Effect of Emotional Intelligence Factors on Labour Force Management of Construction Firms in Ghana

Abstract

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a crucial factor influencing behaviour and performance across sectors, including construction. While EI's importance for personal growth and interaction is acknowledged, there remains limited understanding of the specific emotional intelligence factors impacting Labour Force Management (LFM) practices in the Ghanaian construction industry. This study aims to assess how identified emotional intelligence factors influence LFM practices in Ghanaian construction firms. The objectives are to: establish critical EI factors influencing LFM practices, examine literature to identify research gaps, and determine the factors on LFM practices. A questionnaire was given to project managers, engineers, contractors and consultants in the Ghanaian construction industry. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used for analysis. This survey findings show that the emotional intelligence of construction firms' labour force is a function of experience, family background, skills and competencies, gender, empathy for co-workers, personality, organisational culture, social motivation, marital influence, maturity and age, religion and belief, work procedures, and workload. Job design, firms' policy, and knowledge and training received lower mean ratings, indicating less perceived impact on emotional intelligence compared to other factors. The findings reveal that several emotional intelligence factors significantly influence LFM practices in Ghanaian construction firms. Factors such as experience, family background, skills and competencies, gender, empathy for co-workers, personality, organisational culture, social motivation, marital influence, maturity and age, religion and beliefs, work procedures, and workload showed high perceived impact. While factors like job design, firms' policy, and knowledge and training had lower ratings, emotional intelligence factors collectively exert a substantial influence on LFM. This study suggests that managers and stakeholders in the Ghanaian construction industry should prioritise understanding these key EI factors. By recognising their importance, particularly those with high impact, managers can create an environment fostering emotional intelligence within their labour force, improving LFM practices and project delivery performance.