Assessment of Human Resource Management Practices and Challenges in Selected Construction Projects: A Study in Jimma Town

Abstract

Human resource management is primarily concerned with ensuring that a project has sufficient human resources, with the correct skill-sets and experience, for the project to be successfully completed. This study explored the human resource management practices and the challenges of such practices. It was a descriptive survey design. A purposive sampling technique was employed to 136 respondents, out of which 122(92.2%) responded to the questionnaire administered indicating a high return-rate. Plus to this, semi structured interview was used for triangulation purpose. Data were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS version 23 showing Means and Standard Deviations. Also Kendall ranking method was conducted to identify the major challenges of the human resource management practices. It was established that the selected construction projects in Jimma town have put in place diverse training and development programmes, appraisal practices, career planning and employee participation practices, rewards and compensation policies to enhance the performance of their staff. The study concluded that the key challenges of the human resource management practices were high labor turnover, lack of incentives and benefits, inadequate retirement benefit, skill gap, null occupational health and safety practices. The study, therefore, recommended that the construction projects need strengthening their policies on monitoring and supervision, reward system, performance appraisal practices in order to mitigate the impact of the challenges on the employees. Plus, construction projects need to provide workers with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment, which include safety belts, retaining belts, safety ropes, and safety harness and catch nets to prevent being hit by falling materials and falling from heights. Furthermore, workers need to be continuously trained on the importance of using PPE.