Influence of Foremen on Performance

Abstract

A sample of unionized construction workers from a major midwestern city is surveyed to gather their perceptions of the behavior of their foreman. There are 703 participants in the study. Five dimensions of foreman behavior are identified: (1) The degree of participation allowed by the foreman in decision‐making; (2) the level of support provided by the foreman; (3) the degree of achievement orientation of the foreman; (4) the degree of bias of the foreman; and (5) the level of work facilitation provided by the foreman. The five dimensions have varying relationships with worker motivation, performance, and satisfaction.