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Abstract
This research investigates the relationship between Work environment and Organizational productivity (A survey of selected manufacturing firms in Rivers State.). The study utilized a survey research design in which population which consists of all employees of selected manufacturing firms in Rivers State, a total of 150 workers. The sample was driven from the population using Taro Yamene formula for sample size determination with 5% confidence level in which a total of 109 employees was driven out of the population and questionnaires administered according to the sample. The questionnaire was designed to determine the extent to which Work environment influence Organizational Productivity of selected manufacturing firms in Port-Harcourt. Data collected were presented using tables and analyzed using simple percentage. The study found that, for physical work environment and social work environment are significant factors of employee work environment that impact of Organizational productivity of Manufacturing firms in Rivers State. The study therefore requires that managers should put in place all these factors in order to improve organizational productivity.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE . . . . . . . . I
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . II
CERTIFICATION . . . . . . . . III
DEDICATION . . . . . . . . IV
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . V
TABLE OF CONTENT . . . . . . . VI
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study . . . . . . 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem . . . . . . 4
1.3 Objectives of the Study . . . . . . 6
1.4 Research Questions . . . . . . 6
1.5 Significance of the Study . . . . . . 6
1.6 Scope of the Study . . . . . . . 7
1.7 Limitation of the Study . . . . . . 7
1.8 Definition of Terms . . . . . . 8
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Conceptual Framework . . . . . . 10
2.2 Theoretical Framework . . . . . . 20
2.3 Empirical Review of Related Literature . . . 25
CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design . . . . . . . 28
3.2 Population OfThe Study . . . . . . 28
3.3 Sample And Sampling Technique . . . . 29
3.4 Questionnaire Design . . . . . . 30
3.4 Method Of Data Collection . . . . . 30
3.6 Method Of Data Analysis . . . . . 31
CHAPTER 4
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Data Presentation . . . . . . . 32
4.2 Data Analysis . . . . . . . 35
4.3 Discussion of Findings . . . . . . 37
CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary . . . . . . . . 40
5.2 Conclusion . . . . . . . . 41
5.3 Recommendations . . . . . . . 41
References . . . . . . . . . 43
Appendix I . . . . . . . . . 46
Appendix II . . . . . . . . . 47
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Employees who concentrate on their work will be more valuable in the workplace. The physical, psychosocial and psychological aspects of the work environment influence the success of an organization. This is also the most important aspect that also affects industrial enterprise. By making products as effective as possible, organizations strive to make successful product / reward transactions with the world. Industrial environment such as workplace lighting, temperature, ventilation, air supply rate, humidification, and resident discomfort Veitch & New sham (2000). Milton et al (2000)suggested that machine noise, workload, task distribution, complexity, culture, history, industrial environment, and employee relationships also affect the organization.
The environment refers to all the factors that affect a person’s existence throughout life. Today’s employees have a wide range of career opportunities. Employee satisfaction, future performance, and organizational efficiency are all determined by the consistency of your work environment. The purpose of the work environment is to create a comfortable environment in which employees can work comfortably. Ergonomic concepts allow employees to reconcile their tasks and requirements. This improves operator productivity, employee physical, physiological, social, mental health and safety, and work satisfaction and performance. The physical reality as part of the workplace has a profound impact on the human experience, which leads to gradual improvement of internal communication to increase production efficiency. Becker (2002) considered workplace strategies for both individual small start-up projects and projects initiated by large corporations. Based on the results, the worker determines common workplace preparation and architectural factors that reduce costs and increase productivity while maintaining or improving the effectiveness of the organization. One of the most important human needs is a working environment that helps people work in the most comfortable environment they can imagine. . Buildings and air conditioning systems are carefully crafted.
Human effort in organization is indispensable. It constitutes a complex phenomenon to managers of such organization to comprehend. Accordingly, it is believed that every behaviour is a goal directed. Thus, for an organization or individual to engage in any productive venture, it must have underlying fundamental factors including the individual in that direction. Hence the effect of work environment in achieving set target for the organization must be in adequate condition. Therefore, the nature of office concerned with these things that influence workers productivity, which constitute the “why” of people’s behaviours? Why do people do things? Why is Mr. A’s moral higher than Mr. B?What are these increases in work productivity? These questions can be answered with the understanding of the nature of work environment and how these affect productivity. However, the organizational target can only be achieved if the environment is conducive.
Work environment consists of the office buildings, its furniture and layout as well as the physical conditions under which workers operate. it is also concerned with the external factors to the business which the office serves, the industry or other activities within which the business lies, the custom and laws of the community within which they operates. These environment factors are always changing and the office must react to the changes. Office and work environment are dynamic, but the most dynamic factors in the office is human factor. Workers today are more educated than before. They are more likely to raise questions about their environment of work since management itself dynamic pro. It has adhered and addresses itself to the provision of good environment of work for workers productivity. But what are those increases that enhance productivity? Therefore, answer will be made after investigations.
However, poor work environment and bad conditions have posed a great danger to workers health and therefore make them to work with less joy and enthusiasms and work progress is hampered and disrupted.
An understanding of the effect of work environment on the productivity of employees cannot be over-emphasized or seen as overstatement in every organization. Experience has shown that workers are directly influenced by the environment they find themselves or were their competence will achieve nothing in terms of productivity if the environment is not conducive. Therefore, because of the adverse effect of work environment on morale of employees, the need for provision of good physical work environment for workers was stated by Mill in 1930 after the First World War. During this period, various managementwas concerned with the importance of maintaining loyalty and morale through the elimination of irritants such as temperatures, noise and pollution from their environment. This was later spread out to include a wider area of disturbing influences like feeling of insecurity in relation to employment, unfairness on the part of supervision and not being accepted by one’s fellow employees. According to Mills (1983), the need for standard of working condition received legal backing by 1963 law and act of parliament which made it mandatory for all business organization to provide the minimum standard of interest that will enhance the performance of employees as an objective.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Noble (2003) states that more attention should be paid in identifying and dealing with working condition because when employee have negative perception to their environment they sometimes suffer from chronic stress. In the world, there are international organizations who debate the rights of employee. Most people spend fifty percent of their lives within indoor environments, which greatly influence their mental status, actions, abilities and performance (Sundstrom, 1994). Better outcomes and increased productivity is assumed to be the result of better workplace environment. Better physical environment of office was boosts the employees and ultimately improve their productivity. Various literature pertain to the study of multiple offices and office buildings indicated that the factors such as dissatisfaction, cluttered workplaces and the physical environment are playing a major role in the loss of employees’ productivity (Carnevale 1992, Clements- Croome 1997). The manufacturing companies in Rivers State have undergone many changes such as failure and distraction which have been negative effect on the lives of employees and the customers. The problem identified by the researchers is that since the establishment of many manufacturing companies in Rivers State, the staff in the manufacturing companies has been exposed to major changes, such as high staff turnover, staff shortage and increase in workload, in their working conditions. Based on the above information, it becomes evident that many factors exist in the working conditions in the some selected manufacturing companies in Rivers State that may have an impact on the productivity of employees. However, the lack of confirmed knowledge on which factors relating to working conditions, as experienced by employees influence productivity, prevents the management team from taking the necessary actions to help employee cope effectively with the challenging environment. Therefore, the problem that this study addressed is the investigation of the impact of working environment on organizational productivity of manufacturing companies in Rivers State.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to investigate thoroughly into the relationship that exists between work environment and organizational productivity of selected manufacturing firms in Rivers State.
However, the following are the specific objectives of the study:
1. To examine the impact of physical work environment on organizational productivity.
2. To investigate the relationship between social work environment and organizational productivity.
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated for the purpose of this study:
1. Does physical work environment influence organizational productivity?
2. Does social work environment have any impact on organizational productivity?
1.5 Significance of the Study
It is anticipated that the findings of the study will pave way for the management of manufacturing firms to accept that the variables under study affects organization productivity. Such an acceptance could be utilized to improve on the working conditions of employees.
It will also visualize that the findings of this study will enable the organization to know how to address issues concerning the employees and its working environment and to consider office design as an important factor in increasing employees’ performance.
It will therefore serve as a reference material for future researches in this area.Also, the results will throw more light on factors affecting employee’s performance as far as their environments are concerned.
The study is expected to provide knowledge and measures to improve the working environment of employees for better performance manufacturing firms in Rivers State.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study is delimited under the following heading: content scope and geographical scope.
Content Scope: The content scope of this study involves an analysis to find the relationship between work environment and organizational productivity.
Geographical Scope: This study is delimited in selected manufacturing firms in Rivers State.
Unit of analysis: The unit of analysis in this research involves staff of the selected manufacturing firms in Rivers State.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering on Nigeria Breweries.
Another major limitations that we encountered in the course of carrying out this research study, was the short time frame, coupled with the tight academic time table, which prevented a very comprehensive study.
Lack of adequate fundswas also a major impediment to the study as funds was not always available to us at the time it is needed and therefore caused a slowdown in the process.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Environment: the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.
Work: a place or premises in which industrial or manufacturing processes are carried out.
Organization: An organization is an entity such as a company, an institution, or an association comprising of one or more people and having and working towards attainment of a particular common objective(s).
Work Environment: A work environment is the setting, social features and physical conditions in which you perform your job. These elements can impact feelings of well-being, workplace relationships, collaboration, efficiency and employee health.
Organizational productivity:Capacity of a business to produce desired results with a minimum expenditure of resources (time, money, human resources).
Physical work environment:Physical work environment includes ergonomics (physical exposure), exposure to chemicals and particles, exposure to noise and vibration, climate, lighting and safety.
Social work environment: Terms and conditions for the work that include social interaction, collaboration and social support from managers and colleagues.