Disrespecting People With Working Conditions In South Africa

Abstract

The working conditions of people mostly play second fiddle to productivity and profitability in construction. Anecdotal and empirical construction reports, mostly in developing countries such as South Africa, suggest inappropriate social interactions on project sites. The awkward social interactions manifest through lack of respect for workers, who are regarded as people with limited rational abilities. Using three case studies from South Africa as an illustration for the discourse, this paper argues that on-site working conditions are critical to the well-being of people at the front line of construction work. For example, poor working conditions are indicative of a disrespectful attitude towards the people on a site. Further, both poor working conditions and lack of respect for people (RFP) constitute a significantly negative influence on the general well-being of workers and their managers. This paper thus argues that it is time to translate the notion of RFP into actual practice in the interest of employees and employers in the industry.