry in Singapore is one of the nation’s least productive industries. Much of the reason to the low productivity has been directed at the low productivity level of the foreign workers. Although much resources have been allocated to achieving higher levels of productivity, little has been achieved. Most of the productivity research done by the industry and academia are from the perspectives of government or employers rather than from foreign workers. The purpose of this study is to understand the perspectives of foreign construction workers on productivity. It analyses the differences in perspectives between management and foreigner workers as well as workers holding different positions in the company or if they are from different nationalities. An interview was also conducted on 68 foreign construction workers to provide a better understanding of their perspectives on factors affecting productivity. Based on the findings, there were indeed differences in the perspectives of managers and foreign workers. From past research, managers tend to feel that technical factors affects productivity greatly, whereas foreign workers feel that interpersonal factors affect productivity more than technical factors.