Working Environment Improves Employee’s Productivity
Abstract
Working environment is a term used to refer all the aspects surrounding a worker in any setting or organization. By having a good working environment, it can improve employee’s productivity and satisfaction, and that will bring profits to the corporation. Therefore, corporation’s managers need to know how to improve working environment. To ensure optimal performance and satisfaction, the environment must offer physical, social and emotional support, pay attention to human capital, contain the elements of fairness, and instill pride in their work. A good company has done this good is Google. However, there are people saying that it costs a lot to build a good working environment, and many small companies can’t afford it.
The truth is there are cheaper ways to create good working environment, and they only need to improve light, designs, space, and sound. Research also shows corporation will earn more profits by having a good working environment. In conclusion, the value of the working environment can’t be underestimated in any organization.
Working Environment Improves Employee’s Productivity
Introduction
Working environment is a term used to refer to all the aspects surrounding a worker in any setting or organization. This includes the physical work environment, the relationship with other workers, the working conditions and the relationship between the workers and managers (Chandrasekar, 2011). Different organizations have different working environments depending on the functions, model, culture or history of the organization. The work environment is not constant. It is also changes according to emerging demands to ensure optimal performance of the workers. By having a good working environment, it can improve employees’ productivity and satisfaction, and that will bring profit to corporation. Therefore, a corporation’s managers need to know how to improve working environment. Today’s working environment
After the 19th century, when working conditions were considered horrible, we can see that the working environment is better than it compared to the past. Workers’ safety is significantly guaranteed than in the past. Today, employees know their rights and procedures to follow in passing their unfairness. This empowerment has made employers observe safety measures observantly. The demand for specialized skills in workstations has led to the division of labor and increased specialization. Today the number and variety of jobs is growing larger. Modern systems of management of labor are in use today in both government and private enterprises (Levering, n.d.). Today, the employee understands their roles clearly, and many organizations have training programs to empower their employees’ skills and knowledge. Challenges in the working environment continue to emerge, especially with the rapid adoption of technology.
This has led to efficient systems of production so it made many individuals become jobless. Issues of remunerations and allowances are serious problems due to the living cost is high in this modern world. In today’s working environment, problems that can be compared to those in the past are sexual harassment, discrimination on gender, race and color. Corruption and nepotism are also the serious problems in today’s working environment. These always bring bad effect on performance of employees. (Morin, 2004).
How to improve working environment?
To ensure optimal performance and satisfaction by an employee, the environment they work in must offer physical, social/emotional and psychologically support. This is because it promotes openness and transformational leadership where promises are kept, set operational standards and deadlines met, and acceptable ethics are followed to the letter (Christiane, Tit & Carlo de, 2010). One way to achieve this is by embracing the best practices in the management of an organization’s affairs. When an organization has a culture of integrity and credibility within its workforce, the working environment is greatly improved. One of the key elements to enhance such an environment is sharing of information openly. An organization must have mechanisms to allow all employees, irrespective of the cadre, to access any information they may need.
The environment should competently offer direction and coordination to employees and available resources in line with the vision and mission of the organization. Integrity in the organization is the greatest asset in the development of the enhancing working environment. Also, the value of human capital can’t be overemphasized. The workers are the most integral components of an organization, so they should get the respect through the establishment of an environment that offers professional development of individuals working there. The overall well being of the employee should be incorporated in the establishment of the working environment. One way for organizations to achieve this is offering periodical training opportunities to the employees. This provides employees to acquire new knowledge and get new challenges. The environment also should provide good equipment, so that they can get professional results (Inside Jobs Coaching Company, n.d.). Next, companies should integrate an employee’s idea and appreciating their achievements. This brings new concepts that are beneficial to the firm. A favorable environment also needs to ensure unlimited supports to the employs to explore their imaginations in a safe and caring working environment. Several internationally recognized institutions have adopted models to promote professional development among their employees.
These models include advanced education reimbursements plans in institutions or seminars offering such training. This in the end benefits the individual and the organization. Furthermore, an enhancing working environment needs to contain the three elements of fairness. These are equity, justice and impartiality. This entails treating all workers within the organization equitably in awarding. The environment should be assuring to the effect that no one would be condoned in any process. Thus, it becomes a norm in such a working environment and any employee is assured of promotion or rewarding in accordance with their achievements. Also, such an environment should work to eliminate all forms of discrimination on its employees on the basis of their background and orientation while addressing all complaints in an impartial and just manner. When a working environment instills pride in the workforce, then it can be described as favorable.
An organization’s structure should be in such a way as to build personalized ownership of duties to instill the sense of belonging. When an individual or a team is appreciated and valued for accomplishment, an impetus is injected to the employees. This concept brought success to Apple Inc. in its formative stage when its proprietor Steve Jobs inculcated a sense of pride and purpose in his team. This shows a successful organization is not only making profits but involving the employees to allow for ownership and career development. The work environment should also enhance the employees’ relationships. This will allow them express their feelings concerning their work and create collaborations along all the companies.
An example of working environment
Working environment has become increasingly important with each passing day. By having good working environment, organizations can remain competitive as well as retain a highly skilled workforce. At Google, for example, the work environment in this company is an attractive, high-energy place that allows employees to express their knowledge and skills optimally. In order to assure of employee satisfaction, the company gives its employees a chance to concentrate only on what is interesting to them. The program dubbed “20% time program” encourages all its engineers to explore new challenges. The company also offers internship programs to talented youths giving them a platform to learn practical experience from other experienced employees at the firm. These programs benefited both the employees and the corporation. Also, the company has an on-site medical facility with a doctor, dentist and massage parlor, fitness equipment and food to ensure the workers perform optimally health wise. Google has a comprehensive compensation and benefits program for its workers (Great Place to Work Institute, Inc., 2007). Besides the benefits to the employees’, Google also provide benefits employees’ families. For example, employees were provided flexible working hours and vacation. This gives employees opportunity to plan their time with their families.
The work-family relationship is also enhanced at Google with fathers or mothers who have children but don’t have time to take care of them. Google provides take-away meals to them. These meals are worth up to $500 for over a month after birth. The company also has a day care for the employees’ children, on-site dry-cleaning, employee discounts, and free shuttle transport to several locations. Apart from salaries and allowances, all these cutting edge benefits are offered. With such a working environment, Google has been able to get tremendous growth. With all the employees enjoying belonging and being a part of the company, they are motivated to perform maximally. The professional freedom given at the firm is the best opportunity for enhanced career growth and skills exploitation (Great Place to Work Institute, Inc., 2007).
Counterargument-It will cost a lot to creating a good working environment There are people saying that it will cost a lot to create a good working environment. Some small companies can’t afford that big amount of operating expense to improve that. According to the “Google Announces First Quarter 2011 Results”, their operating expense, other than cost of revenues, were $3.34 billion in the first quarter of 2011. We know that Google provides good food services to its employees, but food expenses alone cost Google $63 million in U.S, and this translates to about $5000 per year per employee. Also, they have a high payroll expense of $774 million, which is around 40% of its revenue. According to Google’s case, many people are saying that it costs too much on creating excellent working environment, and many corporations think it is not worthy to spend that much money and only get employees’ satisfaction as return.
Response to counterargument
However, the truth is creating a good working environment doesn’t mean that you need to provide lots of benefits to the employees like Google does. The element of physical working space is integral in creating a favorable working environment. Important aspects of this element are space, sound, lighting and designs. These environmental aspects greatly affect an employee’s performance and satisfaction. (Al-Anzi, 2009). Employees spend up to 90% of their time indoors while working, so the environment should be conductive. You can imagine that nobody will be willing to work if they stay in a dark, wet, and tiny spaces. Therefore, corporations can simply improve working environment by having good air-conditions, better lights, and commodious space, and it won’t cost a lot of money. Furthermore, even though corporations put lot of money on providing benefits to its employees, it will increase productivity and efficiency. According to West Lafayette, a Purdue University business professor, his research shows there is a positive relationship between employee’s satisfaction and a company’s profit. For example, Google had $1,167,493of profit per employee. This amount beats all other large tech companies like Apple, IMB, Intel, and Microsoft. Therefore, if the company have the ability to improve working environment by provide more benefits to its employees, they should do that because it bring more profits.
Bad effect of having a hostile working environment
A hostile working environment negatively affects employee’s satisfaction and productivity. The environment should discourage disturbances that could interfere with the productivity of the employee. A hostile environment may arise from the organization structure or attitude of management to the employees. When the relationship between employees and management is tense, productivity is greatly affected. The employees may don’t pay attention to work and have a bad quality of work because of their managers. Tensions among the employees themselves may create a bad working environment. Unnecessary competition and jealousy between co-workers may make some downfalls of the organization’s performance. In such an environment, employee’s input is not recognized or valued, and they may be demoralized.
This results in below par performance, resignation or seeking transfers to other organizations. The use of technology could also have an impact on the employee’s performance. An employee with excellent skills may have their productivity and satisfaction greatly affected by inadequate or lack of appropriate technology to match their skills (Taiwo, 2009).
Conclusion
The value of the working environment cannot be underestimated in any organization. This is because successful organizations are those that have good working environments. Therefore, the working environment is critical in determining the satisfaction and productivity of employees.
References
Al-Anzi, N. M. WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE. CHANDRASEKAR, K. WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS. Creating a great place to work: Why it is important and how it is done(2004). Estelle M. Morin. (2004). The
meaning of work in modern times. Google announces first quarter 2011 results (MAY 2011).
Google company financial information.
http://www.advfn.com/p.php?pid=financials&symbol=N^GOOG
Great Place to work.Inc. (2007). Why is google so great?
Lillich, M. (September 13, 2004). Purdue research links employee satisfaction, profits. Taiwo, A. S. (2010). The influence of work environment on workers productivity: A case of selected oil and gas industry in lagos, nigeria. Afr.J.Bus.Manag, 4(3), 299-307. Wiskow, C., Albreht, T., & De Pietro, C. (2010). How to create an attractive and supportive working environment for health professionals World Health Organization.
