Project Time Management 641 Assessment Answers

TopicWhen planning a project component and estimating its expected duration, the productivity of the labour assigned to the work is an important factor.

For a job, such as building a wall, interviewing clients for requirements or developing a software module, the degree to which the labour is productive will influence the planned duration.

Choose a significant project job that relates to work with which you have experience.

1. Describe the job and the human resources that will be required for the work
2. Define worker productivity (in the context of project work)
3. Describe at least 3 factors that will affect the productivity of the workers and explain how these factors will influence the estimate of work duration
4. Describe at least one technique, related to the factors described above, that may be used to direct workers or to establish a work environment that will improve the worker productivity for job

The project involves a family with the aims of constructing their family home on a recently purchased piece of land. The family home will take form of a townhouse of five bedrooms. The family has a budget of $ 500,000 and time duration of about six months. The family seeks a project manager to oversee the construction project who then commences the planning phase. The project will require a number of employees which includes; the project manager, the architecture, the planning designer, quantitative surveyor, contractors, carpenter, plumber, masons, electrician, casual labourers, and interior decorator among others. The human resources listed above will be involved at various levels of the construction process though they are all available during the planning phase in order to ensure that their project components needs are taken into consideration.Part (b)Workforce productivity refers to the amount of services of goods which an employee’s produces over a given period of time. Workforce productivity is also referred to as labour productivity and is a major area of focus for companies, industries, countries as well as specific projects (Doloi et al., 2012). Workforce productivity is differentiated from employee productivity as employee productivity measure the performance at an individual level on the assumption that the overall productivity can be divided to smaller units which ultimately can be traced to an individual employee. This can then be used for the purposes of allocating the benefits or the sanctions which are based on an individual performance (Hewage and Ruwanpura, 2006). In the construction project described above, the workforce productivity involves the completion of the project components for the house which includes the finishing up of the design phase of the housing project, the clearing of the site phase, laying down of the foundations and the other project activities. When the project activities are finished and completed in time, and efficiently, the project labour force can be concluded to have high workforce productivity (Kaza, Manisali and Serdar, 2008).

Part (c)

Labour productivity is affected by a number of issues which then affects how well or how poor the employees performs within the project. One of the major elements affecting labour productivity is the skills as well as qualifications of the workers within the project. The construction projects require different professionals in order to successfully complete the project. As such, the expertise and knowledge of the professionals being utilised in the project is very important as it affects the quality of work done as well as the resources utilised to complete it (Hewage and Ruwanpura, 2006). Further, it requires all the professionals and experts to work hand in hand in ensuring that the project is complete successfully. As such having one poor expert can affect the quality of the whole housing project. For instance, if the designer provides a poor quality design for the house, the blueprint of the house will be poor and this will affect the labour productivity of the other employees in the project. It is as such important to ensure that all the employees are qualified to undertake their specific project component. This affects the work duration for the project as the employees may take more time or less time depending on their expertise and training about a specific task. For instance, employees who are high expertise on their roles and responsibilities, they are likely to finish the project activity on time while compared to those with limited knowledge and expertise who may take a lot of time figuring out how to carry out a specific task (Doloi et al., 2012).

Secondly, the morale and motivation of the employees is another element affecting the labour productivity of the project. Morale and motivation is affected by such elements are payments, employee engagement among other hygiene factors provided by the client. Having a workforce which is highly motivated is reported to be directly linked to high labour productivity (Mojahed and Aghazadeh, 2008). For instance if the employees are well paid and engaged in the project, their productivity have a tendency to be high (Jarkas and Bitar, 2012). The employees are more diligent to work and put extra efforts to ensure that the project aims are met and adequately ensure client satisfaction. Employees who are not motivated are likely to take more time and resources in finishing a particular task unlike those who are motivated as they finish the activity efficiently and effectively.

Thirdly, the technological progress also affects the labour productivity of the employee. For instance when the employees are utilising high tech machines and equipments, their productivity is normally very high other elements held constant (Mojahed and Aghazadeh, 2008). As such it is important for the employees to be provided with equipments which do not slow down their work. Technological advancement on the project activities also affects the duration taken to finish up the task as high tech equipment and machines take less time compared to those which are of a lower quality. Management is also a critical element in labour productivity. In the construction of a house, there is need for a lot of supervision as well as coordination between the employees. Having an efficient management ensures that the work is undertaken efficiently and that the time constraints is well managed with adequate strategies.

When managing and planning for a project and its various components in addition to making estimations on when they project can be completed, there is need to put into consideration on the productivity of the labour assigned to the work (Kazaz et al., 2008). This is because labour productivity will influence the time taken to finish each of the project activity as well as in finishing up the overall project. Further, labour productivity also affects the resources and capital which will be utilised to finish up the project successfully. Labour productivity for instance in a road construction project can influence the number of days that the project takes to be completed (Doloi et al., 2012). For instance if the productivity is high, the utilisation of resources such as time is effective and as such the project will be finished within a short period of time. However, on the other hand if the productivity is low, the project can take months to be completed successfully which then results to increased overall costs for the project. As a result labour productivity is a critical element to consider when planning the project components as well as in making estimations on the expected duration to complete the project successfully.

Part (d)

Project managers and managers of organisations can implement a number of techniques in ensuring that the workers exists in a work environment which improve their worker productivity. One of the techniques which can be utilised in ensuring that there is increased labour productivity is the employee engagement strategy. Employee engagement involves the development of emotional connection in the work of employees to engaged staff who are inspired in going above and past the call of duty in meeting the objectives set. Employee engagement is a strategy which can be utilised by the project manager of the housing project to ensure that productivity is improved. It is argued that engagement which includes both commitment and effort is attributed to about 40% of observed performance improvements.

There are different engagement drivers which the project manager can undertake in ensuring that the employees are properly engaged. The first involves rational commitment through the project team, project leader as well as the organisational culture which in turn to intent to remain with the project as well as increased effort which then results it improved productivity. The second element is emotional commitment which involves the job, the team, manager as well as the organisation which results to the intent to stay and work on the project and improved productivity. The major factors affecting labour productivity in the project includes the skills and qualifications of the employees, the morale and motivation of employees, the management and technological progress in the industry. As illustrated employees engagement is important to secure labour productivity. The employee engagement approach can be applied in the element discussed above by ensuring that the employees are engaged in every phase of project decision making as well as in the management of the project (Mojahed and Aghazadeh, 2008). For instance, engaging the employees during the planning phase of the project is critical. This is because the employees feel like part of the project and due to the project ownership; they are more likely to give their best effort in the successful completion of the project (Jarkas and Bitar, 2012).

In conclusion, in order to ensure the labour productivity of the project as well as ensure that it is finished within the set duration, there is need to consider the various factors which can impact on the productivity and thus the work duration. This by understanding the various factors and challenges facing labour productivity and ensuring that a strategy can be implemented to secure the labour productivity improvement as well as satisfaction of both the clients as well as the employees. Employee engagement is one of the techniques which can be utilised in ensuring that labour productivity of a project is improved. This is done through involving the various employees involved in the project and involving them in decision making.