The document discusses factors affecting job satisfaction of middle management level professionals in the construction industry. A survey of 65 middle managers in Delta State, Nigeria was conducted. The three most significant factors identified were salary, job security, and prospects for career development. There was general agreement among respondents (architects, builders, civil engineers, quantity surveyors) on these top factors. The least impactful factors were age and gender.

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International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)
Volume 10, Issue 02, February 2019, pp. 369–374, Article ID: IJCIET_10_02_039
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=2
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316
©IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed
FACTORS AFFECTING JOB SATISFACTION OF
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT LEVEL
PROFESSIONALS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY
James D Owolabi, Aziken Rita, Patience F Tunji-Olayeni Faith T Akinbo,
Adedeji O. Afolabi
Department of Building Technology, Covenant University, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The benefits of job satisfaction on organizational performance and survival cannot
be ignored, particularly in a people centered industry like construction. Middle
management level employees play a critical role in translating organizational strategy
and managing lower level operatives. It is middle management staffs that will
eventually grow and replace the aging senior management level staff. Nurturing
middle level management employee will include motivating them with financial and
non-financial incentives. In this paper, factors affecting job satisfaction of middle
management level professionals in the construction industry was assessed. The
opinions of 65 middle management level employees were elicited with the use of
questionnaires distributed to Architects, Builders, Civil Engineers and Quantity
Surveyors in Delta State, Nigeria. The major factors affecting job satisfaction of the
respondents surveyed were salary, job security and prospects for career development.
There was a general agreement of the factors affecting job satisfaction by the
respondents that partook in the study. The factors with the least effect on job
satisfaction were age and gender.
Key words: construction industry, construction professionals, incentives, job
satisfaction, motivation.
Cite this Article: James D Owolabi, Aziken Rita, Patience F Tunji-Olayeni Faith T
Akinbo and Adedeji O. Afolabi, Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction of Middle
Management Level Professionals in the Construction Industry, International Journal
of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) 10(2), 2019, pp. 369–374.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=2
1. INTRODUCTION
The construction industry depends largely on people (Ojelabi et al., 2018). Unlike
manufacturing companies where processes are automated, construction depends almost
entirely on people at all stages (pre-contract stage, contract stage and post contract stage).
Incentivizing workers can promote job satisfaction and enhance job commitment. Job

2. Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction of Middle Management Level Professionals in the Construction
Industry
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 370 editor@iaeme.com
satisfaction is a feeling of pleasure that emanates from one’s perception of fulfillment from
work (Noe et al., 1996). It is the willingness of workers to remain in an organization despite
the temptation to leave (Avi-Ithzal,1988). If employees’ expectations of wages and other non-
financial incentives outweigh reality, then they are likely to be dissatisfied (Ngonde, 2015).
Hence, job satisfaction can also be described as a positive or negative opinion that a person
has about his/her job (Weiss, 2002). Job satisfaction promotes employee loyalty and
organizational commitment. It however, has a negative relationship with employee turnover
(Danso, 2012). The factors that affect job satisfaction vary and they may be categorized into
personal factors and work place factors. Personal factors can be described as demographic
factors and this includes gender, age, work experiences and educational qualification (Tunji-
Olayeni et al., 2018). Work place factors are mainly financial and non-financial incentives
that can motivate employees and boost their job satisfaction. Amin, Ofori and Okyere (2015)
identified pay, recognition, supervision, nature of work, job security, work environment and
co-workers as work place factors that can affect job satisfaction of employees. One of the
most important factors affecting job satisfaction of employees is salary (wages). Salary has
been found to have a positive impact on employee’s satisfaction with work. The salaries paid
to workers are an indication of the value the organization places on them (Amin, et al., 2015).
Another significant factor that affects job satisfaction of employees is recognition and
appreciation. Employees want to be appreciated for the effort they put into the organization.
Recognition could be in the form of increase in salary, promotion as at when due and awards.
Conducive work environment is also a factor that promotes employee .job satisfaction. This is
particularly important for a hazardous industry like construction. A safe, inspiring work
environment will give employees a sense of belonging and promote organizational
commitment. Middle management staffs play a crucial role in the performance and survival
of an organization. In the construction industry middle management level staffs translate
organizational strategy to junior staff and subsequently to other work operatives. It is middle
management level staffs that eventually grow into senior management cadre. It has been
reported that the workforce in the construction industry is ageing and an urgent response is
required to fix the situation. The middle management level staff can be nurtured to take over
the roles of the ageing senior management workforce. Nurturing middle management level
staff will include motivating them with financial and non-financial incentives. However, little
is known about the factors that promote job satisfaction of middle level management
professionals in the construction industry. Hence, this research sets out to assess the factors
that affect job performance of middle level management professionals in the construction
industry.
2. METHODOLOGY
The research was based on a cross sectional survey research design with the use of
questionnaires distributed to 65 middle management level professionals comprising of
Architects, Builders, civil engineers and Quantity surveyors in Delta State, Nigeria. Data
obtained from the survey were analyzed by means descriptive statistics such as frequencies,
charts, means, and inferential statistics (ANOVA).
2.1. Respondents Characteristics
2.1.1. Designation of Respondents
Sixty five middle management level professionals took part in the survey. They comprised of
22 Civil Engineers, 15 Builders, 18 Architects and 10 Quantity Surveyors (fig 1).

3. James D Owolabi, Aziken Rita, Patience F Tunji-Olayeni Faith T Akinbo and Adedeji O. Afolabi
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 371 editor@iaeme.com
Figure 1 Respondents Designation
2.1.2. Respondents’ Organizational Type
The middle level management professionals studied were from different organizations in the
construction industry. Fig 2 shows that fifteen of the professionals worked with consulting
firms, 20 were hired by government agencies, 10 of the professionals surveyed worked with
tertiary institutions while 20 professionals out of those who partook in the survey were
engaged by contracting firms.
Figure 2 Respondents’ Organizational Type
2.1.3. Gender Analysis of Respondents
Sixty five middle level professionals were surveyed in this study, out of which 63% were men
while 24% were women (fig 3). This is typical of the construction industry because it is
dominated by men (Tunji-Olayeni et al., 2017).

4. Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction of Middle Management Level Professionals in the Construction
Industry
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Figure 3 Gender Analysis of Respondents
2.2. Factors affecting job satisfaction
Table 1 provides the mean analyses of the factors affecting job satisfaction of middle
management level professionals in the construction industry. They are: salary (4.43), job
security (3.65), prospects for career development (2.66), motivation from colleagues (2.63),
participation in a working team (2.52), conducive working environment (2.49), recognition
(2.38), opportunity for self-expression (2.38), supportive leadership (2.23), age (1.92) and
gender (1.85). Of all the factors studied, salary has the most significant effect on job
satisfaction. Financial motivation has been found to be a major incentive for employees.
Salary is an important factor because employees derive joy and pleasure when they are able to
meet their financial needs, which is one of the main reasons for getting a job.
Job security was the second most significant factor affecting job satisfaction. Employees
are generally satisfied when they can get some form of security from their job. Job security
promotes organizational loyalty and commitment. Prospects for career development was
ranked as the third most important factor affecting job performance of middle management
level professionals.
Career advancement may be in the form of promotion as at when due, professional
development, on the job trainings and skills acquisition. These are benefits that employees can
gain from their organizations and which can make them satisfied with their employment.
The two least factors affecting job performance of the middle management level
professionals surveyed were: age and gender.
Table 1 Factors affecting Job Satisfaction
Factors Mean
Salary 4.43
Job security 3.65
Prospects for career development 2.66
Motivation from colleagues 2.63
Participation in a working team 2.52
Conducive working environment 2.49
Recognition 2.38
Opportunity for self-expression 2.38
Supportive leadership 2.23
Age 1.92
Gender 1.85

5. James D Owolabi, Aziken Rita, Patience F Tunji-Olayeni Faith T Akinbo and Adedeji O. Afolabi
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 373 editor@iaeme.com
2.3. Agreement of job satisfaction factors among professionals
Table 2 shows the ANOVA analyses for the agreement of factors affecting job satisfaction of
the various professionals (Architects, Builders, Civil Engineers and Quantity Surveyors). The
analyses indicated that most of the factors agreed upon by the professionals are similar to the
significant factors promoting job satisfaction in table 1. The following factors were agreed by
all the professionals as affecting job satisfaction: salary with 0.000 significance and 37.73%
agreement. Job security with 0.016 significance and 21.48% agreement. Prospects for career
development with 0.020 significance and 20.70% agreement. Motivation of colleagues had a
significance of 0.011 with 22.51% agreement. Age and gender which were the least important
factors affecting job satisfaction of middle management level construction professionals also
recorded no agreement among the respondents with 0.070 and 0.071 significance levels
respectively.
Table 2 Agreement of job satisfaction factors among professionals
Factors F Sig
Salary 3.773 0.000
Job security 2.148 0.016
Prospects for career development 2.07 0.020
Motivation from colleagues 2.251 0.011
Participation in a working team 2.505 0.005
Conducive working environment 2.919 0.001
Recognition 1.757 0.056
Opportunity for self-expression 2.207 0.013
Supportive leadership 2.682 0.003
Age 1.686 0.070
Gender 1.681 0.071
3. CONCLUSIONS
The factors that affect job satisfaction of middle management level professionals in the
construction industry were assessed. The most significant factors identified in the study were
salary, job security and prospects for career development. There was a general agreement of
the factors affecting job satisfaction by the respondents that partook in the study. The factors
with the least effect on job satisfaction were age and gender.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors acknowledge Covenant University Centre for Research Innovation and Discovery
for sponsoring this article.
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