Client and Employee Satisfaction: Non-Financial Measures for Gauging Performance of Small and Medium Construction Firms (SMCFs) in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the performance of small and medium construction firms in Nigeria using non-financial measures particularly client and employee satisfaction. Information from ninety-four SMCFs who engaged in estate development were employed for this study to enhance ease of access to clients and employees on their project sites; one firm was considered per project site, therefore the study considered 94 firms with 94 project sites. Two employees and two clients of each of the firms were selected for questionnaire administration. Hence, a total of 376 copies of questionnaire were administered, out of which 238 were retrieved. The data were analysed using frequency, percentages, multiple response percentages and mean score (MS). Findings revealed that SMCFs had good communication strategy with employees and clients, good management / managerial capabilities, delivery to cost and specification but performed poorly with regards to project management skills that had to do with quality, time when delivering products to clients. SMCFs also recorded low performance with employees’ satisfaction on short term and long term benefits. The study therefore recommended that SMCFs should pay attention to project management skills and employees’ salary, health, pension, mentoring and training benefits.

Keywords: Performance, SMCFs, Clients’ satisfaction, Employees’ satisfaction

JEL Classification: Z31