Abstract The construction industry in Singapore is greatly concerned about its low level of productivity. A survey of top civil-engineering and building contractors was conducted in late 1992 to identify the perceptions of top management in relation to construction productivity. The paper describes one part of the survey that related to productivity issues encountered by contractors at construction sites. Respondents were asked to rank a list of 17 problems that could affect construction productivity. The three items of greatest concern were identified as (a) difficulty in the recruitment of supervisors, (b) difficulty in the recruitment of workers, and (c) a high rate of labour turnover. The problems encountered least often included stop-work orders issued because of infringement of government regulations, and work stoppage resulting from disputes with owners/consultants. All the 67 survey returns from contractors are discussed with relevance to existing conditions in Singapore.