proposal we checking

8/14/2019 Proposal WE Checking

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1.0 Introduction.

This study is to assass the impact of the workplace environment on employees productivity in UgandaRevenue Authority (URA). Workplace environment is conceived in this study while employees productivityis the dependent variable. This chapter will present the background to the study the problem statement the

purpose or general ob!ectives of the study the ob!ectives of the study the research "uestions the hypothesesthe scope of the study the significance !ustification and operational definitation of the terma and concepts.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

#or any organi$ation if employees are considered assets then their utili$ation in terms of better productivity

and enhanced performance are the main focus of all managerial activities.

The performance of a corporate organi$ation which determines its survival and growth depends to a large

e%tent on the productivity of its workforce. &n fact the wealth of a nation as well as socioeconomic well

being of its people depends on the effectiveness and efficiency of its various sub'components. abour is

generally regarded as the most dynamic of all the factors that are employed for the creation of wealth having

the potential to energise and serve as catalyst to the other resources (esufu *+++). ,roductivity is thus of

fundamental importance to the individual worker of whatever status to the organi$ation whether commercial

or not and to the national economy at large and accordingly therefore to the upliftment of the welfare of the

citi$en and the -------------..

Workforce makes critical difference between success and failure. The effectiveness with which

organi$ations manage develop motivate involve and engage the willing contribution of the employees will

enable them to capitali$e on their e%pertise most efficiently. There is little research demonstrating the causal

links between people management and business performance. ne of the fundamental human re"uirements

is working environment that allow people to perform their work optimally under comfortable condition

(Roelofsen *++*).

According to /undstrom (0112) (as cited in 3ameed and Am!ad *++1) ma!ority of people spend 4+5 oftheir lives within indoor environments which greatly influence their mental status actions abilities and

performance. (6arnevale 011* 6lements'6roome 0117) (as cited in 3ameed and Am!ad *++1) highlighted

that better outcomes and increased productivity can achieved through better workplace environment.

rgani$ational survival in highly turbulent environment has become the ma!or concern of organi$ations

today. 8lobali$ation and increased use of technology has brought tremendous change and created new



demands for business world. The strategic intention of organi$ations today is to achieve innovation at

lightning speed and want people to work better smarter and faster. The war for talent is now more

competitive than ever before. Reali$ing the current challenges of business environment and to make survival

possible organi$ations have started paying more emphasis on managing the performance of their employees

fulfilling their comfort needs by providing them an effective workplace environment that also helping them

to attract and retain the talent.

&t is the "uality of the employee9s workplace environment that most impacts on the level of employee9s

motivation and subse"uent performance. 3ow well they engage with the organi$ation especially with their

immediate environment influences to a great e%tent their error rate level of innovation and collaboration

with other employees absenteeism and ultimately how long they stay in the !ob.

&f an organi$ation provides its employees with better working conditions and most conducive working

environment they can perform e%ceptionally well and companies can capitali$e on their enhanced

productivity in the shape of cost reduction which will ultimately contribute towards rich profits. The

relationship between employee attitudes and company performance as suggest by ,atterson et al., (0117) is

highly correlated. They suggest that managers of organi$ations who are eager to promote productivity and

profitability should pay close attention to the attitudes of their employees in order to make them more

positive.

:anagement9s new challenge is to form an environment that attracts retain and motivate its workforce. Theresponsibility lies with managers and supervisors at all levels of the organi$ation. ;usinesses must stepoutside their time'honored roles and comfort $ones to look at new ways of working. They have to create aworking environment where people en!oy what they do feel like they have a purpose have pride in whatthey do and can reach their potential.

The work environment affects employee morale productivity and engagement' both positively andnegatively. &t is not !ust a twist of fate that new programs addressing lifestyle changes work life balancehealth and fitness previously that were not considered key benefits are now primary considerations of

potential employees and common practices among the most admired companies.

Today9s work environment is different diverse and constantly changing. The typical employer<employeerelationship of old has been turned upside down. Workers are living in a growing economy and have almostlimitless !ob opportunities. This combination of factors has created an environment where the business needsits employees more than the employees need the business.

&n an effort to motivate workers firms have put into practice a number of activities such as performance based pay employee involvement recruiting agreements practices to help balance work and family life aswell as various forms of information sharing. &n addition to motivation workers need the skills and theability to do their !ob effectively. &t is the "uality of the employee9s work environment that most impacts on



the level of employee9s motivation and subse"uent performance. 3ow well employees engage with theorgani$ation especially with their immediate environment influences to a great e%tent their error rate levelof uni"ueness and collaboration with other employees absenteeism and ultimately how long they stay in the

!ob. 6omfortable office design motivates the employees and increases their performance to a large =%tent.

1.2 STATEMENT OF ROB!EM.

The work place environment in a ma!ority of industry is unsafe and unhealthy. These includes poorly

designed workstations unsuitable furniture lack of ventilation inappropriate lighting e%cessive noise

insufficient safety measures in fire emergencies and lack of personal protective e"uipment. ,eople working

in such environment are prone to occupational disease and it impacts on employee9s performance. Thus

productivity is decreased due to the workplace environment. &t is a wide industrial area where the employees

are facing a serious problem in their work place like environmental and physical factors. /o it is difficult to

provide facilities to increase their performance level.

Therefore :anagement9s new challenge is to build a work environment that attracts retain and motivate itsemployees. &t takes an entirely different approach than it did !ust a few years ago to keep employees satisfiedtoday. :any workplace factors influence employee9s productivity. As discussed by 3aynes (*++>) workplace environment affect employee9s performance at the workplace. Research has shown that work

environment is having a great impact on the performance and attitude of employees and this research will beto ascertain whether employees in our organi$ations are facing the same problem.

&t is important for the employer to know how its work environment impacts greatly on the employee9s levelof motivation and performance. A well designed office signals the values and ob!ectives of the company andthe use of design in office interior communicates a company9s values and identity. ffice design thereforeshould be one of the factors in affecting employee9s productivity.

=mployee9s health and morale are often interrelated when it comes to productivity in the work environment.&t9s therefore important to find out if employee9s health and comfort level can directly or indirectly disturbtheir work performance or productivity.

1." RESEARCH OB#ECTI$ES OF THE STUDY

1.".1 G%n%r&' O()%cti*%.

The main ob!ective of this study is to assess the impact of workplace environment on employee9s performance URA.

T+% ,-%ciic o()%cti*%, &r%/



• To determine how the physical workplace environmental components impacts on employee

productivity.

• To identify measures and make appropriate recommendations to improve on the physical workplace

conditions for better productivity.

• To ascertain the relationship between workplace =nvironmental component and =mployees9

productivity.

1. RESEARCH UESTIONS

?

• What are the impacts of the physical workplace environmental components on employee9s

productivity @

• Which measures can be put in place to improve the physical workplace conditions of employees for

better productivity@

• What is the relationship between the workplace =nvironmental components and employees9

productivity @



1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study at its completion should or will benefit different groups of people i.e. the manageremployees and the organi$ation as a whole. &n the long run it will help students of this universityother sister universities and students who seek to attain further education.

&t is anticipated that the findings of the study will pave way for the authorities of differentorgani$ations to accept the variable that affects employee9s work environment and their performanceat the organi$ation. /uch an acceptance could be utili$ed to improve on the working conditions ofemployee9s.

&t is also envisaged that the findings of this research will enable the organi$ation to know how toaddress issues concerning the employees and its work environment as it crops up and also to consideroffice design as an important factor in increasing employee9s productivity.

#inally the study is hoped to set a stage and basis for a comprehensive study on the issue. &t willtherefore serve as a reference material for future researches in this area. Also the results will throwmore light on factors affecting employee9s performance as far as their environments are concerned. &twill serve as a blue print for determining actually the work environment and the impact it has onemployee9s performance.

1.3 SCOE OF THE STUDY

i. /ub!ect scope The proposal research study primarily focuses on the physical component ofthe workplace environment factors affecting employees productivity in URA. There are

two types of components of workplace that affects productivity i.e. the physical and the behavioural components.

ii. 8eographical scope The study will be focused on managers and employees of URA branchoffice in Bakawa.

iii. Time scope the study will cover the URA =mployees and managers operations for the branch for five years period (*++>'*+0?).

0.7 ,=RAT&BA C=#&B&T&B/The following terms and variables are used in the study and have been operationalised as given below

,roductivity is that which people can produce with the least effort.

,roductivity is a ratio to measure how well an organi$ation (or individual industry country) convertsinput resources (labor materials machines etc) into goods and services.

:ali (017>) sees productivity as Dthe measure of how resources are brought together in organi$ations

and utili$ed for accomplishing a set of results. ,roductivity is reaching the highest level of

performance with least e%penditure of resources. The term employee productivity is commonly used to

refer to the volume of goods and services produced or rendered per employee within some specific

unit of time (year month week day or hour).



Work environment can be defined as circumstances influences stresses and competitive culturaldemographic economic natural political regulatory and technological factors (called environmentalfactors) that effect the survival operations and growth of an organi$ation.

ffice Cesign.The arrangement of workspace so that work can be performed in the most efficient way.

Accordingly Eohun (011*) defines work environment as Dan entiretyF which comprises the totalityof forces actions and other influential factors that are currently and or potentially contending with the

employee9s activities and performance. Work environment is the sum of the interrelationship that

e%ists within the employees and between the employees and the environment in which the employees

work. ;renner (*++2) was of the opinion that Dthe ability to share knowledge throughout organi$ations

depends on how the work environment is designed to enable organi$ations to utili$e work environment

as if it were an asset. This helps organi$ations to improve effectiveness and allow employees to benefit

from collective knowledgeF. &n addition ;renner (*++2) argued that work environment designed to

suit employee9s satisfaction and free flow of e%change of ideas is a better medium of motivatingemployees towards higher productivity. Work environment when appropriately designed motivates

employees toward higher productivity.

DEFINITIONS OF KEY CONCEPTS

1.13 According to Mouton and Marais (1996:126) a concept is a symbol of meaning. Williams, utty and!rinnell (199":6#) argue t$at a concept is not$ing more t$an an idea. %ome ideas are percei&ed by allmembers of t$e same society in muc$ t$e same 'ay. t is t$erefore &ery important for a researc$er todefine t$e ey concepts, so t$at anyone '$o reads t$e researc$ 'ill no' precisely '$at t$e researc$ermeans.

Wit$ regard to t$is study, t$e follo'ing ey concepts 'ere defined.

1.13.1 Working Conditions

!erber, *el and +an y (199#:--) state t$at 'oring conditions are created by t$e interaction ofemployees 'it$ t$eir organiational climate. Woring conditions include psyc$ological 'or conditions andt$e p$ysical layouts of t$e /ob. According to !reenslade and 0addoc (2:13), t$e term 'oring condition generally encompasses arange of issues, from 'or load and sc$eduling to systems4'ide issues, lie professional identity andscope of practice.5or t$e purpose of t$is study, 'oring conditions included 'orplace issues suc$ as 'or load, leaders$ip,

sc$eduling and safety. $e 'orforce issues 'ere education and training, scope of practice and $umanresource planning.

1.13.2 Productivity $eminais, 7ayat, +an er Walt and 5o8 (199#:"") define producti&ity as a &aluerelated to economy, effecti&eness and efficiency. t measures to '$at e8tent ob/ecti&es 'ere optimally andbeneficially ac$ie&ed 'it$ t$e most economic use of scarce public resources.

Mc *eese4%mit$ (21:) defines producti&ity as t$e contribution to'ards an organiational end result inrelation to resources consumed.

n t$e basis of t$e abo&e, producti&ity can be defined as t$e ability to carry out t$e assigned tassaccording to t$e reuired standard 'it$ t$e resources pro&ided.



1.13.3 I!"ct According to t$e O#$ord %niv&rsity Diction"ry (199":229) impact is a significant c$ange produced byan action or cause. According to ;e'is47ec, 7ryman and ;iao (2-:-") impact indicates a strong reaction onconseuences of a particular e&ent.5or t$e purpose of t$is study impact 'as defined as a significant effect t$at is follo'ed by an action orcause.

1.4 A,,u&5-tion.

A widely accepted assumption is that better workplace environment produces better results. :ostly the

office is designed with due importance to the nature of !ob and the individuals that are going to work

in that office. The performance of an employee is measured actually by the output that the individual

produces and it is related to productivity. At corporate level productivity is affected by many factors

such as employees technology and ob!ectives of the organi$ation. &t is also dependent on the physical

environment and its affect on health and employees9 performance.

!IMITATIONS OF THE STUDY.

ne of the pro!ected limitations to the study will be that some respondents might be unwilling todisclose the e%act reasons for failing to carry out both proactive and reactive maintenance policies. &naddition time constraint will be another problem.



#ive indicators of office design such asfurniture noise temperature lighting and spatial

arrangement were considered for study in the survey.The overall response for each factor was analy$ed.Cata was analy$ed to identify the factor that haverelatively high tendency towards decreasing

productivity. Cifferent office design factors such asfurniture noise lighting temperature and spatialarrangement were used to determine the e%tent of theloss in productivity?.0 #urniture ffice furniture comprises of desks chairsthe filing system shelves drawers etc. All these

components have a specific role to play in the proper functioning of any office and the productivity and theefficiency of the employees .And one of the mostimportant thing to be considered while buying officefurniture is to ensure whether it is ergonomic or not.=rgonomics of office furniture is important becausean employee has to work with them for the entiretime that he is in office and if they are uncomfortableand not user friendly their working style andefficiency gets hampered considerably in turnaffecting the overall organi$ations. Bon'ergonomic

office furniture can also lead to health problems of employees which again has an adverse effect on the

productivity. =rgonomic office furniture ensures thateach employee gels well with the things around himlike desks chairs computer alignment and evenenvironmental factors. &f the employee isuncomfortable due to any reason his work is boundto get affected. &f all factors surrounding theemployee are ergonomically correct then theemployee will be comfortable and remain motivatedto give his best. These days9 organi$ations consult

and even employ ergonomic e%perts that advice people on how to improve their office ergonomicsand what type of furniture would be suitable to makethe ergonomics of a work place better. 3avingergonomic office furniture reduces the chances of anyrisk in!ury. They are designed in manner that makesthem safe to be had around and also reduce the

possibility of any accidents in the work place.?.* Boise &t is probably the most fre"uently forgottenof the environmental pollutants whose effects can be

far'reaching. Boise harms us in more ways than we



can think of and at times without us even knowingabout it. We cannot have a noise free world but wesure can have a noise safe world. There are varioussources of noise pollution. &n some places noise fromconstruction pro!ects predominate while in others itis vehicular traffic or noise from airports. ther sources include the noise in occupational settings or

even the noise of simultaneous conversations. &n our country unleashed loudspeakers disturb theneighborhood on seemingly endless nights where thelaws are either battered in the name of religion or !ustfor fun. Gery often noise does not produce visibleresults. That is why probably people believe thatnoise does not cause health ha$ards. ;ut as per different studies noise creates health ha$ardsaffecting children the most with e%tremely high

noise levels even causing hear loss in newborns.?.? ight intensity Up until recently the only purpose of indoor lighting was to aid with visually directed tasks whenthere wasnHt enough e%ternal light. ;ut a recentdiscovery has shown that light has an impact beyondmerely helping us see. Bon visual receptors in theretina of the eye form nerve pathways that directlyinfluence our biological clock the part of our brainsthat controls and moderates sleep and wakefulnessdirectly affecting our levels of alertness. &t is now being suggested that modernworking conditions can make these symptoms worseas many workers spend the ma!orityIif not allI daylight hours indoors e%posed to little if anynatural light.6ommon knowledge backed up by scientificresearch proves that the "uality of indoor lighting inthe office can have significant effects on the

performance and the well'being of employees. &n !ust the last few years the understandingof how light impacts upon our health have grown byleaps and bounds. The brightness of office light

effectsalertnessconcentrationandtask performance. Ad!usting the type and "uality of lightcan significantly improve working e%perience and

productivity.?.2 Temperature and 3umidity What temperature works best for one9s

productivity depends on one9s body. #or a thin person a higher temperature might be better. ;ut for someone not as thin a lower temperature may work

better.,ossible =ffects of Temperature<3umidity



3igh Temperature evels=mployee lethargy and tiredness as a result of increased body temperature lead to possibleefficiency decreases.ow Temperature evelsow Temperature evels decrease in efficiency dueto cooler body heat and shivering.

3igh humidity &n itself may not be a direct problem but itdoes increase our susceptibility to high temperaturelevels as evaporation of body sweat is impeded.ow 3umidity evels have a debilitating effect on our ability to breathe and swallow without discomfort asour mouths and noses can become dry due to theincreased level of evaporation in the surroundingenvironment

reference

;rill :. :argulies / Eonar = ;/T&(01>2) Using ffice Cesign to &ncrease,roductivity. Gol. 0 01>2 Gol.;urke .and . Witt. *++*. J:oderators of thepennessto=%perience',erformanceRelationship.J Kournal of :anagerial,sychology 07 (>) 70*'7**.6arnevale C.8. (011*) ,hysical /ettingsof Work. ,ublic ,roductivity and:anagement Review 04 2 2*?'2?L6lements'6roome C. Ealuarachchi .(*+++) An Assessment of the &nfluence of the &n'door =nvironment on the ,roductivityofccupantsinfficesCesign6onstruction and peration of 3ealthy;uildings pp.L76lements'6roome C.K. (0117). /pecifying&ndoor 6limate in book BaturallyGentilated ;uildingsCorgan 6.=. (0112) productivity ink to the&ndoor =nvironment =stimated Relative to

A/3RA= L*'01>1http<<www.management'issues.com<*++L<><*2<research<poor'workplace'design'damages'productivity.asp3uges K. (*++7 Kuly). ffice design is

pivotal to employee productivity. /andiegosource the daily Transcript.,ublic ,roductivity M :anagement Review.Gol **. Bo. 2 4?7 N 44?/ackett ,. R. and 6. K. CeGore. *++0.J6ounterproductive ;ehaviors at Work.J



6hapter in 3andbook of &ndustrial Workand rgani$ational ,sychology Gol. 0. =ds.

B. Anderson C. /. nes 3. E /inangil and6. Giswesvaran. ondon UE /age. pp.024'0L2./undstrom =. Town K.,. Rice R.W.sborn C.,. and ;rill :. (0112) ffice

noise /atisfaction and ,erformance=nvironment and ;ehavior *L(*) pp. 014'***./utermeister R.A. (017L) ,eople and,roductivity ?rd end Bew ork U$ee K (0111) the inclusive approachcreating a place where people want to work.#acility :anagement

CHATER T6O.

!ITERATURE RE$IE6.

2.0 Introduction.

This chapter focuses on theoretical framework conceptual framework and the related literatures.

This chapter deals with the literature related to the topic of study which is the review of the issues that

help in the understanding of the research problem. 3ence it9s giving an account of what has been

published on workplace envvironment and it9s impact on employees productivity by credited scholars

and researchers.

2.1 T+%or%tic&' r&5%7or8.

What theoretical models e%ist to help guide current research on the work environment towards a better

understanding of its effects on productivity@ A close look at three e%isting models suggests their usefulness

and viability for modeling employees9 productivity and positive and negative outcomes. #urther refinements

for advancing a useful theoretical framework can then be outlined.

2.1.1 U,%r S&ti,&ction Mod%'



The most prevalent theoretical model which has guided N e%plicitly or not N the ma!ority of studies of

environmental effects on productivity to date can be characteri$ed as the User /atisfaction model (Gischer

01>4). &t is easily recogni$ed by its use of surveys to "uestion users on whether or not they Olike9 or

Odislike9 one or another environmental feature whether they are Osatisfied9 or Odissatisfied9 with their

workspace and if they have a preference for an e%isting or future environmental feature. As most interior

office configurations resemble each other workersH lists of likes and dislikes tend to be predictable and yet

studies continue to report with genuine surprise that occupants dislike high noise levels lack of natural light

shortage of parking spots slow elevators and so on. Widespread use of this approach has given us an

e%haustive knowledge of workers preferences without yielding much concrete information about worker

productivity. :oreover carefully'designed workspaces all over the globe have been submitted to

Oevaluation9 characterised by whether or not users Olike9 them N a poor and unsupported criterion often

causing unnecessary condemnation of a well'intentioned office design. This is particularly evident in

situations where workers have moved into new and unfamiliar workspace as their likes and dislikes

inevitably relate to the known and familiar and have little to do with whether or not the new

environment works.

2.1.2 E5-'o9%% Moti*&tion Mod%'

An important but not widely'studied theoretical model was outlined early on in the *+th century by

sociologist #rederick 3er$berg (01LL). 3er$berg was not concerned only with the effects of

environmental factors on behavior but he also elaborated on a range of influences on workers9

motivation. Among his categories of influence the physical environment was identified as having a

unidirectional effect on worker motivationP that is to say when the physical setting was appropriate to the

task and problem'free workers9 motivation was not affected. 3owever when the physical setting was

adverse and slowed down work it had a Odemotivational9 influence on workers. Thus 3ert$berg concluded

that it was important to maintain a comfortable safe supportive physical environment to help workers



stay motivated in other words productive. Recent studies have looked at personality characteristics employee

morale and availability of choice (:c6usker *++*) in terms of changing workspace design thus drawing

on 3er$berg9s original model incorporating the psychosocial aspects (which he calls motivation) into

definitions and outcome measures of worker productivity.

2.1." Ad&-t&tion &nd Str%,, Mod%'

The third theoretical model has been evolving since the 017+9s and can be called the behavioral

adaptation<stress model (=vans M 6ohen 01>7). The theory that adverse environmental conditions cause

stress at the point at which users are not able to adapt or can only adapt with difficulty has its origins in

psychological studies of several decades ago. They provide an important formulation of the long'term rela'

tionship between people and their environment. &n the conte%t of worker productivity environmental

adaptation behaviour is a useful (positive) outcome measure as is evidence of stress (negative) when

adaptation behavior fails. Thus the theory states that an effective and supportive environmental design does

not mean users make no adaptation to the environment but keeps the need for such behavior within

comfortable boundaries.

2.2 Conc%-tu&' r&5%7or8.



!E$E! OF

DISTRACTIO

OFFICE

!AYOU T

I$ :1; I$ :2;

D$

/ource

WO'K (ND WO'K EN)I'ON*ENTWor is &ery important to people and it plays a fundamental role in t$eir li&es.Morin (2-:3) e8plains t$at 'or pro&ides for basic sustenance needs anddecent li&ing conditions, but abo&e all 'or is an acti&ity t$roug$ '$ic$ anindi&idual fits into t$e 'or, creates ne' relations, uses $is<$er talents, learnsand de&elops $is<$er identity and a sense of belonging. Wor can t$erefore beseen as a ma/or acti&ity for $uman beings t$at meets se&eral needs in t$eir li&es. $ese needs include economic sur&i&al, life satisfaction and t$epro&ision of a sense of reality. According to t$e Soci"+ Work Diction"ry (23:-6#) a 'orplace is a setting in

'$ic$ one=s employment or ot$er 'or acti&ity occurs. t is '$ere people indifferent roles and 'it$ different functions interact all t$e time. 0eople 'or indifferent 'or settings 'it$ different situations. >a$n (1999:1-1) e8plains t$att$e 'orplace is a comple8 en&ironment 'it$ different situations suc$ as

1,

Soci"+ int&r"ction- ork int&r"ction- cr&"tiv&

!/ysic"+ &nviron&nt- ov&r"++ "tos!/&r&-

!osition r&+"tiv& to co++&"gu&s- !osition

r&+"tiv& to &0ui!&nt- ov&r"++ o$$ic& +"yout

)&nti+"tion- /&"ting- n"tur"+ +ig/ting-

"rti$ici"+ +ig/ting- dcor- c+&"n+in&ss-

ov&r"++ co$ort- !/ysic"+ s&curity.

E)E OF

INTE'(CTION

CO*FO'T

E)E

&/"vior"+

Co!on&nt

s o$

Environ&n

P/ysic"+

Co!on&nts

o$

Environ&ntWork out!ut o$

t/& E!+oy&&s

E)E OF

DIST(CTION

Int&rru!tions croding- nois&In$or"+ &&ting "r&"s- $or"+ &&ting

"r&"s- 0ui&t "r&"s- !riv"cy- !&rson"+ stor"g&-

g&n&r"+ stor"g&- ork "r&"4d&sk "nd

OFFICE

(YO%T



$a&ing too muc$ or too little to do, being sub/ected to conflicting demands,feeling distracted by family problems, $a&ing family problems, and 'oring for demanding and un$elpful managers. *urses are 'oring in $ealt$ careorganisations t$at are 'restling 'it$ staff s$ortage, increasing patient loads,s$rining reimbursement and gro'ing regulating pressure (;iebler ?Mconnell, 2-:66).

Wor means different t$ings to different people and its meaning c$anges 'it$t$e c$anges in p$ysical, social and economic conditions. @arpas (22:1#)asserts t$at t$e meaning of 'or is determined by c$oices and e8periences of t$e indi&idual and by t$e organisational en&ironmental conte8t in '$ic$ $e<s$e'ors. $e 'orplace, according to >a$n (1999:1-1), is a freuent source of p$ysical and psyc$ological stressors t$at trigger emotional disorders '$ic$produce symptoms and reduced functions. $e p$ysical en&ironment of t$e$ealt$ care facility greatly influences t$e p$ysical and mental $ealt$ of allt$ose '$o are in t$at facility. t influences $o' nurses deli&er $ealt$ careser&ices, it influences t$e patients= 'ell4being and it interferes in ac$ie&ing t$efacility=s goals (@ein ? *ic$olson, 199-:39).ac$ 'orplace is uniue and is c$aracterised by an en&ironment from beingsupporti&e and nurturing to being c$allenging and stressful. $e 'or

en&ironment, $o'e&er, 'ill influence $o' t$e employees carry out t$eir responsibilities in order to ac$ie&e t$eir organisation=s goal.2.3WO'KIN5 CONDITIONSWoring conditions are created by t$e interaction of employees 'it$ t$eir organisational climate, and it includes psyc$ological as 'ell as p$ysical'oring conditions (!erber &t "+.- 199#:--). Woring conditions include'orplace issues and 'orforce issues. $ey generally encompass a range of issues from 'or load and sc$eduling to systems4'ide issues, suc$ asprofessional identity and scope of practice.

2.".1 6ORK EN$IRONMENTA! FACTORS AFFECTING EM!OYEESRODUCTI$ITY.

*.?.0 Relationship between ffice Cesign and ,roductivityver the years many organi$ations have been trying new designs and techni"ues to constructoffice buildings which can increase productivity and attract more employees. :any authorshave noted that the physical layout of the workspace along with efficient management

processes is playing a ma!or role in boosting employees9 productivity and improvingorgani$ational performance (U$ee 0111P eaman and ;ordass 011?P Williams et al. 01>4).*.?.* Work =nvironment and 6ompetency

• #urnitureP ffice furniture comprises of desks chairs the filing system shelves

drawersetc. All these components have a specific role to play in the proper functioning of anyoffice and the productivity and the efficiency of the employees. ffice furniture helps theorgani$ation tremendously in increasing its productivity and at the same time taking careof the employeesH health.

• ighting /ystemP Up until recently the only purpose of indoor lighting was to aid with

visually directed tasks when there wasnHt enough e%ternal light. ;ut a recent discoveryhas shown that light has an impact beyond merely helping us see. Workers who usecomputer display terminals typically prefer relatively low lighting levels to minimi$eglare and reflections on their display screens. n the other hand workers who read writeand draw on paper typically prefer higher lighting levels so they can see small letters and

fine details. lder workers and others with weak vision also need higher lighting levels.

8iving workers control over lighting has been found to result in energy savings andincreased workplace satisfaction.

16



• Boise<vibrationP &t is probably the most fre"uently forgotten of the environmental

pollutants whose effects can be far'reaching. Boise harms us in more ways than we canthink of and at times without us even knowing about it. We cannot have a noise freeworld but we sure can have a noise safe world.

• ,remises hygiene<welfare facilities• Workspace availability

• Weather<temperature

• Gentilation<humidity etc

The following environmental ha$ards may re"uire consideration in your workplace

• Noi,%. =%cessive e%posure to loud noise can irreversibly damage the ear resulting in

noise'induced hearing loss. OBuisance9 noise can be annoying and distracting and result inreduced !ob performance and satisfaction. Boise may also be unsafe if it impairscommunication in the work environment such as by overpowering auditory alarms.

• !i<+tin<. ighting levels need to be appropriate to the task and 5u,t comply with

Australian /tandard 0L>+. Working in dim or overbright work environments can result ineyestrain headaches irritability and inevitably reduced productivity. ight sourcesincluding the sun can create unwanted reflections glare and shadows in the workplace thatcan cause discomfort and distraction and can interfere with the performance of visualtasks. ow levels of lighting can cause depression which for some people may be severe.

• $%nti'&tion= &ir >u&'it9 &nd t+%r5&' co5ort. Gentilation is important for the control of

dust fumes gases aerosols climate and thermal comfort factors. =%posure to differenttypes of dust can result in fibrosis of the lung allergic reactions and asthma attacks.

Garious vapours gases and aerosols have the ability to cause respiratory and skin damage.=%tremes of heat can reduce concentration and motivation and cause a number of heat'related illnesses. =%tremes of heat can also reduce tolerance to chemical and noisee%posure and increase the risk of heart attacks.

• $i(r&tion. Whole body vibration e.g. from riding a mower can affect comfort and

performance even at low levels and can cause damage to the spine stomach pain andgastrointestinal complaints. 3and'arm vibration such as from hand tools can havenegative effects on muscles and the skeleton and can contribute to carpal tunnel syndromelow'back pain and vibration white finger for e%ample.

• R&di&tion. =%posure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun can induce potentially lethal skin

cancers. =%posure to direct sun particularly between the hours of eleven and two canresult in sunburn headaches and fatigue. Cifferent people have varying degrees ofsensitivity to the sun e.g. fair freckled skin often burns more "uickly than olive skin.,recautions for avoiding sun e%posure should be followed diligently by %*%r9(od9.

• 8rand!ean =. 01>4 Fitting the Task to the Man: An Ergonomic Approach Taylor and

#rancis ondon.

• 8rantham C.. 011* Occupational Health and Hygiene Guidebook or the !H"O

;risbane.

• P/&"s"nt- S. 1771- Ergonomics, Work and Health- T/& *"c*i++"n Pr&ss-ondon

;uilding designs and other physical factors within the work environment should

correspond with the function of the organisation and its staff. AbdouHs (*++7) paper sheds

18



light on building designsP he states that office spaces are to meet the re"uirements of the

tasks performed by employees. /ome physical factors that are proven to affect productivity

include lighting colour plants and perhaps furniture (6eylan *++>). /tudies conducted on

plants lighting indoors air temperature and even indirectly humidity all found to have an

effect on productivity. (#!eld and ;onnevie *++*P Abdou *++7P :ills et al. *++7P

6ushman n.d.P Tarran et alP *++7).

&t is therefore important to give attention to organisationHs physical factors in working

environments because improving these factors may assist in improving productivity. &t is also

important to study the factors that hinder productivity so that organisations may have the

knowledge to better understand the work environment they are providing for their staff and how to

better it. /ome of these variables are elaborated on below.

=rgonomics is defined as Jthe understanding of how the interior environment interacts with the

dimension and physical abilities of human beings is the field of human factors and ergonomics.J

(:ontgomery*++2). &t is further stated that it is the interactions with the design of the space and the

individuals that inhabit this space. /cheidert (01>4) in :ontgomery (*++2) states that using a

computer puts the body in abnormal position.

&t is stated that 1+5 of city inhabitants spend their time indoors (6arvallo et al.P 0117P in #!eld

and ;onnevieHs paperP *++*). #or the greater part of the workforce the ma!ority of this time could

be spent in office spaces. &t is therefore of vital importance to study the effects of indoors air on

employees. Bumerous papers have shown that indoor air has more pollution than outdoor air

(;rown 0117P /mith 0117P =A *++? in Tarran et alP *++7). &ndoor air pollution tends to be higher

because of detergents printers air fresheners and office e"uipment which cause indoor air

pollution.

ther studies have shown that plants reduce the amount of pollution in the air (Tarran et alP

*++7). Researchers conducted studies on the effects of plants and indoor air "uality. (;urchett

et al. *++4P Wood et al. *++LP in Tarran et al paper *++7). Three offices with three different

planting systems were used. The study set out to show whether plants could reduce pollution

indoors. Cangerous organic compounds were added into test chambers containing plants. &t was

found that plants were able to remove volatile organic compounds and that soil microorganisms

were the main agents in removing these harmful compounds. The entire plant with all its

microorganisms can be used Jas an air filtering systemJ (#!eld and ;onnevie *++*). #urther

studies will have to be conducted on the effects of artificial plants. Although they do not have

the ability to cleanse the indoor air they may enhance the aesthetics of the office (work

19



environment). The effects this will have on productivity and creativity will have to be studied

further.

J&ndoor temperature is one of the fundamental characteristics of the indoor

environment.J(/eppQnenP #isk William M ei *++L). There have been contradicting statements

about the optimum comfort temperature for humans. ;ennett (0177) in AbdouHs (*++7) paper

states that the optimum temperature for a comfortable environment is twenty five degrees

6elsius. /eppQnenP #isk William M ei (*++L) disputes this saying that the optimum

temperature for productivity is about twenty two degrees 6elsius. ;oth sources agree that

incorrect temperature decreases productivity and both suggest that temperature is an important

factor to consider when analysing work environments. A Cutch study showed that

absenteeism could be reduced by thirty four percent when employees were able to control

their own temperature in their environments. (Abdou *++7) &t is therefore of importance to

find the impact of an individual employee temperature re"uirements on the productivity of

other their co'workers.

3umidity

Abdou (*++7) states that it is of importance to study the effects of humidity on absenteeism.

This section combines how plants affect relative humidity and also the effects of humidity on

productivity. An article on the benefits of plants #!eld M ;onnevie (*++*) and AbdouHs

(*++7) !ournal provide reasons as to why plants are able to indirectly improve productivity by

increasing the amount of humidity in the air. The article points out that the ideal humidity for

humans is ?+ N L+ percent and that dry air may cause staff to be more susceptible to illness

therefore reducing productivity. (Worcestershire (n.d.) ;enefits of plants in the office

http<<www.worcestershire'office'plants.co.uk<benefits<P *++><+2<0*). Abdou and orsch

(0112) in Abdou (*++7) add how illness may occur because of dry air. ow relative

humidity dries out the mucous membranes in the nasal passages making us more

susceptible to infection. &t is for this reason that organisations should pay more attention to

the relative humidity in offices as this may improve absenteeism rates. #!eld and ;onnevie

(*++*) went one step further conducting tests that prove that plants increase the amount of

humidity using their high transpiration rates.

,lants being able to rid the air of harmful pollution are not their only use. #!eld and ;onnevie

(*++*) give light to the concept that J...the whole human evolution took place in close

contact with nature and vegetation.J TodayHs environment has changed significantly

manmade ob!ects dominate our physical surroundings. The study of the effect surroundings

have on us is known as environmental psychology. This study shows that physical surroundings

1:

http://www.worcestershire-office-plants.co.uk/benefits/;




have an impact on our well'being. &t shows that not only indoor air "uality affects our well'

being but also our physical environment. J...the view through windows ...J may have an effect

on well'being. According to 8rahn (011?) in #!eld and ;onnevie (*++*) office workers

who are able to view some kind of greenery instead of non'vegetative areas out their office

windows are more likely to have reductions in stress. ;iebaum (011*) in AbdouHs (*++7)

paper also states that not only indoor air "uality contributes to ill health at work. #actors such

as ergonomics lighting stress and even labour management can affect Jwork comfortJ and the

individualsH perception of the air "uality. ;iebaum (011*) is further "uoted in saying Jwe are

getting away from using the &ndoor air "uality because we have found that you can solve the

indoor air problem and not eliminate the symptoms. A lot of conse"uences of

physiological stress are the same as what we might e%pect from poor air "uality but we canHt

look at indoor air without considering other issues.J

pen plan offices

AmerM M ;engtsson (*++7) define open plan offices as being Jan office where employees

are stationed in one room.J pen plan offices are said to be advantages because they allow

smoothness of communication between co'workers (AmerM M ;engtsson *++7). According

to the ma!ority of the literature noise is said to be the most disruptive aspect of open plan

offices (AmerM M ;engtsson *++7P Bavai M Geitch *++?). &t becomes evident that the

main purpose of having open plan offices is communication and this is the one element that is

also seen as the most disruptive. Bavai M Geitch (*++?) suggest other disadvantages in having

an open plan officeP the lack of privacy distractions and interruptions from other employees

rise in work environment temperature and the spreading of contaminates. According to Bavai

M Geitch (*++?) problems tend to be worse in open plan offices because of the layout. &t is

further suggested that sound is able to move more freely because of the lack of barriers.

/ound partitioning and ceilings that absorb noise may help ease the problem (/undtom 01>L

in Bavai M Geitch *++?). ,lants are also able to absorb noise (Worcestershire n.d.) plants

could therefore be an option in alleviating the noise in open plan offices.

noise

JBoise is defined as a physiological concept involving unwanted sound perceived by the

listener as being unpleasant bothersome distracting or physiologically harmful.J (6ohen M

WeinsteinP 01>* in Bavai M Geitch *++?). &rregular sound such as speech is said to be the

most bothersome. The hum of a computer is less stressful because it is a constant sound (Bavai

M Geitch *++?). 8lass et al. (0170) in Bavai M Geitch (*++?) suggest that sound that is

controlled by the individual is also seen as less stressful. Therefore conversations from co'

17



workers and music are seen as more stressful because they are uncontrollable sounds (Bavai M

Geitch *++?). Boise stemmed from communication is not the only cause of noise on office

environments. =%ternal noise such as traffic and other e%ternal noises such as office e"uipment

may also cause discomfort in office environments. A study conducted by ;itner 011* in

AmerM M ;engtsson (*++7) found that vacuuming was problematic to employees it was

further suggested that vacuuming be done during times when employees were out of the

office. /tone M uchettic (01>4) in AmerM M ;engtsson (*++7) suggested that "uiet $ones be

implemented into offices. #or e%ample a "uiet corner where employees will be able to read

"uietly the purpose of these areas will be for employees to escape the office noise and

allow themselves to rela% for a period of time.

ighting system<

=mployees use lighting for visual tasks. &ndoor lighting is relied upon because of a lack of

e%ternal or natural light inside office spaces (:ills et al. *++7). Therefore bad lighting can

be defined as incorrect lighting for a particular task and Hgood lightingH is said to increase

productivity reduce stress and it may also assist in making indoor environments more pleasant

(6ushman. n.d.) and :ills et al. (*++7). /tudies conducted on lighting and its effects on office

workersH productivity will be observed in this section.

,ark (0111) in :ills et al. (*++7) states that light may also improve health during winter

because of a lack of e%posure to sunlight during winter months. A shortage of daylight that

office workers e%perience could have a negative effect on health. This idea has created an

interest in companies to pay more attention to the type of lighting being used in office

environments (:ills et al. *++7). &t is further added that the discovery of Jnon'visual retinal

receptorsJ indicates on an anatomical basis that light does have an effect on the body

biologically. (;erson et al. (*++*) in :ills et al. (*++7)).

6olour

&f colour does have an impact on peopleHs moods and perhaps even creativity it would be

beneficial to choose a colour that impacts positively. Thomas (*++L) and Ewallek (*++4)

both agree that a lot more research is needed on the effects of colour on individuals. This idea

of colour influencing peopleHs moods is further e%plored within this section but far more

research within this area is needed.

Thomas (*++L) states that other more obvious issues within the workplace (such as ergonomics

and time'management) may over shadow colour and its effects on individuals. Ewallek (*++4)

2;



has been studying the effects of colour for over fifteen years and states that colour cannot be

looked at in isolation and that other factors have to be considered. Ewallek (*++4) found that

there were differences in results on the influence of colour when employees had to screen or

block outer distractions within the office environment compared with being placed in a coloured

room and having to conduct tasks with no e%ternal stimuli. Ewallek (*++4) and Thomas (*++L)

both agree that the workplace should be designed in a way that individuals can ad!ust it to suit

themselves. Although this is not always possible perhaps further investigation is needed to find

feasible options as to how workstations can be changed to suit the individual.

According to Tarran et al (*++7) a cost efficient way to increase productivity is to introduce

plants into the workplace. JThis portable fle%ible attractive low'cost technology can

complement any engineering measures and can be used in any building J(Tarran et al *++7).

,lants are an easy cost efficient solution to increasing productivity it is therefore of some

importance to study the effects of plants on the well'being and creativity of employees.

2.".2 THE EFFECTS OF THE 6ORK EN$IRONMENT ON EM!OYEES

RODUCTI$ITY.

A poor lighting system may reduce employee productivity as well as performance because

those who have to work related with reading might have a serious problem with their vision

which in turn may cause fatigue or eyestrain. Eeeling and Eallaus (011L) point out that

Administrative ffice :anagers should also take into account the amount of light as well as

the "uality of lighting. :ore lights for some workers may be helpful in overcoming their

tasks. 3owever for the rest of them especially those who have to work in front of computers

e%cessive light may cause difficulties viewing the characters on the screen. &n addition those

employees who work in a better "uality of lighting are likely to create faster work with fewer

errors compared to those work in a poor lighting (;achner *+++).

21



&n the work environment noise can influence employees while doing their work and the

impact can be both positive and negative. &f there is soft background sound which is coming

from instrumental music and there is an employee who has to tackle claims from some

inpatient customers the background sound in turn will assist him<her to become more rela%ed

in solving the customer s problems. &n contrast if the sound background is "uite hard which

may develop from the telephone ringing and loud conversation among people in the same

room this situation can hamper both the employee and customers.

Another element of the office (work) environment which has impact on employee

productivity is colour. The ma!ority of workers are only concerned about the physical effect

of coluor while many of them do not pay more attention to its psychological impact (uible

011L). &n fact color plays a very important role on the human body mind and spirit because

it can impact both productivity and wellness (;aughan'oung *++0).

#or some people different colors can have a different meaningP for e%ample those who prefer

red color means that the people are energetic aggressive and brave. Those who like the blue

color mean that they are very loyal people or faithful. &n the office environments different

colors can also have a different impact specifically for those involved in particular rooms.

6hoosing inade"uate colors may impact on worker health such as eyestrain headache and

fatigue. 3owever it is very difficult for Administrative ffice :anagers to facilitate desirable

colors for every worker. Eeeling and Eallaus (011L p.?41) have indicated that there are three

factors which Administrative ffice :anagers need to aware of before choosing an

appropriate color for the office environment these are work functions physical location and

type of emotion desire .

&ndoor air pollution tends to be higher because of detergents printers air fresheners and office

e"uipment which cause indoor air pollution. These pollutants can cause Jbuilding related illnesses

such as headaches sore eyes nose and throat infections or nauseaJ (6arre et al. 0111 in Tarran et alP

*++7). Abdou (*++7) e%pands the list of pollutants adding more potentially harmful indoor

pollutants includingP Jradon asbestos inorganic environmental tobacco smoke (=T/) organics

biologicals and non'ioni$ing radiation the latter four primarily affecting productivity.J ther pollutants

include virus and bacteriaP this may affect employeesH health and well'being. J&n an article on office

pollution Cubbs (011+) refers to studies that show as much as 4+5 of employee absenteeism is

due to upper respiratory infections some of which can result from indoor air pollution.J (AbdouP

*++7). 8rand!ean (01>+) in AbdouHs (*++7) states Jair "uality can affect !ob and environmental

satisfaction.J

22



Thus it is very important for the Administrative ffice :anagers to make sure that the office

environment is favorable for those who have to maintain their activities in the office.

,lants have not only been studied for their effects on indoor air "uality but also whether they

have an effect on noise. ;ackground noise can be reduced because plants are said to absorb

noise. (Worcestershire (n.d.) ;enefits of plants in the office http<<www.worcestershire'

office'plants.co.uk<benefits<P *++><+2<0*) 6osta and Kames (0111) proved this statement in

studies conducted that proved potted plants were in fact able to reduce noise. /teelcase (*++*)

in :ontgomeryHs (*++2) thesis stated that noise affects peopleHs ability to concentrate and may

also affect productivity.

Research shows that plants are very useful in the work environment #!eld and ;onnevie

(*++*). Bot only do they cleanse air rid the office of dust and increase humidity but studies

have also shown that plants are able to lift peopleHs moods (arsen et al 011>P in 6eylan *++>)

and therefore assist in the creative process (6eylan *++>). This statement is proven in research

conducted by 6eylan (*++>) whereby the effects of office environments on managersH creativity

are studied. Tests showed that staff that work in an environment with plants are more creative

than spaces without plants.

The research therefore shows that plants are useful and may even be an ine%pensive addition to

a work environment. &t has been proven that they increase productivity and by reducing dust

noise and improving indoor air "uality they are therefore able to improve general well'

being.

J#rom an economical point of view it should be of great interest to include plants as a work

environment asset since only small investments are necessary in order to establish a Jgreen

environment.J (#!eld and ;onnevieP *++*).

&n today s world many manufacturers create and provide various kinds of office furniture.

Therefore for this reason Administrative ffice :anagement needs to be aware of selecting

the office furniture. Eeeling and Eallaus (011L) suggest that Administrative ffice :anagers

should be knowledgeable about office furniture. The conse"uence of selecting improper office

furniture may be undertook for a long time as it is often difficult discarding the pre'owned

furniture which is commonly purchased rather than leased or rented (uible et al. *+++).

Although uible et al. point out that there are several factors that need to be considered in

obtaining of office furniture intended use of furniture appropriateness of furniture in relation

to dScor of office suitability of furniture versatility of furniture durability of furniture

23







hierarchical level offurniture si$e of furniture in relation to room or area si$e and fire'

retardant value of furniture.

&n addition to the furniture re"uired for the office a variety of office e"uipment is available.

ffice e"uipment refers to office machines and devices that can be found in the office such as

copier machines facsimiles telephones typewriters printers and computers. Eeeling and

Eallaus (011L p. ?10) point out that office e"uipment is the intermediary between people and

their work . ffice e"uipment allows employees to undertake not only more work but also

less time and better "uality for instance copier machines help employees in doubling

documents in a short time.

2."." MEASURES THAT 6I!! IMRO$E ON THE 6ORK EN$IRONMENT FOR

INCREASED RODUCTI$ITY.

;renner (*++2) in a work environment inde% survey conducted for steel case itemi$ed what

employees want and perceived to help their productivity in the work environment as better

lighting more elbow room creative methods for assessing space personali$ation more

impromptu meeting for work well done and involvement in the decision that impact their day

to day lives at work. An organi$ation that want to ensure employee productivity

improvements will e%ploit those tools used for managing the work environment in which such

employees work. An effective work environment management entails making work

environment attractive creative comfortable satisfactory and motivating to employees so as

to give employees a sense of pride and purpose in what they do.

The following are some of the tools used to manage work environment to improve

productivity. Boise control contaminants and ha$ard control enhancing friendly and

encouraging human environment work environment modeling creating "ualitative work life

concepts and making physical working conditions favourable (6ecunc *++2P pperman

*++*P =lywood 0111).

When selecting the lighting for a work environment Administrative ffice :anagers may

have to consider the ergonomics of lighting. That is how to choose an appropriate light based

on employees needs (,owell and Weinberg *++*). ne research study conducted by Rocky

:ountain &nstitute (*+++) analysed and found that lighting heating and cooling have a

positive effect on worker productivity and generate a negative correlation with work

productivity and absenteeism.

Therefore according to ;erman (cited by Raiford 0111 p.*1) by paying careful attention to

how people perceive light facilities professionals can facilitate functionality.

2,



&mproving the office sound can lead to increase on employee productivity. Eelsall(*++*)

points out that due to the trend of offices in the future being open office and smaller

workplaces there will be less space for people in the office. &n turn this can distract and

disturb the office environment. Boise'control programs are one alternative that many office

managements have applied in order to overcome the noise problems.

There are several methods for controlling the noise in the office (uible 011L) proper

contraction sound'absorbing materials sound'absorbing devices and masking . This has

been supported by Tom Eoenig who argued that there are four systems that can be used in

reducing noise in the office carpet high performance ceilings the appropriate systems

furniture and an effective sound masking system (cited by /mith *+++ p. 20?)

Cifferent activities need a different colour environment. Activities which need more

concentration such as accounting will be best with cool colour for instance blue and green

while some creative work such as advertising software design and fashion design will be

successful with warm colour environments for e%ample red and orange (;aughan'oung

*++0). ther factors that have to be taken into account of colour selection for the office

environments according to Eeeling and Eallaus (011L p.?L*' ?L?) are reflection values of

colours wall and ceiling colours and furniture and e"uipment colours .

&n addition before making decisions on the colour environment Administrative ffice

:anagers also need to consider about ergonomics of colour environment that is the

relationship between the individual needs and the selection of colours. An intelligent

choosing of colour environments in turn will enhance creativity as well as productivity while

at the same time reducing fatigue and other health problems.

According to Eeeling and Eallaus (011L) and uible (011L) as well the air "uality contains

four factors that are temperature humidity ventilation and cleanliness. A comfortable office

environment is a building or room in which workers can generate their work properly as it

clean with proper range of temperature enough ventilation and an ade"uate humidity.

Today most office buildings are designed with air conditioning systems so the temperature

level in one room can remain constant all the time. 3owever certain factors should come into

consideration in establishing proper temperature levelP for instance obese workers will work

best with lower temperature levels whereas the reverse is true for thin workers (Eeeling and

Eallaus 011L). &n addition uible (011L) suggests that the best temperature level for work in

an office is L> degrees #ahrenheit.

26



susceptible to much daily use and often operating by different people as well as changes in

technological advances.

&n accordance with 6ullen (*++*) who points out that search for the office machine is not an

easy work because good office machine should meet the needs of those going to operate it.

ther important aspects of selecting office e"uipment include ease to use cost dependability

standardi$ation as well as e"uipment operator input (uible et al. *+++6ullen *++*).

rgani$ations which fail in obtaining ade"uate office e"uipment may reduce its employee

satisfaction that may lead to lower productivity.

Conc+usion T/&r& is " +"rg& "ount o$ +it&r"tur& "v"i+"<+& on t/& &$$&ct t/"t o$$ic& &nviron&nts/"v& on ork&rs. So&o$ t/is r&s&"rc/ /"s <&&n !r&s&nt&d it/in t/& +it&r"tur& r&vi&.O$$ic& &nviron&nts do not on+y /"v& "n i!"ct on !roductivity <ut on t/& /&"+t/"nd &++4<&ing o$ &!+oy&&s. O$$ic& $urnitur&- t/& Sout/ ($ric"n (nti4soking !o+icy- nois& "nd &v&nindoor "ir /"v& "n &$$&cton t/& /&"t/ o$ &!+oy&&s. Org"nis"tions "r& "<+& to i!+&&nt /&"+t/y&nviron&nts t/"t i++ incr&"s&!roductivity "nd !&r/"!s &v&n &++n&ss. It "s $ound t/"t !+"nts /"v& "ny <&n&$itsit/in " ork&nviron&nt. It "s $urt/&r conc+ud&d t/"t !+"nts incr&"s& &++n&ss- !roductivity-r&duc& nois& "nd c+&"ns&

t/& "ir o$ !o++ut"nts. ( +ink <&t&&n !+"nts "nd cr&"tivity "s !rov&n in " studyconduct&d <y C&y+"n=2;;:>. (+t/oug/ !+"nts /&r& $ound to "id t/& cr&"tiv& !roc&ss- no &vid&nc& s/o&dt/"t indoor "ir /"s"ny "$$&ct on cr&"tivity. Furt/&r studi&s "y /"v& to <& conduct&d to $ind /&t/&r ornot t/&r& is "corr&+"tion <&t&&n indoor "ir "nd cr&"tivity. ig/ting "s !rov&n to /"v& "signi$ic"nt i!"ct on!roductivity "nd "+so /"s "n &$$&ct on cr&"tivity. C&rt"in ty!&s o$ +ig/ting "y /"v&/&"+ing "$$&cts on o$$ic&ork&rs. T/is +ig/ting iics sun+ig/t "nd it t/&r&$or& <&co&s &vid&nt t/"t "ys toincor!or"t& n"tur"+

+ig/t into <ui+ding d&signs s/ou+d <& +ook&d "t. Co+our "nd "++ /"ngings !rov&d to <&" di$$icu+t "r&" to $indconc+usiv& !roo$ "<out its "$$&cts on o$$ic& ork&rs. *or& r&s&"rc/ is n&&d&d to&st"<+is/ its "$$&cts on!roductivity "nd cr&"tivity.Not uc/ +it&r"tur& "s "v"i+"<+& on t/& &$$&cts o$ t/& ork &nviron&nt in " Sout/($ric"n cont&#t. Furt/&rr&s&"rc/ is r&0uir&d in t/is "r&" to t&st /&t/&r Sout/ ($ric"ns "r& "s "$$&ct&d <yt/&ir ork &nviron&nts.Not uc/ +it&r"tur& "s $ound on t/& $"s/ion industry in !"rticu+"r- t/is is usu"++y "!+"c& /&r& " +ot o$ cr&"tiv& t/oug/t /"!!&ns. It ou+d t/&r&$or& <& us&$u+ to conduct r&s&"rc/ in t/is

"r&".(+t/oug/ v"st nu<&r o$ r&s&"rc/ /"s <&&n conduct&d on ork &nviron&nts "ndt/&ir &$$&cts- g"!s "r&sti++ &vid&nt.

29



CHATER THREE

RESEARCH METHODO!OGY AND ORGANI?ATIONA! ROFI!E

?.0 &BTRCU6T&BThis chapter describes the methods that were used to gather the data relevant to the study. &tcontains the research design population sample si$e and sampling techni"ue sampling

procedure and e%plains the method and procedures for data collection analysis andinterpretation of the research findings.

?.* R=/=AR63 C=/&8B

The research design is used to structure the research to show all the ma!or parts of theresearch pro!ect. Research design is also the framework for the research plan of action. #or

the purpose of this pro!ect descriptive techni"ue will be used. This techni"ue describes phenomena as they e%ist. &t is used to identify and obtain information on the characteristics ofa particular problem or issue.Cescriptive design will be selected because it has the advantage of producing good amount ofresponses from a wide range of people. Also this design will provides a meaningful andaccurate picture of events and will seek to e%plain people9s perception and behavior on the

basis of the data collected.The advantage with this design is that it helps to find views as they are in their natural setting.The design however has some few flaws of which the researches must be aware and try toreduce its magnitude. /ome of the "uestions which may not be understood by the respondentswould let them give answers that may not be e%pected by researchers. Another problem is the

likelihood for respondents to state something which is convenient to them.The population that will be researched will be workers at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).This study will e%amines office workers in different offices in order to collect informationre"uired to meet ob!ectives of the study secondary data obtained from books articles

!ournals and official websites.

?.? ,,UAT&BThe term population refers to the entire group of individuals (sub!ect) ob!ects or event havingcommon observable characteristics in which the researcher is interested in studying. /amplesi$es of one hundred and fifty (04+) employees which represent 0++5 of the population atURA Bakawa branch will be given "uestionnaires. 1+5 represent the !unior staff and the

remaining 0+5 represent the senior staff.

?.2 /A:,= /&= ABC /A:,&B8 T=63B&U=Random sampling techni"ue will be adopted by the researcher in getting the respondents toanswer the "uestionnaires. This will be applied to all !unior staff that will be chosen for thestudy. 8ay (01>7) says that sampling techni"ue is used because it guarantees desiredrepresentation of the relevant sub groups

?.2.0 /ampling procedureThis is the way the sample will be chosen from the population Random /ampling will beused. &n random sampling also known as probability sampling every combination of itemsfrom the frame or stratum has a known probability of occurring but these probabilities arenot necessarily e"ual. Random sampling techni"ues ensures that bias is not introducedregarding who9s included in the survey. The "uestionnaires will be handed over to theemployees personally after the approval has been given by the 3uman Resource :anager.

2:



?.4 CATA 6=6T&B ,R6=CUR=&n the collection of data we will have to be very systematic. &f data are collected hapha$ardlyit will be difficult to answer our research "uestions in the conclusive way. The techni"uesused in the data collection will be "uestionnaires..

?.4.0 uestionnaires

6opies of the "uestionnaires which will be open ended and well designed will be handdelivered to respondents and they will be given one weeks to respond. ,rior to theadministering of the "uestionnaires an introductory letter will be collected from the Cean of:anagement /cience Uganda :anagement &nstitute (U:&) for permission. The researcherwill e%plain the "uestions to the respondents. The purpose of this will be to help therespondents to understand the content of the "uestionnaires and to do away with doubtsuspicion biasness and also to be able to provide their independent opinion on the"uestionnaire given them.

?.L CATA ABA/&/

Cata from the answered "uestionnaires will be organi$ed and analy$ed using percentages. Thecollected data will be checked for consistency and then fre"uencies and percentages will beused to show responses of the distribution. The results will then be presented in tables andchart form. The software that will be used for the analysis of the findings will be /,//(/tatistical ,ackage for /ocial /ciences).

?.7 #&=C ,R;=:/

The "uestionnaires9 will be administered during the working hours hence conflicting withrespondents9 working activities. Although arrangements will be made with the respondents to

be interviewed at their convenient time some of them renege on their promises hence failedto participate in the study.Again some respondents were reluctant in delving into the issues that boarded on decisionmaking and leadership because they were afraid of victimi$ation by their superiors. &naddition some of the respondents misplaced the "uestionnaires which they were supposed tofill. This re"uired the researcher to provide another "uestionnaire hence increased the cost ofthe pro!ect.

?.> =T3&6A 6B/&C=RAT&B,ermission will be re"uested from the director of administration as well as the director of

Technical /ervices directorate and :anagers from various blocks in the directorate as a process of community entry. 6onsent will be sought from individual respondents. Therespondents will be assured that their responses would be handled confidentially and that theresults cannot be traced back to individual respondents.

CHATER "@

RESEARCH METHODO!OGY

".0 INTRODUCTION

27



This chapter presented the methodology which was used in carrying out the study. &t

included the research design target population sampling design data collection and

data analysis.

".1 R%,%&rc+ D%,i<n

A case study and a cross sectional research design was used since this study

lays emphasis on a particular organi$ation Welthungerhilfe. A cross sectional design

undertaken to determine the effect of work environment on employees9 productivity.

A "uestionnaire was administered to collect data from employees of Welthungerhilfe

regarding the effects of physical work environment factors on employees9

productivity. ;oth "ualitative and "uantitative methods employed.

".2 Stud9 -o-u'&tion.

The study population was 0++ respondents comprising of operational staff

management and administrative staffs who were the key informants.

"." S&5-'% -roc%dur%.

The sample si$e comprised of *+ respondents (> management 2 administrative staffs

and > operational staffs) selected basing on a table for determining sample si$e by

(Ere!cie M :organ 017+ p.L+>). As in table ?.0

Table ?.0 /ample si$e

/taff 6ategory ,opulation /ample

:anagement staffs *4 >

Administrative staffs 0+ 2

perational staffs L4 >

Total 0++ *+

/ource 3uman Resource Records

". D&t& Sourc%,

3;



Cata comprised of both primary and secondary sources.

"..1 ri5&r9 d&t&.

,rimary data was collected using an open and close'ended self'administered

"uestionnaire.

"..2 S%cond&r9 d&t&.

/econdary data was obtained from !ournals news papers departmental reports and

memos of welthungerhilfe.

". D&t& co''%ction in,tru5%nt.

The study used uestionnaire for collecting data.

A "uestionnaire was used because it is relatively "uick to collect information and

potentially information can be collected from a large portion of a group.

This instrument was administered to the staff of Welthungerhilfe to a total of *+

respondents. &t has closed and open ended "uestions. &t comprises of part A which

consists of background information of the respondent and has "uestions in"uiring

about the se% age group and formal education. ,art ; which seeks information

regarding work environment factors affecting employees productivity part 6 which

asks the effects of work environment factors on employees productivity and part 6

which re"uires the respondent to fill in "uestions regarding measures that can be taken

to improve on the working condition of employees.

Cata was collected from the sample of *+ employees. A five point ikert /cale was

used in section ;. The scale varies from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree) for

most of the "uestions.

".3 S&5-'in< t%c+ni>u%,.

/tratified sampling was used to group respondents and simple random sampling was

used to select the respondents from each stratum.

".4 R%,%&rc+ roc%dur%

The researcher got an official letter from the Cean /chool of ;usiness and

:anagement which allowed him to carry out the research in welthungerhilfe. 3e then

31



presented the official letter to the organi$ation seeking for their assistance in filling the

"uestionnaires.

". D&t& An&'9,i,.

The data collected was analy$ed manually with the aid of the computers and by using

descriptive statistics such as tables bar charts percentage and fre"uencies.

:eaningful and useful data filtered from the rest tables and graphs used to present

results and further e%planations drawn from the presented data.

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sub!ective ratings. (!!+i&d Ergonoics- ,2=1>- *1N?L.oo$e :. , Urlings &. K. :. Gink ,. Rhi!n G. K. W. :iedema :. 6. ;ronkhorst R. =. M 8rinten G. :. ,. (*++0). Towards successful physical stress reducing products An evaluation of seven cases. (!!+i&d Ergonoics- 32- 4*4N4?2. Biemela R. 3annula :. Rautio /. Rei!ula E. M Railio K. (*++*). The effect of air temperature on labour productivity in call centres N a case

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38



performance The design of the workplace as a strategy for productivity enhancement. Aourn"+ o$ F"ci+iti&s *"n"g&&nt- 1=3>- *27N*L2.Rowan :. ,. M Wright ,. 6. (0114). =rgonomics is good for business. F"ci+iti&s- 13=:>- 0>N*4/undstorm =. Town K. ,. Rice R. W. /borrrn C. ,. M ;rill :.

(0112). ffice noise satisfaction and performance. Environ&nt "nd &/"vior- 28=2>- 014N***Gink ,. Eoningsveld =. A. ,. :olenbroek K. #. (*++L). ,ositive outcomes of participatory ergonomics in terms of greater comfort and higher productivity. (!!+i&d Ergonoics- 39- 4?7N42L.Gink ,. Kong A. M Eoningsveld =. (*++4). :aking money with participatory ergonomics &n ,. 6arayon :. Robertson ;. Eleiner and ,..T. 3oonakker =ditors ?u"n F"ctors in Org"ni"tion"+ D&sign "nd *"n"g&&nt)III- &=A ,ress /anta :onica (*++4) 22?N22>.

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A--%ndi

". E,ti5&t%d Bud<%t or t+% R%,%&rc+ -ro-o,&' &nd R%-ort

;elow is the estimated budget for the Research report to be carried out between Kune

and /eptember *+00.

Table 2 ;udget for the Research

&tem ty Unit cost Total

Typing costs ?+ pages 0+++<Y ?++++<Y

,hotocopying paper 2 reams 4++++<Y 4++++<Y

;inding ? copies 4+++<Y 04+++<Y

Transport costs *++++<Y *++++<Y

:isllenious 4++++<Y 4++++<Y

Total 0L4+++<Y

39



".10 Ti5% Fr&5% or R%,%&rc+ R%-ort

;elow is the estimated time frame re"uired to carry out the research work.

Mont+,

#un% #u'9 Au<u,t S%-t%5(%r

Acti*it9

,roposal Writing

Approval

Cata

6ollection

Cata Analysis

#inal Report

3:



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37



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Taylor M #rancis)Willcocks .and ester /. (0111) ;eyond the &T ,roductivity ,arado% (Bew'orkKohn Wiley M /ons)

,;



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