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Author
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Manyadze, Evaristo
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Title
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Assessment of occupational stress and its impacts on health, safety, and performance among construction workers: a case study of Exodus construction company, Zimbabwe
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Abstract
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The research aimed to determine occupational stress levels in Exodus Construction Company employees, identify main causes, and assess their effects on health, safety, and overall work performance. The study employed a mixed-methods design, which uses both quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis, and was conducted to produce results. The quantitative data collected through a questionnaire distributed to a sample of 80 employees from Exodus Construction Company. Statistical data analysis was conducted through the use of the SPSS package. As a result, the quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics to derive mean score for the stressors and Pearson correlation analysis. The qualitative data was collected by interviewing key informants (Site supervisors, Human Resource, SHE Officer, and Machine Operator Manager) to obtain more information about the causes and impact of occupational stress among workers. The thematic analysis was utilized in the analysis of the qualitative data obtained. The study recognized that the majority of workers, 52 %, at Exodus Construction Company are suffering from high occupational stress. The most common occupational stress factors were workload (mean = 4.180), home stress interfering with job pressure (mean = 4.160), working under hazardous conditions (mean = 4.140), conflicts with supervisors (mean = 4.020), and performing untrained tasks (mean = 4.060). Additionally, the research confirmed a high positive relationship between work stress, and work accidents (r = 0.589, p = 0.000), and a moderate positive relationship with absenteeism (r = 0.358, p = 0.0011). The study confirmed a significant negative association between work stress and general work performance (r = -0.349, p = 0.013), indicating that as stress increases, job performance decreases. Furthermore, the employees also had severe physical and mental health impacts such as depression and exhaustion. The results of research show that there is an urgent need for Exodus Construction Company to take proactive measures to alleviate these stressors and encourage employee wellness. This is not only crucial for the safety and health of workers for the general productivity, reputation, and sustainability of the company. Further research, particularly longitudinal and intervention studies, would be useful in planning and testing effective ways of dealing with stress under the harsh working environment of the construction sector.
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Date
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June 2025
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Publisher
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BUSE
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Keywords
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Construction company
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Healthy safety
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Effects
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Supervisor
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Dr. Mabhungu
Manyadze - SHEM.pdf