TRAINING NOTE ON HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGMENT

Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
1. MANAGEMENT: DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS.................................................................4
2. MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS..........................................................................................................5
2.1 PLANNING..............................................................................................................................5
2.2 ORGANIZING..........................................................................................................................6
2.3 LEADING.................................................................................................................................7
2.4 CONTROLLING........................................................................................................................9
3. FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)...................................................10
3.1 THE ROLES OF CULTURE, VALUES, ATTITUDES, EMOTIONS.................................................10
3.2 MOTIVATION.......................................................................................................................13
4. ACTIVITIES IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)..........................................................17
4.1 RECUTMENT AND SELCTION................................................................................................18
4.2 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT...........................................................................................19
4.3 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL..................................................................................................19
4.4 PAY AND BENEFIT................................................................................................................22
4.5 RELATIONS...........................................................................................................................22
1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PROJECT MANAGER............................................................24
1.1 ROLES...................................................................................................................................24
1.2 RESPONSIBILTY....................................................................................................................25
2. PROJECT LEADERSHIP..................................................................................................................26
2.1 PROJECT HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING...............................................26
2.2 SELECTION AND ORGANIZATION OF PROJECT TEAM...........................................................28
2.3 TEAM BUILDING:..................................................................................................................30
2.4 DELEGATION, AUTHORITY, POWER and EMPOWERMENT...................................................33
2.5 TRAINING and DEVELOPMENT.............................................................................................34
2.6 PERFOMANCE MANAGEMENT: SETTING CRITERIA, OBSERVATION, EVALUATION, FEEDBACK
AND REWAD....................................................................................................................................34
2.7 CHANGE AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT...............................................................................37
2.8 CAMP ADMINISTRATION:....................................................................................................38
2.9 CONFLICT MANAGMENT:.....................................................................................................39
2.10 NEGOTIATION......................................................................................................................40
2.11 COMMUNICATION...............................................................................................................40
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2.12 TIME MANAGEMENT...........................................................................................................42

2.13 MEETING MANAGMENT......................................................................................................43
2.14 DECISION MAKING...............................................................................................................44
3 SIGNS OF TROUBLE IN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT......................................................46
4 CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................46
5 Annexes.......................................................................................................................................46

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INTRODUCTION
Organizations are formed based on people. They involve at least two individuals or any
number above. People in an organization act in some structured way in order to make their
efforts flow in a systematic or coordinated manner to set goals and achieve them.
Organizations may be divided largely into profit making and non-profit making; or public
and private.
Whether an organization is profit making or not; public or private; or small or big people
remain to be the primary resource or most valued of all other resources. Understanding this
core point and taking appropriate and timely active steps towards building and utilizing its
human resource enables an organization to gain competitive advantage in what it tries to
compete with others. Because competiveness is built upon productivity; quality, innovation
and customer satisfaction; and since these can only be achieved if there is competent and
committed human effort assuring the existence of appropriate Human Resource Management
(HRM)is paramount for all organizations. Thus, understanding basic concepts, principles and
learning from practices about people are fundamental to apply an up-to-date human resource
management systems and methods in order to assure success both in the setting and
achievement of organizational goals and objectives.
Since project is also one form of organization that is used to implement a given
organizational objective it essential to consider the role and significance of human resource
management in this too. In fact, it is rather more challenging to manage people in projects
than in organizations, which are incorporated to live much longer than projects.
To this end it helps to see first the generally recommended concepts and principles or theories
out of the many available, and then the applications and practices that are quite commonly
observed; and which may have as well been experienced by participants themselves.

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PART I: CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

In relation to Human Resource Management the most essential and relevant concepts and
principles including definitions of key words are the ones which are briefly discussed here
below.

1. MANAGEMENT: DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS

Management is the planning, organizing, leading and controlling process of human and
other resources to achieve goals and objectives effectively and efficiently
Effectiveness is the measure of the appropriateness of goals and objectives and the degree of
accuracy in achieving them: “doing the right thing”
Efficiency is the measure of the productivity of resources deployed to achieve objectives: “doing
things right”
Managerial functions: the job of management position is to help an organization
(shareholders) set appropriate goals and objectives and the achievement of them through the
best use of organizational resources. Managers can do this by performing the four essential
management functions: planning, organizing, leading and controlling. The achievement of
managers, thus largely depends upon how well they are performing these functions. To
perform them well it needs to understand them well first.

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2. MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

2.1 PLANNING
Planning is the process of identifying and selecting appropriate goals and objectives and the
corresponding courses of action that should be taken for achieving them. It helps to bridge
gaps that exist between the present status and the future desired position by going through the
following steps
1st determine/decide/ what goals (broad and long-term) and objectives (short-term and
specific)…desired future
2nd decide how they can be achieved…the means of achieving
3rd how to allocate resources and when…capacity and capability of doing
Time horizon of planning
In terms of time plans may be divided into long (5 or more years) intermediate (between 1
and 5 years) and short-term (one year or less)
Forms of planning:
Strategic plans are big picture goals or long-term objectives by top level management
Operational planning: designing the systems of the organization for production; and setting
of work standards and schedules to implement
Tactical planning: identifying short-term objectives determining what is to be done, how it
is to be done, who is to do it
Contingency/scenario/ planning: these are plans prepared to replace in case the first plan
fails. It is a process of making forecasts of future situations with corresponding analyzed
responses
Standing plans: these are plans formulated to guide decisions for more or less repeated
situation. These are:
Policies: give general direction for making decisions
Procedures: series of action steps that should be taken in making decisions
Rules: formal guides to actions or statements of compliance
Single use plans: these are plans prepared for specific objectives such as programs and
projects
Measurable objectives or Action plans are prepared using SMART approach which is an
acronym that is used as a reminder in the things to do while formulating those verifiable
objective or action plans. Hence SMART is mostly designated as follows.
 “S”-Specific: select focus area and pinpoint what in particulars?
 “M”- Measurable; establish measurable indicator because: “unless you measure you can’t
manage (control)”
 “A” –attainable: achievable/physically possible/.
 ‘R’-Relevant, Realistic. Objectives have to be stretching/uplifting/ but not too ambitious.
 ‘T’ –Timing/time-framed/; setting limits by dates. What to achieve by d-date
Objectives of projects are usually stated in terms quality (specification), completion time
and estimated cost corresponding to which conformance to the stated quality and
performances of time and cost are compared with.

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Levels: plans are prepared at different management levels of an organization, usually referred
as top, middle and first-line positions. However, the scope and time span varies from more
general at the top to detailed/specific/ and shorter durations at first-line management level. If
we relate the top, middle and first-line levels to most domestic construction organizations the
top refers to General Manager and the functional (department) heads who report to him/her,
while divisions are considered as middle and first-lines as section heads. Depending upon the
size or sensitiveness of a project the position of a project manager in an organization may be
equivalent to its top (PM reporting to the GM) or divisional level, if made to report to a
department.

2.2 ORGANIZING
Since organization by definition is a group of people who work together in some concrete
manner to set goals and achieve them, it requires first to group tasks and then allocate them to
either individuals or groups as found appropriate for their execution. This process of grouping
of activities which are already identified at the planning stage and the assignment of people to
each group with appropriate responsibility and authorization is what is referred as
organizing.
Depending on the division of work, desired level of authority distribution and information
flow an organization structure is developed. In project management also the type and size of
work, proximity, resource and type; and function determines the organization type. In most
cases for support functions such as personnel finance, equipment and materials management
projects may take individuals from the functional units of the main office or employ and
made them report them respectively while these same people are also responsible to their
project level supervisor. To accommodate this type of role, i.e., an individual reporting to two
supervisors projects adapt matrix type structure.
The assignment of people which is usually referred as staffing involves first to define the
scope of the job desired to be done and the qualification required of individuals to be able to
do the job well; and second the identification and selection of appropriate individual (s) from
a pool that is available at the time.
However, the actual roles and responsibilities of individuals on their assigned positions still
depend upon the level of delegation and the existence of enabling environment.

2.3 LEADING
Leading is the process of influencing people to develop desire and commitment to follow
and directing them towards the achievement of goals and objectives. Theoretically, leaders
can influence their followers and succeed if they are able to optimize the needs of the existing
situation, the behaviors of their people and the change they want to make.
Leaders capture concepts from their followers and shape them to principles and from the
latter they set directions to be adhered to by all. Such an approach helps leaders to align
individual to group, and group to that of the organization interests. Since leading is inspire
people to contribute the best they can for the achievement of common goal there is no
specific organizational level that it is limited to. Leadership is, thus practiced at all levels of
an organization or in any collective or group engagement.

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Since project, particularly construction project, by nature gathers people of various attitudes
and skills from both within and outside sources the role of leadership towards creating
optimized flows actions for the achievement of its objective is much more essential.
Leaders and Managers: much for the benefit of making behavioral influence on people for
desired outcomes it is good to consider the difference in concept between the two and
appreciate the interpretation of each during application. Because some appear to use them
interchangeably while others insist on acknowledging their differences for attitudinal and
focus purposes. Distinction between Leaders and managers as differentiated by Warren
Bennis in provocative ways is presented here below. (Source: a book on “Management”, by
Stonner.
Leaders Mangers
Concur the context- volatile, turbulent, Surrender to them
ambiguous surroundings that sometimes seem to
conspire and surly suffocate if let them happen.
Innovates
Is an original; originates Administrates
Develops Is a copy; imitates
Focuses on people Maintains
Inspires trust Focuses on systems and structures
Has long-range perspective Relies on control
Asks what and why Has shot-range view
Has his eye on the horizon Asks how and when
Challenges status quo Has an eye on the bottom line
Does the right things Accepts status quo
Does things right
Note: Reflect on your practice or experience with others and compare them with the above to
consider where to improve your attitudes and/or actions.

2.4 CONTROLLING
Controlling is the process of confirming that actual activities and/or outcomes confirm to
plans. Monitoring is the process of following up and recording what is happening while
control is feedback process that helps to check conformity to plans. Thus monitoring and
controlling are focused on process and outcome rather than on people.

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3. FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)

The management of people requires sharing and understanding of thoughts; knowing the
attitudes and behaviors of individuals and the ways of optimizing them to create what
individuals involved in a given process of setting goals and objectives; and the achievement
of them can share. People have feelings, beliefs and emotions which they reflect or express
in some form of communication behavior which they may use to address their agreement or
disagreement or indifference. Without having the proper understanding of these and other
related intrinsic (fundamental) characteristics of humans and the principles and skills in using
them, the mere efforts of applying management functions to human resources cannot lead to
the achievement of desired results.
It is, therefore, essential for leaders/managers who deal with people to know the meanings
and roles of some of the basic human individual and group beliefs, behaviors and the likes in
order to enable them get their works done through the people they lead.

3.1 THE ROLES OF CULTURE, VALUES, ATTITUDES, EMOTIONS

Culture is a complex mixture of assumptions, behaviors, stories, myths, metaphors, and
other ideas, that fit together to define what it means to work in a particular organization
Organizational Culture: the set of important understandings, such as norms, values,
attitudes, and beliefs, shared by organizational members
Artifacts: ‘the things that one hears, sees, and feels when one encounters a new group with
an unfamiliar culture.’ They include products, services, and even behavior patterns of
members of an organization.
Espoused values: The reasons we give for doing what we do. The reasons given by an
organization for the way things are done. For instance, the way it organizes itself as seen
labeled on the doors of its various work units by an external individual up on entering in to its
premises
Basic assumptions: the belief that are taken for granted by the members of an organization.
This is the core which is assumed to be shared by most if not all of the people in the
organization.
Values are defined as conceptions that define what an individual or group regards as
desirable. They are guiding principles in an individual’s life. In an environment where there
is a phenomenon of sharing more or less similar guiding principles by a group of people of
similar or complementary skills it is favorable for the group to set goals and strive for the
achievement of same.
Value is mostly acquired at early life of an individual from family, school, and community.
The other interpretation of value is more of economics than human; and it is the benefit that
one believes to get by acquiring/possessing or owning an item. For instance buyer and seller
of an object attached value to draw from the objet or the money received.
Personality traits include good or bad feelings about self and others; the propensity to work
in a group or alone; the tendency to be careful or the determination to face challenges; the
inclination towards new experience or environment; and the willingness or not to take risks

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are characteristics which may be reflected by an individual or shared by a group assigned to a

given job.
Attitudes are feelings and beliefs that affect an individual’s way of thinking towards
individuals, his job, project, organization, etc. Job satisfaction and commitment to project
objective and organizational strategy are affected by a project manager’s attitude.
Emotions are feelings experienced by and individual for a short duration. Say when angry or
happy. A project manager who has commendable qualities in managing his/her own and
others’ emotions optimally can be trusted to be able to lead a project to success. This is the
rational why studies and prominent motivational speakers advocate that the success of
individuals is highly dependent on their emotional intelligence than their skills! (Ref Daniel
Goleman’sBook on Emotional Intelligence)
Following the assessment and understanding of the cultures and values of employees it needs
to build a common belief which most, if not all, share with the organization and the
organization with its employees. The establishment of this type of common cause lays the
foundation for building confidence and trust between an organization and its employees. And
this is the basis for creating strategic partnership between the company and the employees;
and which helps both sides to benefit from long-term relations and commitment for better
productivity.
Flexibility and trust built into every aspect of HRM enable to win employees’ willingness
and desire to be productive and efficient. Satisfied employees are innovative, effective,
efficient, and make meaningful contributions to give value to customers. This ensures
profitability to the organization and guarantees benefits to employees in their compensation.
When such level of mutually benefiting commitments is attained no rules, regulations and
organizational chart may be required. Instead work place democracy may rule the co. to the
extent of deciding where and when to work and how much to be paid. However, this at least
needs reaching to the peak of organizational culture. Unfortunately in most cases
organizations give either no or little attention to the role of culture even when they are in an
effort to transform their organizations.
Consequently, managers of companies, projects, human resources and all others who are
working with people need to understand both the internal and external social environment
and cultural diversities to consider the likely influence they should expect and prepared for in
order to succeed in their plans. This is mainly relevant and important to most construction
projects and above all to road construction projects which cross or connect various localities
which in most cases are inhabited by people of different cultural diversities and values.
Hence, it is evident why it is necessary to give due care to the beliefs and attitudes of people
within the company and those who are in the process of joining the company.

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3.2 MOTIVATION
The question of what motivates people at work has initiated the development of various
studies and created in most cases complementary philosophies and principles for
organizations to consider as bases for their human resources’ management. The most
important in this regard are the studies made on motivation. Hence, the outcomes some of the
studies on motivation which are considered to be relevant are the ones presented below. One
of the most well known in this is Maslow who state that human needs are hierarchical and
hence put them in the order of importance-starting from the one he called basic.

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Compatibility of Maslow‘s classification to that of Herzberg’s: the two approaches seem

to be related as shown in the table below. What do you think is applicable to your situation?
Maslow Herzberg
Self-Actualization Work itself

Motivational
Achievement
possibility of growth

Esteem Advanced Recognition

Status

Hygiene Maintenance
Social Interpersonal relations
Superior subordinates
Peers supervision
Safety Company policy and Administration
Job Security
Working Condition
Physiological Salary
Personal life

McGeregor’sTheory X and Y
Theory X Theory Y
1. Work is distasteful to most people 1. Working is as natural as play, if the conditions are
2. Most people are not ambitious, have little desire favorable
for responsibility, and prefer to be directed 2. Self-control is often indispensable in achieving
3. Most people have little capacity for creativity in organizational goals
solving organizational problems 3. The capacity for creativity in solving organizational
4. Motivation occurs only at the physiological and problems is widely distributed in the population
security levels 4. Motivation occurs at the social, esteem, and self-
5. Most people must be closely controlled and often actualization levels, as well as at the physiological and
coerced to achieve organizational objectives security levels.
5. People can be self-directed and creative at work if
properly motivated.

Ouchi’s theory Z which is also called Modified American

1. Employee involvement is the key to increased productivity
2. Employee control is implied and informal
3. Employee prefer to share responsibility and decision making
4. Employee perform better in environment that foster trust and cooperation

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5. Employees need granted employment and will accept slow evaluation and promotions
Based on these theories as background type Z is thought to be an optimized outcome of
American and Japanese thoughts of employees’ behaviors

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Type Z: Modified American Type J: Japanese

Type A: American:
1. Long-term employment 1. life-time employment
1. short-term employment 2. collective decision making 2. Consensual decision
2. individual decision 3. individual responsibility making
making 4. slow evaluation and 3. collective responsibility
3. individual responsibility promotion 4. slow evaluation and
4. rapid evaluation and 5. implicit informal control promotion
promotion with explicit formalized 5. implicit informal
5. explicit formalized control control
control 6. moderately specialized 6. non-specialized carrier
6. specialized carrier path carrier path path
7. segmented concern for 7. holistic concern for 7. holistic concern for
employees employee,( including employee
Understanding the factors for motivation and the need to get targeted
family) outputs requires
leaders/managers/ develop a balance between human needs and maximizing products. The
graph below shows where the optimum balance can be achieved. It also help as a guide for
managers in making a balanced decision to make the best out of the people they are leading
for the achievement of organizational/project/ objectives.

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C 9 Country club Team management: work

O 8 management: accomplishment is from
N
C
7 Thoughtful attention to committed people
E needs of people
R 6 Middle of the road
N
F management:
O
5 satisfactory moral level
R 4
P
3 Impoverished Authority Compliance: human
E
O 2 Management: exertion element minimum
P of minimum effort
L
E
1
LOW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 (HIGH)

CONCERN FOR PRODCUTION

Strategic thoughts and actions of managers require valuing the above briefly described
attitudinal and skill factors of the people while executing the processes of human resource
management for setting goals and achieving them.

4. ACTIVITIES IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)

HRM system includes all activities concerned with the attraction, retention and utilization
of employees towards the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. The major
components of HRM process are recruitment and selection, training and development,
performance appraisal, pay and benefits; and relations. In exercising each it needs to
confirm that the action under consideration is consistent with, first with the legal
requirements and then with the strategy, structure, systems, and culture of the organization.
However, the common phenomenon is to make changes in strategy, structure and systems
without giving due attention on the need to make corresponding changes in the existing
culture. Studies show that it is mostly as a result of this practice that ambitious planned
changes are witnessed to fail!
Since the success of a company is due to its HR-employees it needs to identify the
compatibility of the culture and values of the organization to that of most employees. This
helps to understand the dominant behaviors that affect the performance and success of the
company; and make appropriate adjustments.

4.1 RECUTMENT AND SELCTION

This is the first component of the system. Recruitment is the process of creating pool of
potential candidates while selection if picking out the one (s) who is (are) found to be most
likely fit for the desired position. When a request for employment is raised from a work unit
the manager responsible for the company’s human resource tries all means to attract
applicants and create a pool from which potential candidates are be short listed for interview
and negotiation.
In principle employment is advised to focus on establishing long-term relations, however at
least in our local practice the phenomena is mostly short-term and hence the thinking on both

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sides: the employee and the company are not strategic. Particularly, for project except for few
management staff it is almost certain that the employment period may last maximum up to
the end of the project unless, of course, the company wins another one and decides to move
its current staff to it.
This temporary nature of a project added to the commonly weak human resource
management practice in the construction sector pose a challenge for construction companies
to expect getting fully committed project manpower to the level they may wish to see.
Likewise since employees also do not expect to have a lasting employment with the company
they may not stop still looking outside for still better pay, benefits and work environment.
In any case, i.e., whether an employment lasts long or short recruitment and selection system
of an organization has to be based on plans resulting from job analysis and the procedure to
be followed as may be stated in the company’s policy and procedure manuals.
Recruitment and selection may be made from within as may be stipulated in the company’s
policy manual.

4.2 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Trainings may be short or long duration interventions made to help employees improve their
skills and/or attitudes whereas development are done by facilitating for formal higher level
education such as for formal certificate, first or second degree. Hence, development is more
strategic oriented than training.
Basically employees need trainings to accustom them either the prevailing culture or improve
their skills. It is a well acknowledge phenomena today that our construction industry lacks
management and trade level skilled manpower and companies are suffering from this.
However, most companies are reluctant willing to sponsor training to their employees since
they are not sure that their employees would remain committed to them after they incurred
costs. So it remains to be a dilemma whether to train and lose, may be after benefiting only
for short while or use ill skilled manpower may be for similar duration and lose productivity!

4.3 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Whether for support or primary activities of the organization people are employed to execute
a certain activity and hence it is appropriate for an organization to measure what it has gotten
from each and the whole. In fact, the benefit of performance measurement is for both the
organization and the employees. It helps the organization to see where it should improve:
change systems, train individuals, avail better working equipment and whom to reward better
than the other. For the employees it may indicate what to do to improve results and which
carrier path to follow for better growth in profile and pay.
The evaluation may be based on trait on what an employee is capable to do; behavior, i.e.,
how he/she reacts or communicates, both spoken and unspoken expression, with others when
he does his job; and results he achieved at the end of a given time frame and process, both of
which have to be quantified as appropriate. Measuring trait and behavior may encourage
employees to improve themselves in these areas and achieve better results in their main
targets.
Basically performance measurement has to be done by setting measurable targets with
appropriate standards. Particularly those in management positions are evaluated both in their
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objective setting and achieving them. Target based evaluation helps both manager and
subordinates to know what outcome is expected and by when instead of non-targeted and unscheduled
surprises on a result of an evaluation process they reach at, which at times may even be not easy to
agree upon.
For construction projects measuring performances of people working on construction
activities is easy. In this regard the only thing it needs is to set target which should be clear
for the employee and the supervisor. Even if, relative to construction activities, measuring
support activities is not easy it is necessary to devise a method of measuring them too. In fact,
in principle there is nothing that can’t be measured as long as the difficulty in setting
measurable parameters and standards are resolved.
Hence, it is essential for project managers to try to set performance standards particularly for
activities they consider integral and behaviors necessary; and measure them in a transparent
and encouraging way in order to motivate employees to improve further for the benefit of
both.
Who participates in evaluation? Evaluations are mostly left to be the responsibilities of
supervisors. However it is recommended that input be received from different individuals and
work units and from both internal and external customers who are in the process chain.
Self-evaluation: if target is already set it is easy for the employee himself/herself to evaluate
his/her status against the outcome or input anticipated.
Peer evaluation: it is beneficial to get feedbacks from peers or coworkers to identify his
group output or role in the process he/she is involved with. This is particularly essential when
input to team work is desired to be improved besides, of course, individual outputs.
Sub-ordinate evaluation: a team leader or a manger does his/her work through people under
him/her-his/her subordinates. They are the closest to feel his competence and behavior thus
they are capable to give relevant information required by the supervisor and his superiors.
Another advantage of this approach is to evaluate the subordinates themselves as to where
their focuses are and whether such is beneficial for the organization.
Customer feedback: in terms of customer service quality, timeliness and behavioral
treatments customers can give feedback on employees they have been in contact with. This is
applicable to both internal customers who are in the input-output chain of the production
process, and external ones who are the end users of the final product.
Performance Feedback: following the measurement process feedback should be given to
the respective employees on the results obtained. Whether the result is negative or positive is
should be communicated timely for the employee to know to improve or that his/she has to
take appropriate training or transferred to another position or the worst scenario is to go for
separation if the result is deemed to be incorrigible. Even though it is painful to communicate
bad outcomes to an employee it is imperative that it should be done as it is a necessary evil to
be done for the good of work. Some of the steps in giving feedback are stated here below.
 Be specific on areas that the employee can correct or improve. Encourage him where it is
likely that he can improve. Avoid the things that can discourage him and drive his behavior
or productivity further down.
 Isolate the things he has to improve from himself; say discuss on what caused the outcome
not to be as expected instead of why he is underproductive.

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 avoid personal criticism and treat with due respect

 Tell an employee that you are confident that he can improve provided constraints that
affected him are resolved.
 Compliment on the positive outcomes
 conduct the performance interview formally and informally to encourage the employee for
improvement
 Set a time table and agree as to when to expect the improvement has taken place.

4.4 PAY AND BENEFIT

For various reasons whether for basic needs or others employees at any level want to get
improved earnings for their input and securities of various types. And companies want to
know what may motivate employees to bring still better results. For instance it is an evident
fact to most that salaries usually cease to be motivators after may be few months following
their increment. Even benefit if not made to vary according to performance it may stop to be
an incentive. But comparatively, it still helps a company to have a relatively stable human
resource besides enhancing performance. However, it is necessary to be pragmatic in identifying
dis-satisfiers and motivators to the particular cultural environment, beliefs and values of individuals
under consideration. With respect to pay and benefit employees may be dissatisfied due to lack, in
their view, of equity in various types of remunerations.

4.5 RELATIONS
Employment at project or for a project is basically temporary since project is by definition
temporary and a one-time act. This affects the attitude of project employee not to consider
and trust on long-term relations with the company. This puts a challenge to the human
resources management of a project and particularly the efforts made to build a stable project
team. So, at project level the factors of relation may rest on work size, skill diversity, and the
existing work environment and pay. On the other hand if the company has the practice of
creating job security, opportunity for switching carriers and growth in position and
remunerations the project may benefit. Acknowledging this fact and making appropriate
efforts in identifying various ways of retaining particularly commonly required key project
management and trades staff adds value to a company’s competitive advantages.
Relations may also be positively or negatively affected due to performance and discipline of
an employee. Thus depending upon an outcome of a performance appraisal reward,
promotion, transfer, demotion or separation may result.
When dealing with employee discipline or grievance handling, it is good to deal with labor
unions if there is in the organization instead of trying same with small groups and individuals.
In any case it is essential to work towards building a mutually benefiting relationship in order
to achieve cooperation and trust between the organization and its employees.

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Part II APPLICATIONS AND PRACTICES

Managers or people at any position, for that matter, who work with people need to use or
must have been using in some form many or few of the above briefly discussed human
resource management concepts and principles. Individuals who have acquired the knowledge
and developed the skills in these areas will benefit much in their roles as leader or manager of
a given function that they are responsible for.
Consequently, it helps to see some applications and practices to enhance the necessary skills
and attitudes on the target group of this module. Since the particular interest here is
construction project and in specifically to road construction emphasis will be given with
respect to situations and people that road projects mangers are likely to experience

1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PROJECT MANAGER

1.1 ROLES
The roles of a construction project manager under local context may be divided into
commercial or entrepreneurial role; human or team leader role, decisional and
negotiation role to deal with both internal external influences, and figurehead role since he
represents the company he is working for in the locality where the project is located, and
technical role with respect to the project type and size that he is managing.
As manger he is responsible for the effective and efficient execution of the project objective
which is defined in terms of specification (quality, function and quantity), time frame and
estimated cost or budget. Further as a manager he is responsible to carry out the basic
management function namely planning, organizing, leading and controlling the tasks of the
project he is assigned on.

The basic skills that may be required to have include: technical, conceptual and human skills.
Where,
 technical skill is to mean the ability to use the procedures, techniques and knowledge of a
specified field
 human skill: the ability to work with, understand, and motivate other people as individuals or
in groups;;stoner
 conceptual skill-the aptitude to understand basic functions of the project other than his
profession and the ability to coordinate and integrate all main interests and activities affecting
the project.
 Attributes: since a behavior of a leader affects the behaviors of followers a project manager
should give due attention to his work and human related expressions and actions. For instance
a project manager is expected to demonstrate a desire to satisfy customers of the project, a
disciple of good work and individual cultures; and aligned individual goals and motives to
that of the project and company, etc.

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1.2 RESPONSIBILTY
A project manager is basically responsible for the effective and efficient achievement of the
objective of the project he is assigned on. Accordingly he is responsible for conformance of
the resulting work to the given specifications, the completion of the project within the
appropriate time frame and estimated cost. To reach to this end he is further responsible for
the management of the functions of the project which may be can be categorized or grouped
into management of the technical works, the resources, the contract and the communication
that ties all. However, it should be noted here, that the project manager needs to have the
proper authority to make decisions on both technical and resources related matters for which
he will be answerable.

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2. PROJECT LEADERSHIP
Project leadership at its foundation lays the inspiration and mobilization of people towards
meeting project objectives. A project manager at the top of a project workforce has the
responsibility to build competent and committed team at all levels of the project to enable
him/her make the best use of all resources towards the effective and efficient implementation
the project in question. To this end a project leadership starts from identifying and dividing
the major functions of the project and then the planning and scheduling of mainly the works
and the corresponding resources out of which the basic one is human resource.

2.1 PROJECT HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

The project objective which itself is a plan now requires detail planning at the execution level. The
task at this stage is planning the plan but breaking it down from bigger to technically and
economically justifiable smaller levels. While planning of the works by breaking down the tasks to
operational levels and scheduling of the resulting activities, the control mechanisms to be applied
during the execution process need also to be worked out. The scheduling work helps to optimize the
leveling of resources while the control is required to confirm the correctness of direction and
achievement of targets. Among the main resources that need to be planned and scheduled human
resource is one.
Though a project involves people of various skills at different positions planning and scheduling of
construction manpower mainly exercised in relation to the production operation of the project. The
key items that need to be worked out are determining the type, number, duration and mobilization and
demobilization time table of each. Each needs to be decided optimally.
Work type and method of execution are used to classify the supervisory, trade and skill levels while
total quantity and the optimized individual and crew productivities are used to reach to the number
and duration required.
This is in fact, the most sensitive element of a project that needs the application of well thought
behavioral and skillful influences in order to make a project successful. In relation to this some
important insights are discussed under the topic team building. So here it is only the demand aspect
that is to be considered.
The work breakdown structure, the project type and its production operations lay the bases for
determining the skill, standard crew size, equipment and manpower to be used and productivities of
individuals as well as crew. It is only to the major and critical operation of activities that need to do
such detailing work.
Once skill is determined the next thing is to determine labor productivity (the hourly output of an
individual or a crew, i.e. qty. produced / hours worked). The planning team determines this by
optimizing individual and company relevant experiences; and industry and company standards. Here
it is essential to note that productivity is highly project dependent. Besides nature of work, skill level
and equipment type and condition; social and natural work environment factors influence
productivity. A mason working in cold and hot weather conditions cannot have same output. A
laborer engaged in pit excavation on soft soil in an optimum temperature versus a stiff soil and hot
weather faces double diminishing factors. Excess number than a work place can accommodate has a
diminishing effect. These examples imply the importance of identifying influencing factors that are
specific to the project environment. Without identifying these which include thorough site
investigation embarking on calculated results which leads to unrealistic expectation may eventually
put the project in crisis of some kind.
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Since the emphasis of this module is road construction project the common work force this topic
focuses include: equipment operators, carpenters, masons, helpers and unskilled laborers
Determining standard crews of these through fixing their output per standard working hours of a day
(say 8 hours per day) and the available working days (calendar days of the project less holy days)
forecasting the number of each including the time for mobilization and demobilization has to be set
and finally presented on the time table of the project. The standard working hours and the total
working days available are determined based on statutory and company policy requirements.
For instance the No. of labor required for a given activity = quantity of work to be executed / (output
per standard working day * no of days available).
Since time is limited (fixed) by contract it is the number of people that can vary and is required to be
defined.
Following the plan employees assigned to functional units or organized into groups or crews need
clear job descriptions, reporting hierarchies and delegation of authorities to enable them discharge
their responsibilities using the authorities given to them corresponding to which they are accountable
for.
Since planning is not a one-time activity it is done at any stage to either meet future needs, fill
balances, future developments and replace left ones.
As much as possible employment process has to be cost effective even though there are unwanted and
expenses which are mainly related to the possibility of experiencing turnovers, absents, strikes,
slowdowns, not getting the anticipated productivities and the likes. For these the project should
consider availability factor obtained from prior experiences.

2.2 SELECTION AND ORGANIZATION OF PROJECT TEAM

Planning of the works begins from preparing a work breakdown structure of the scope of the
works or in case of a BoQ contract, from activity down to desired levels of operations
required which needs to be done for the completion of the specified activity. At operations
the method of work is decided and the type and size of resources are determined. Then the
logical sequences of the operations and the time available are used to schedule the
mobilization and demobilization of the corresponding types and number of input resources
one of which (the basic one) is manpower.
Depending upon type and availability of resources; work size, proximity and complexity
grouping of more or less similar tasks in to manageable sizes is done. Each group will be
made to have defined responsibility and a person in charge to lead/manage the group. Each
group member has to have a clear description of the job and his/her duties and responsibilities
including the correspondingly accountabilities. These in a way, specify the qualification
(education, experience, training and behavior) requirement of the prospective individual.
It is, therefore, after the types and sizes of jobs and their corresponding descriptions are
determined that qualification requirements of individuals for each position is specified and
the long and short-term human resource need plans and schedules are prepared. On the basis
of this recruitment and selection of individuals shall continue to fill all the identified positions
timely.
Leaving the construction operation function for the specific project type the common
(considering local practice) functions of a road construction project includes management of
human resource which may include residential camp administration, finance and accounting;
materials (purchasing and supplies); and equipment administration and maintenance. These

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set the support part of the project team which more or less stays till the end of the project.
After the need for both the construction operation which is referred as primary function and
the support functions are determined the staffing work continues bringing appropriate people
from internal, external or both sources.
Sticking to the concept and definition given to a team it is difficult to consider the collection
and placement of people in a project structure as project team. Because a team is defined as
having two or more people who interact with and influence each other towards a common
purpose. The mere reason that each member in the project is for project work purpose cannot
assure as getting his/her commitment to the purpose.
For project people to become a team they need to learn the characteristics of each and
develop roles, norms and cohesiveness under the leadership of the project manager. Thus
organizing and forming a project team out of the people who are just gathered from internal
and external sources is an essential human task of a project manager.
Types of Employments
Those employees who are engaged in activities that continue till the closure of the project have to
remain employees of the project to such date. On the other hand there may be employees who will be
engaged on short lived operations and leave when that work is completed. The project may also
employ qualified individuals for specific tasks on part-time, piece rate or even subcontract bases.
Whichever type of employment the company uses it involves people and the processes are more or
less similar

2.3 TEAM BUILDING:

Your success (for the sake of emphasis I prefer to talk in second person - you) as project
manager depends on the team you created out of the group of people you selected or assigned
to you. A project team is composed people with different roles but all have one goal-to
complete the project within the given specification, appropriate time frame and estimated
cost. You need your team members because you can’t cover all that needs to be covered
either from time limit or expertise or interest and emphasis in doing a particular job. Each
member of a project team should have specified task on which he/she is capable to handle
and commitment to individual and overall project targets. Every team member has a tendency
to do more of one thing than another even though he/she has the training. As a result one
member may be better to see a forest while another focuses on the trees of the forest! Thus
team members are required to fill complementary positions in a given operational process.
This is one basic criterion for selection of members.
It is your role as the team leader to be able to inspire each member of your team to commit to
the objectives given to each. If you try to bring their contribution by mere instruction what
you will get is compliance not commitment! A command type approach or style may enable
you to create a group not an inspired and committed team.
So to build a team it requires creating emotional ties among the members on the purpose of
the team. It needs time for a team to reach to a full fledge performing stage where each acts
in unison with the rest so that the contribution of each will complement to each other in the
input-output process. The time it takes you to get the commitment of each team member to
both the objective of the project, the code of conduct and discipline of the project the earlier

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you record commendable productivity compared to the standard you set. Some authors argue
that a team passes five stages in its life time.
The first is the forming (collection) stage when team members introduce each other and
their respective responsibilities.
The second stage is the storming (entrenchment) when each member begins to implement its
respective responsibility without caring for the rest or even negatively affecting them. At this
stage thought your project has quite good members effectiveness of your project is going
down!
The third stage is called norming (resolution) stage. This is when productivity is improving
since here team members have becoming working together.
The fourth (synergy) stage is when the team performs well cooperating with one another.
The last is the adjourning stage when the team begins to break may be at the completion of
the project work. (These stages are shown in the graph presented below.)
Team building process requires improving skills and interpersonal relations; and building of
trust and culture among the members to enable them become productive individually and as
team.
Therefore, from the preceding discussion and from the graph below it easy to see that
the mere collection of qualified people doesn’t warranty productivity unless skillfully lead to
reach to the synergy stage with minimum time and cost.

Source: Project Management by Harvey Taylor (not to scale)

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Any time where there is a need for either to replace or increase the number of team members it affects
the already established team cohesion and place the team to go back to the collection phase
environment which make the productivity of the team to slow down again.
Therefore, it is evident that the role of a project manager in keeping team cohesion is essential,
particularly in road construction where various social and natural environments that may affect the
attitudes of crew members are faced. In some situations changing unskilled labors in a given crew
may appear insignificant as it is fulfilling the skill and number required. However, what is overlooked
in this is the attitude or culture affected in the crew which is the most essential element for cohesion.

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2.4 DELEGATION, AUTHORITY, POWER and EMPOWERMENT

An organization structure, among other things, shows delegation of authority starting from the top
head down to employee level. In delegation to show the level of authority concentration and
decentralization the usual hierarchical triangular model of managerial positions may appear to have a
reverse position depicting too high centralization. As the apex at the bottom gets wider and wider
towards the size on to it means that organization has high decentralization of decision making.
In general delegation is the sharing of responsibility, authority and accountability to various work
units and/or individuals. When an individual is assigned to do a given work it means he is made
responsible to deliver the desired outcome of the assigned task. But the person needs to have the
authority to use the appropriate resources required for the execution of the task. However, if the use of
the resources was appropriate or not has to be checked which makes the person accountable. Hence,
each pair has to be compatible to make the delegation effective. The effectiveness of the delegation
helps delegates to have the freedom of exercising various options by themselves while making
decisions related to their responsibility and authorization. Empowerment is the creation of such
enabling environment by supervisors and the willingness of employees to take risks of accountability
in their decisions. Thus employees empower themselves while supervisors create/facilitate/ the
situation.
Power is exerting influence on people to make changes in their attitudes or actions. It can emanate
from position, expertise, and inspiration of an individual taken as role model. So Authority as stated
above emanates from formal delegation whereas power may result from non-formal positions.
In road construction projects of our domestic experience the creation of a balanced enabling
environment is necessary and beneficial for project managers to make timely decisions for either
preventing or mitigating risks associated with safety, time, cost and others. Moreover such an
environment motivates project workforce to promote creativity and innovation towards improving
construction techniques (work methods) thereby enhancing productivity.
You as project manager should, therefore make sure first that you have sufficiently empowered
yourself; and second created the environment for your subordinates to empower themselves.

2.5 TRAINING and DEVELOPMENT.

Definition wise, since development of an employee means sending him/her for further
education formally to assign hem/her to a higher position upon completion of the courses and
receipt of the credentials. From this context it is easy to understand that the management of
human resources development activity is more appropriate to head office than at project level.
On the other hand facilitating training to the skilled and unskilled labourers of the project
may help to improve their attitudes and/or skills benefit the project. To this end it is
recommended to organize training to the members from internal or/and external sources and
facilitate promotion and increase in remuneration for those who show practical development
in their skills and results.

2.6 PERFOMANCE MANAGEMENT: SETTING CRITERIA, OBSERVATION,

EVALUATION, FEEDBACK AND REWAD
The discussion made regarding human needs, motivation, culture, behaviors and others have,
in some way or the other, indicated the likely effects on having stable human resource and
getting better performances of individuals and teams. To this end it is essential to

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establish/plan ahead/ appropriate performance management systems and methods; and the
outcomes that the project and employees can anticipate from such evaluation.
Performance management begins with identifying the areas that are thought to be critical for
the success of project objectives. The objective of a road construction project of some type is
found expressed in terms of scope and quality assurance; time frame and estimated cost. As
an overall performance the project team is thus expected to deliver the works complying or
meeting the quality assurance, within appropriate time and appropriate cost. Appropriate
indicates justifiability against the quality and quantity of the activities executed. And project
performance is the result of the performances of the different functions, teams and individuals
of the project; and in fact by the main office’s functional units and individuals too!
For this reason it is proper to measure the influence of each as it affects the productivities of
individuals, teams and the project and the organization as a whole. Since it is people that have
major influence on productivity than equipment, tools and the likes, it proper to evaluate
productivities of individuals, groups at different levels in terms of human hours input against
outcomes. In a construction project it is relatively easy to measure construction activities than
administrative ones. However, even in the construction activities, it is recommended to focus
on major operations, which may include excavation, hauling, placing, masonry, and the likes
than to try each and every activity of the works of a project as the cost of measurement may
exceed the benefit of the measurement itself. Another approach which can be done at crew
(earth work, finishing, structures), work units, which are engaged in the execution of pay
items or project level may be to evaluate the overall value of work executed against the total
human hours invested; or salary and wage paid. This gives a general picture of changes in
productivity form period to period using the beginning as a standard.
Setting Performance Criteria
To reach to the desired end it is vital to assure that each individual, team, and work units on
all processes are performing well. To assure whether each is performing well or not it
requires setting expectations form each in terms of outcomes and behaviors. Expectations
are standards set to measure either desired results or behaviors that are deemed to be
necessary to reach to the desired outcomes. For instance an employee who is repeatedly late
or absent or uncooperative reflects undesirable behavior that affects the performances of
others. The standards should show value intervals for evaluators to given grades
corresponding to each measured result and behavior assessed. All these performance related
plans need to be communicated to the corresponding individuals and crews in order to make
them aware of the supervisor’s expectations.

Observation and Evaluation

Once performance standards including value intervals are set and communicated to the
respective bodies the assessment should include the environment that affects the
performances of the individuals and/or crews. For instance, resource type and working
conditions which are outside of the competence and behavior of an individual should be
identified and noted as system problem. Observing the complete environment and diagnosing
adverse situations may in some cases need to be done by two or more individuals having
different expertise while human resource units of the project/head office is common to all.

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For instance, while evaluating equipment operators it is proper to involve the mechanical, the
construction, and the human resources units to make group evaluation. The construction
unit’s (person’s) interest are meeting quality of workmanship standard, respecting work
hours, and cooperation while for the mechanical units it is keeping the machine safe and for
the human resource unit may be camp discipline and others. The likely apportionment of the
points may be 20% for behavior, 20% for potential in competence and contribution to team
performance while the remaining 60% may be for targeted result. The latter can further be
divided into major, medium and minor significance results if the assignment was so divided.
Conducting the evaluation process in short time intervals say, monthly is beneficial for both
sides as it enables to make timely record of events rather than risking for memory long after
the feelings of impact of an event has subsided.
Feedback and Reward
The result of the evaluation then has to be communicated to the individual or group
concerned. The feedback process mainly includes face-to-face interview of supervisor (or
supervisors from different relevant work units) with the employee. In case of low
performance outcome this process may entail confrontational environment. However, good
record keeping of events, prior agreement on targets and accurate measurement of outcomes;
transparent and fair implementation practice may mitigate the situation. Generally, most
important is making expectations known to both sides from the outset; and transparency and
fairness in the measurement and reward or reprimand processes.
As stated before since performance evaluation benefits both the company and the employee,
after the feedback process is over the outcome to the employee should be addressed as
planned during the target setting. For good performers the reward should be made while for
the non-satisfactoryones corrective measures are to be applied.
The reward may be financial, promotion, recognition, or scholarship whichever is appropriate
as per the needs and motivation factors identified; while for the less performers training,
transfer, warning or termination. In case of financial incentive, which is common it is
recommended to apply weights on individual, group and company level productivities, saving
from standard costs or earning profits. In construction projects (companies for that matter)
since it is essential for people to work in cooperation it is recommended to make the financial
reward project and organization based. For instance, for a dump truck operator to perform “n”
number of trips per day besides the influence of other operators in the input-output process,
the mechanics, and the personnel and camp administrators can also affect his performance.
So, at project level it is preferable to evaluate and reward an individual on his individual task
output, his contribution to the team or crew he is a part and may be, also to the project as
whole.

2.7 CHANGE AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Either as a result of performance evaluation or the need to introduce new methods and project or
company management practices; or the influence of environmental factors it may require to introduce
changes of some type in any part of the project. The changes to be made depend upon the findings
obtained from performance evaluation, opinions gathered, observations made; innovations identified
and information obtained from suppliers, knowledge and experience sharing opportunities;

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competitors and other sources; and the readiness and suitability of the situation. Readiness and
suitability are determined following the preparation of plans for the desired changes.
While preparing plans for the desired changes it also needs to consider the units and individuals who
will be affected by the envisaged change (s) and design mitigating means to counter resistances that
are anticipated to be encountered. People who are comfortable (or who think are comfortable) in the
existing environment will put various resistances to the new situation even if eventually they may
benefit from it.

2.8 CAMP ADMINISTRATION:

Domestic practices in road construction projects revealed the benefit of managing camp well.
When building roads in locations where there are no residential facilities it will be necessary
to build residential camps at selected points along the length of the road under construction.
The establishment cap entails the management of it which is different from the management
of the works.
So you as project manager have the responsibility to administer this house holding business if
you are determined to complete your project successfully. You do this through by assigning
the appropriate people and monitoring their works. If you entertain the idea that it is trivial
administration activity for a project manager who is an engineer to worry about the
conditions of the bed rooms they use, the foods they eat, the water they drink and wash with;
and the distribution of their lunches at their work places, etc. you can be sure to lose
production and hence fail in your targets. The attitude that most engineers have towards
resources management make them suffer from project cost overrun and this is ignoring your
role as business manager of the company at your project level where you are the head of the
company!
So if you give due attention to their living facilities and get their satisfaction you will find
this as one of the basic tools of Motivation Techniques at site.

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2.9 CONFLICT MANAGMENT:

Almost all of the above discussed project activities involve people of different roles and
personal interests, beliefs, images about themselves and others; and may also have demands
for resources may be scarce. Any or a combination of any of these or other factors not
mentioned here may case differences which may escalate to conflict between or among team
or group members, colleagues, roommates. The conflict may be positive if handled properly
as differences/conflicts/ help to generate creative ideas and innovative solutions to crop up.
When faced with a conflicting environment either between you and other or between or
among others you as project team leader have to play it out in a way the outcome to be
beneficial for all those involved. So the each thinks a win-win instead of win-lose or lose-
lose. Tools advised to use in resolving conflict include the following.
 carful listening and responding to assure clear communication prevails in the process
 isolate people form the problem
 focus on interests
 recognize feelings of the parties involved
 find the cause-effect flow of the issue
 list out possible solutions
 try to ease out from emotion of ill feelings and focus for a win-win negotiated outcome

Competition Collaboration
Concern for self

Compromise

Avoidance Accommodation

Concern for others

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2.10 NEGOTIATION
which is part of a manager’s job (interpersonal role) is a communication process used to
resolve organizational and/or interpersonal conflicts which may arise at project level or
between project- head office due to limited resource sharing or clashing objectives, values,
personalities and/or perceptions. It is also a necessary tool to resolve differences between
supervisors and project managers on contractual issues. Thus it is an essential skill for a
project manager in managing contracts.

2.11 COMMUNICATION
Communication is a human interaction where by two or more individuals exchange messages
through the process of sending and receiving to reach to a common understanding. It enables
people to relate to each other through sharing via symbols and mediums to send through. It is
a two way process where each side plays a sender receiver role whom so ever starts the
process. It involves symbols-gestures, words, letters, numbers and the likes. The two way
communication process involves the following key elements
 Sender: the person or group who wishes to share information with other person or group
translates (encodes) his/her thought into symbols (often words) that is known by the receiver
as well
 Message/information/ encoded in a symbol (language) that both the sender and receiver
understand
 Medium is the means through which an encoded message is decided to be communicated to
a receiver. The medium may be face-to-face, telephone call, letter, memo, e-mail
 Receiver: the individual or group to whom the message was sent to receive and decodes
(interprets) to make sense of the message and give feedback to the sender.
 Feedback is the critical element that helps to eliminate misunderstandings and reach to
common understanding
 Perception is a process through which people select, organize, and interpret their sensory
inputs to give meaning to the situation around them. It plays key role for the sender and
receiver of a communication process to reach to understanding
 Accurate perception of a situation which results from focusing on actual behaviors,
knowledge, skills of the two sides plays a key role for communication to be effective. Bias
(tendency to use info leading to wrong perception) and stereotype (inaccurate beliefs of an
individual or group)
 Systematic Approach to project communication management
o A project manager’s task is to manage a project and communication skills are a means to that
end
o You as project manager have to prepare communication plan of the project to ensure
communicating the right information to the right people at the right time. You may use the
following planning questions.
 Who wants needs to be communicated?
 What information and when to be communicated?
 What methods/channels to be to be used?

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 Who produces the report and communication?

The common ways of project instruments mainly include periodic reports and meetings to be
conducted among project members and project – head office functional units.
Good communication skill leads to success! The powers are in the words and the delivery!

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2.12 TIME MANAGEMENT

For a project time (for any action for that matter) is of the essence. You as project manager
need to have a habit of listing things you need/should attend to isolate things to be handled by
others and matters that may be time wasters. And from among things that have to be attended
by, you, the project manager, isolate the important (central) ones from the urgent ones.
There may be things that appear to be equal and hence, confusing as to which to attend first
when both competes for the same time interval unless prioritized weighing using appropriate
parameters. For instance you are chairing a meeting while you are speaking your telephone
audibly rang forcing you to interrupt your speech and pick it either to respond or reject the
call. Whichever is your response to the call you including the participants were interrupted
from the proceeding of the meeting however short the duration was. If your telephone was
switched off there wouldn’t have been interruption to your meeting. In this your meeting was
important while responding to the ringing tone of the phone was urgent.
Therefore, it is necessary to identify first time wasters and then things to be done by you and
others; and finally prioritizing the things that should be attended by you. Samples of time
wasters may include lack of planning, accepting unscheduled visitors, lack of systems and
procedures; improper management of meetings, etc.
Improved time management includes: planning and prioritizing tasks; proper organization
and delegation; identifying major and minor affect tasks; and important and urgent ones;
avoiding repeated attendance of an issue though appear indifferent forms.
Once you become habituated to the management of your own time you have to coach your
project team members to develop this habit.

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2.13 MEETING MANAGMENT

If well managed meeting are important in that they create a face-to-face communication
between and among people whose actions are directly/indirectly linked. If not well managed
they will be time wasters in significant amount. If you want to know how much a given
meeting wastes multiply the number of participants with the duration of the meeting and the
hourly pay of each! Compare this with the outcome of that meeting. If you have been
discussing one individual’s table work which he/she should have done alone or in
consultation with one or two individuals imagine the saving in cost.
Hence meetings whether one-to-one or in large numbers it is essential to plan it first and be
effective-select appropriate agenda and discuss only issues related to the agenda; and be
efficient – allocate time and control it against the result. To monitor and alert participants it is
good to allot time at the start to each agenda and assign a time keeper.
For formal meetings use a standard format for recording minutes which at least should show
the issues discussed, decisions passed and subsequent actions to be taken including
responsible body and time frame. For follow up of issues evaluate the previous minutes
before starting new agendas of the subsequent meeting
One most important advantage of meeting is creating emotional ties between and among
participants since it facilitated cooperation and trust.
In road construction projects meetings with the management team members may be made to
review work progress or to enhance efficiency among functional units. But with construction
site workers and first line supervisors (foremen) who are engaged in various direct activities
dispersed out in the field it is commendable to make evening short sessions in a convenient
environment say at dinner or just after with the supervisors and with foremen and operators a
one-to-one or group contacts by going to their respective work locations preferably during
their lunch time.

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2.14 DECISION MAKING

The most important work of a manger is making important decisions timely. A project
manger’s task is similar. Since a construction project is in a continuous change or
transformation process giving appropriate timely decision is crucial for its quality, progress
and cost.
Problem (problem is defined as a situation where actual state is different from desired state)
solving is also part of decision making. Its difference is that to a problem decision is made
after the problem has occurred whereas for other situations decisions are given proactively.
Whether for a problem for already at hand or for avoidance or mitigation in the future
decision making requires the process of identifying and selecting a course of action to either
solve a specific problem or prevent form happening or implement a plan in order to achieve a
target.
Decisions may be made under a definite or certain situation where all the necessary accurate,
measurable and reliable information are available; or in a risky situation where managers may
have known only the probability (statistical measure that a certain event will occur) that a
given choice will lead to a desired outcome or in uncertain/unpredictable external condition
where there is lack of info to establish the probability of a certain event
Even though there are a number of approaches to decision making the rational approach is the
one that is preferable for most construction projects site management.
This approach requires investigating the situation, defining the problem, identifying the
cause, developing alternatives, evaluating them and finally choosing the appropriate one
which should be followed by monitoring and evaluation of the process and outcome. Another
essential factor in a decision making process is time. If decisions are not made timely it is no
use whatever type was followed.
Depending upon the issue and factors involved a given decision making process may be
challenging technically, emotionally and ethically.
When a decision maker finds himself trapped in such challenging situation he needs to
evaluate the options from legal (statutory or company policy), number of individuals to
benefit or harm, fairness may be in the eyes of close ones. It may therefore, be necessary to
consider such factors when making decisions related to project employees as an issue on a
single employee may affect the majority of the employees, the surrounding community and
then the short or long-term benefit of the company in the end. For this purpose the project
manager should make himself familiarized with labor and civil laws, regulations and
company police and collective agreement if there is any.

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3 SIGNS OF TROUBLE IN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Some of the common signs of trouble in human resources management are reduction in
productivity due to slow down, indiscipline, absenteeism, turnover, grievance, strike and
other forms. When any or a combination of these occurs timely action to identify and resolve
the causes is crucial. Ignoring such a situation will cost the project and the company dearly!

4 CONCLUSION
Human is the most basic resource of an organized effort directed to either to business or non-
business purposes and objectives. Getting the best ones and keeping them at least till the end
of their respective activities are bases to the success of a project or organization. The
acquiring and maintaining tasks require understanding the fundamental attitudinal and
behavioral factors of the target groups. Since focusing only on their skills cannot guarantee to
get the desired results from them. But in the first place, if you as leader to them don’t have
the necessary behaviors and skills as briefly discussed in the preceding pages you can’t assure
keeping them with you and make your project successful. Thus acquiring knowledge and
experience through education, training and practice are essential if you aspire to be successful
in your project management career.

5 Annexes
1. Sample Formats
2. Sources and References

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