The construction industry is a large business segment that plays a crucial role in the nationalrndevelopment of countries and is particularly paramount in developing economies where therernis lack of infrastructure. In Ethiopia, the construction industry suffers from lack of properlyrneducated manpower, deficiencies in construction management skills, inefficient utilization ofrnalready trained manpower and a host of other problems.rnThis research is an exploratory investigation of human issues that contribute for the successfulrncompletion of construction projects in Ethiopia. Human factors in construction, such asrnorganizational ambience, motivation, leadership and team building practices that help for thernbetter utilization of the resource were assessed. A survey method, using questionnaire andrninterview techniques, was used to capture employees' attitudes as well as data on employeernturnover, absenteeism, lateness and accident rates.rnThe results of the study showed that employees have good job satisfaction. Employeernturnover was observed to be low. Peculiar arrangements for work attendance, whereby thern'psychological contract' of work between employers and employees is observed to work outrnwell, are found to be in place. Substantial number of accidents, out of which some were fatal,rnhas been reported. The 'human resource climate' was found out to be conducive as indicatedrnby the level of job satisfaction and employee turnover.rnHigher self-actualization needs of employees have been catered for through a high degree ofrnfreedom in performing tasks and challenging tasks. Employees however perceived that theyrndon't receive a fair amount of pay. The predominant leadership style was found to pe a lassesfairerntype but with more task- rather than people-orientation. Team building practices werernobserved to be low with employees perceiving low team atmosphere, participative meetingsrnand decision-making practices.rnIn order to effectively and efficiently utilize the human resource in the industry, companiesrnare recommended to (1) cater to the basic needs of employees by providing a fair amount ofrnpay, (2) incorporate incentives to tie performance with rewards, (3) have managers withrnprofessional training and experience which practice 'people-oriented' leadership style. Suchrnmanagers would pursue 'wealth-maximization' goals, which focus on effectiveness andrnvisionary leadership than on efficiency and management, (4) improve team atmosphere inrntheir organization for creating effective communication and conflict resolution platforms, andrn(5) put in place safety policies and ensure their implementation to decrease accident rates