Navigating project managers’ practices in managing construction projects during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

Project Management is a vital scope of work in the construction project. In addition to managing time, cost and quality; there are other elements contributing further to a project’s success which include managing people, foreseeing risk, and leadership qualities. Then came an unforeseen crisis, a pandemic of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. With the global and national effort to flatten the pandemic curve, new sets of rules and regulations took place such as the Movement Control Order (MCO), Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Work From Home (WFH) method of working and social distancing, of which entails the emergence of the New Normal procedures and practices for Project Managers. This research aims to produce recommendations for Project Managers’ navigation of practices in managing construction projects during COVID-19 pandemic or equivalent crisis hereafter. The target group was the affected projects’ project managers from various disciplines within the construction industry in Klang Valley. Collection of data consists of two (2) methods; quantitative data collection via questionnaires which involved sixty-two (62) respondents, and qualitative data collection via virtual semi-structured interviews with eight (8) respondents, recorded in an hour conversation each. Analysis and discussions based on the findings proceeded to produce recommendations stated in the research aim.