Correlates of Road Traffic Congestion and Workers’ Performance in Lagos Metropolis

Abstract

This study examined the impact of road traffic congestion on workers’ performance in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria.The population for this study emanated from the staff of eight (8) purposely sampled quoted companies within Lagos metropolis one each from each of the following sectors: Telecommunication, Tourism & Hospitality, Financial Institution, Oil and Gas, Food, Production/Manufacturing, Shipping and Trading that comprises of 5340 staff where 534 respondents were randomly sampled. The data was collected through a structured questionnaire from 534 sampled staff of the eight selected companies. Information was solicited on how traffic congestion affect their effectiveness, efficiency, development, satisfaction, innovation, quality of work and how it affect the set target at work. Workers performance measures the bottom-line results on which traffic congestion variables has an impact. The performance construct was indicated by items such as effectiveness, efficiency, career progression of worker, satisfaction, innovation, and quality of work. These data were subsequently analyzed through descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The result shows that time loss due to congestion has no significant effect on quality and efficiency of work carried out by workers. While time loss due to congestion is positive and significantly related to effectiveness of workers (t = 2.851, p < 0.05). In the same vain time loss due to congestion has a negative and significant effect on career progression of worker (t= -0.310, p<0.05) and satisfaction (t = -4.392, p<0.05) of workers. The study recommended that since traffic congestion is found to negate productivity of workers, relevant stakeholders should devise other means of transportation such as rail and water where applicable, to ease congestion and enhanced performance of workers. If employers of labour can provide accommodation close to their respective place of work, the negative effect of distance could be minimized. It is equally recommended that congestion pricing policy should be introduced.

Keyword: Traffic, Congestion, Workers, Performance, Satisfaction