Factors and Coping Strategies for Workplace Stress among Construction Workers in Dar es Salaam Tanzania

Abstract

This study examined factors which cause stress at workplaces and coping strategies of the stresses facing construction workers who work in the construction sites including construction managers, engineers, quantity surveyors, technicians and casual workers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A cross-sectional descriptive study, whose sample was made up of 31 building projects and selected construction workers with different skills levels as classified by International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) were used. The findings revealed most-mentioned factors which cause stress to be: tight deadline, dangerous environment, unclear job description, poor working environment, work-over load, low payment as well as poor support from organization. It was generally recommended that actions to reduce stress at workplaces should be given first priority by every stakeholder, every construction firm should make provision for the management of stress of construction workers and organizations in the construction industry should arrange for regular training of coping strategies of stress to construction workers as well as discouraging workers to use negative coping strategies to deal with their stresses which may harm their health and working performance