Factors Essential for Improving Quality of the Work Environment - Essay Example

Quality of the Work Environment Name Course Name and Code Instructor’s Name Date Introduction Companies and organizations across the globe limit their productivity enhancement of employees to the acquisition of skills. However, it is evident that a substantial percentage of productivity problems are deeply rooted in the work environments of organizations. The work environment has direct effect on the employee performance (Lee, 2006). Good and enhanced quality of the work environment significantly contributes to improved productivity and the final employee satisfaction. High quality work environment help employees to work as a team to increase production and acquisition of skills and knowledge. Consequently, it is the foundation for company’s ultimate success (Engestrom, 2001). Currently, the most crucial challenge that organizations are facing is to create a work environment that attracts, maintains and motivates its workforce. This critical accountability is vested in organization’s management and supervisors from all levels of the organization. Therefore, it is imperative that work environment where workers enjoy doing their tasks, feel that they have a reason to be there, pride in doing what they do, and can achieve their optimum satisfaction be created. Using Aramco Offices in Saudi Arabia, this paper seeks to discuss the history of quality of the work environment, factors that help to achieve good quality of the work environment. The paper will also describe factors that are essential for team work. And lastly, the paper will explain how quality of the work environment awareness can be increased in workplace setting. Background Work Environment is basically the physical and sociol surrounding conditions in which an employee or employees operate. This environment may comprise of physical components and psycho-social instruments. During the early days of development and industrial psychology; physical environment was highly prioritized as only determining factor for employees’ productivity and satisfaction. Various studies explored the effects of physical factors like illumination, room temperature, noise and atmospheric conditions on the overall worker productivity. However, there was little relationship was established between physical work environment and the final performance. Owing to this, Industrial psychologists shifted their consideration and vested their efforts to study psycho-social environment and its impacts on the employees’ general job behaviour (Barry, 2007). With regard to organizational psychology together with the quality of work life concept, work environment was there after defined in relation to both the physical and psycho-social perspectives. In relation to this, modern organizations are working to ensure that work environment is comfortable, safe and healthy. To days Workplace Currently, the work environment is characterized by two opposing drifts; workers have a freedom in the way they dress and act while on the other hand, management micromanagement tendency has increased (Evans et al. 2002). However, the management is not only required to take an active role in defining and establishing the physical work environment and making it suitable for employees but they should also have to integrate their management approach to suit the workers. Micromanagement is unhealthy to any organization and should be avoided at all costs (Evans et al. 2002). Today’s managers should focus their commitments to factors of the work environment instead of micromanagement. In this regard, he or she must give adequate authority to employees, delegate responsibilities, increase employee accountability and motivate employees for the success of the organization to be realized. Developing a work environment where there is increased employee productivity culminates into the improved returns for the organization. Factors essential for improving quality of the work environment The world over, managers and supervisors had a misperception that employee performance on the job is directly related to their pay. Despite the truth of this perception, various employee studies revealed that the quality of the work environment greatly affect the level of motivation and the subsequent employee productivity (Blyton & Turbull, 2004). For example, the manner in which workers deal with their immediate work environment, influence error rates, affect their innovation level and collaborations with other employees. Bellow are workplace environment factors that must be followed to ensure enhanced employee productivity and satisfaction. Goal-setting It is recommended that organization actively involve employees in making workplace decisions. This can either be through informal means whereby employees and their immediate supervisors come up with workplace rules and regulations, and/or can be included in the organization’s formal management process. Performance feedback Regular evaluation of employees and feedback given to the respective workers is mandatory. The feedback should not be biased and should include both positive and negative recommendations in relation to what the employee is doing right or wrong. In the same line, the employee should be informed on which areas require improvement. Role Congruity: This factor dictates that the role that any employee is required to perform must be consistent with the firm’s work plan and any other subsequent training. Consequently, the company’s role expectations must be consistent with the tasks allocated by the employee’s immediate supervisor. Poor supervision results into low productivity. Supervisors are required to motivate, inspire, and encourage employees to deliver their best performance. Employees who are not directly connected with the company usually lose the morale to work to their full potentials (Briggs, 2000). Defined Processes: Organization must provide clear description of the tasks at the workplace should be performed by documenting processes and communicating these expectations to the employees. This keeps employees focused on what they are supposed to do at any single moment (Briggs, 2000). Workplace Incentives: Organization must have reward systems that genuinely reward employees with regard to their performance and for behaving in the required manner (Cooper &Walters, 2009). Motivation, inspiration, encouragement and rewarding good performance are key to enhanced employee satisfaction which in return increases the overall productivity. Workplace incentives create happy attitude amongst employees. Happy employees are productive employees. They enjoy what they do, feel empowered, valued and also recognize their contribution to the company success (Briggs, 2000). Supervisor Support: Supervisors are the immediate managers of employees and hence they must act as employees’ advocates. For instance, they should gather and distribute the resources needed by employees in order for them to accomplish what they are required of. Relevant tools and equipments are essential in for efficiency in production (Busk et al., 2010). For instance, right tools means right technology hence employees must be provided with the right tools for them to minimize error rates at the work place and also increase their overall productivity. Upgrading technological requirements of the organization to conform to the current trends will automatically increase employee performance. Mentoring and Coaching: On job training and coaching is essential to integrate employee skill. Organizations must have forums for on job training and mentoring employees by facilitating trainers to come and impart new skills. This help employees perform superbly in their current role and also assist them to develop further into the future role (Clegg, 1970). Opportunity to apply: Employees should be deployed to or given duties that conform to their expertise in order for them to apply their skill. For instance they must ensure that individual work load and organizational systems and procedures encourage employees to apply their established skills (Bacon, 2008). Job aid: These are facilities like templates, guides, and checklists that give employees directions in every work procedure that they undertake. In order to make employee’s work easier and minimize on error rates while enhancing customer satisfaction organizations must provide job (Bacon, 2008). Environmental factors: The health of employees at the workplace is significantly affected by environmental factor like temperature, light, and ventilation. For instance, poor ventilation together with overcrowding at the workplace can lead suffocation. Extreme temperatures like high temperature can lead to lead to heat stress and heat exhaustion. In this regard, organizations should ensure that the health of their employees is protected in order increase the level of productivity. It is therefore necessary for organizations to increase employee productivity, minimize absenteeism and enhance the health of their employees by creating a suitable physical work environment (Clegg, 1970). Physical factors: The physical arrangement at the workplace like furniture arrangements and the overall floor layout together with overcrowding can significantly lead to obvious accidents like tripping or striking against objects. Consequently, poor physical arrangement of the workplace space is a recipe of wastage of time and energy which deprives employees means effective work habits (Kacmar, 2002). Quality of the work environment at Aramco Office in Saudi Arabia At Aramco the connection between the work environment and employee performance is significantly evident. The organizational culture and the relationship between individual teams play a big role. The organization has a culture that allows employees to take part in workplace decision making, teamwork is fostered in the entire organization (EPOC, 2005). The majority of work is information-driven; for instance individuals and groups are responsible for innovation, and for processes and practices that are geared towards the success of the organization. The work environment and the culture at Aramco have made it possible for teams to perform outstandingly at different levels. In groups, employees are focused, interact with each other through consultation and hence they are energetic and ready accomplish the task beforehand. Aramco management is committed to ensuring high productivity and employee satisfaction. Employee’s workplace environment is key determinant of employee performance. For instance employees are praised and recognized for doing exceptional work. The company has a reward system that plays a crucial role in employee motivation thus most employees are committed and loyal to the company. Promotion is another significant factor that is associated with Aramco Company; employees are promoted from one level to another depending on how successful and industrious they have been in previous levels (EPOC, 2005). Consequently, the workplace environment is conducive to employees and thus there are reduced error rates, increased levels of motivation, collaboration among employees, and absenteeism is highly minimized. Employees are provided with job incentives including employee insurance, performance bonuses and recognition (Nikolaou, 2002). Despite the above described Aramco work environment, employees are poorly equipped; for instance the software they use, Windows 98 is outdated and their computers are extremely slow thus affecting employee productivity. Some managers have bad attitudes, are not there when workers need them, make negative comments against some employees and blame them for their mistakes (Douglas & Walter, 1976). In addition, the management outsource for services that their employees have the knowhow of doing them. Employees feel that they don’t belong and have no purpose in the company. Their morale is low and others were considering leaving the organization. Owing to the aforementioned obstacles to quality of the work environment at Aramco organization, it is essential that human resource department come up with quality of the work environment awareness programs. For instance, managers should be trained on how to create an encouraging workplace environment that will allow employees to perform outstandingly. Managers should be inspirational and committed to motivate and direct employees in their respective tasks (BVET, 2001). The organization’s outsourcing culture should be abolished, mentoring and couching the employees will automatically equip the employees with the required skills and will ultimately reduce the company’s production cost (Douglas & Walter, 1976). Job aids should be provided for all tasks that employees perform to minimize on error rates. Employees should be empowered to make workplace decisions that will ultimately make them accountable and responsible for the outcome of their actions. This involvement will make employees feel that they belong thus adding up to the overall productivity and performance. Quality of the work Environment in education and classroom development Like any other work environment, for the classroom environment to be conducive all factors that promote quality of the work environment must be undertaken and followed closely. Increasing the awareness of quality of work environment is not only important to be achieved in workplace settings, but also it is valuable to be undertaken the educational settings (Billett, 2001). Students should be exposed to these factors early enough to make sure that they understand what is required of them when they get employed or become employers of tomorrow (Arnold, et al., 1998). Teachers for instance, should encourage teamwork in student’s educational activities, encourage creativity and innovation, and foster student interactions thus building workable relationships. With regard to this, students will be equipped with basic work environment needs. Conclusion Currently the most crucial challenge to organizations is to create a work environment that attracts, maintains and motivates its workforce. The traditional way of companies and organizations limiting their productivity on employee skills is long gone. A significant percentage of productivity problems are deeply rooted in the work environment. Today’s managers should focus their commitments to factors of the work environment instead of micromanagement. In this regard, he or she must give adequate authority to employees, delegate responsibilities, increase employee accountability and encourage for the ultimate success of the organization (Cooper &Walters, 2009). Developing a work environment where there is increased employee productivity culminates into the improved returns for the organization. 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Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 18 no. 7, pp. 639-648. Read More