Job satisfaction of project managers in green construction projects: Influencing factors and improvement strategies

Purpose: Green building is a promising approach to improve resource efficiency and achieving sustainable development. The success of green construction projects is closely associated with the performance of project managers (PMs), while job satisfaction plays a major role in the performance of PMs. However, the emphasis placed on the job satisfaction of PMs in green construction projects remains minimal. The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships between the job satisfaction of PMs and its key influencing factors in green construction projects, and to propose feasible strategies to improve the job satisfaction of PMs. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey is conducted, data collected from 105 construction PMs are analysed using structural equation modelling. Interviews with five industry experts are further conducted to substantiate the results. Findings: The results identified four major components of job satisfaction, namely, “job content”, “resource adequacy”, “work context” and “the personality and competence of jobholders”. The analysis also found that “technical requirement” and “split incentive” condition of green construction projects, “the expertise and awareness of PMs” and “demand and support from stakeholders” has significant impacts on PMs’ job satisfaction. Furthermore, this study developed eight strategies to improve PMs’ job satisfaction, including “increase recognition opportunities for PMs”, “government incentives and financial support” and “introductory and training courses on green construction legislation and processes”. Originality/value: The findings assist construction companies in formulating measures to improve the job satisfaction and performance of PMs in green construction projects.