Summary notes on workplace environment and organizational performance of public
universities
The study found out that employees were satisfied with their physical work place
environment (WPE) aspects like furniture, ventilation, adequate tools and
equipment, and appropriate temperature. These aspects of the physical work place
environment help improve organizational performance. Respondents also
expressed that a better physical work place environment would encourage
employees to perform better.
The findings on supervisor’s support indicated that the supervisor’s role to some
extent enhanced organizational performance. However, most employees indicated
that they do not entirely depend on their supervisors for directions in performing
their duties and managing their conflicts. It was noted that most respondents
hoped that their supervisors would consult them before making important
decisions. Involvement of employees in decision making would make them more
responsible to perform their duties for better organizational performance.
Motivation in public universities in Mount Kenya region leans more towards non-
financial than financial. Opportunities for high performance tends to revolve
around training, self-motivation, clear communication of the organizational vision,
fair treatment, meritocracy based appointments into supervisory positions as well
as holding all employees with due dignity. However, it was noted that pay as an
extrinsic form of motivation was equally important according to findings and
therefore a comprehensive competent compensation package that is all inclusive
motivates employee performance.
The most important resource for an organization is the human resources who are
the workforces. They make sufficient contribution to an organization; in this
regard,consideration should be made on these significant resources. Organizations
can only achieve desired results through their employees’ performance.
Employees would endeavor to perform when they are convinced that their
immediate workplace environment corresponds with their responsibilities. The
nature of ergonomics in which they operate would determine whether they achieve
or not, it’s through their performance that organizational performance can be
achieved.
Staff training and development, fair treatment and clear organization strategic
direction would boost the employees’ performance. The employees want to be
appreciated for their work through fair treatment, training and development.
Supervision to some degree can highly influence performance of employees, from
the study; the limited abilities in decision making could highly impact on
employees’ performance. However, the employees appreciate the effort their
organizations put through training and development in order to achieve the desired
skills and knowledge needed to perform their duties.
Motivated employees are important for organizations to have competitive edge
over others. This will make the employees increase their productivity by working
more hence the organizations they work for achieve the set goals. The task for the
management of the universities is to sustain the motivation of the employees. They
should also concentration on reducing job dissatisfaction by improving working
conditions and proving more training. Employee empowerment enhances
efficiency and innovation in carrying out tasks also loyalty to the organization.
The study findings support the Two Factor Theory which points out that the
environment in which the job is performed motivates the employees to perform
better. The findings also support Elton Mayo's Hawthorne Effect Theory that
workplace conditions influence productivity and performance of employees as
well as organizational performance.
The universities should also ensure that the workplace environment is comfortable
enough to support employee performance by improving the working conditions.
Improving the working environment would in turn increase employee
satisfaction and resolve that would increase individual performance. The
management must take an active role in making the ergonomics at workplace to be
comfortable.
The workforces should be made to undertake periodic training on workplace
environment ergonomics issues such as rectifying walking on the wet and greasy
floors, proper standing posture, how to reduce stress and strains in repetitive work,
and how to avoid injury and disorders at the workplace. The training is expected
to educate employees on the subject to help employees contribute profoundly to
the development of ergonomic interventions.
The management of Universities ought to motivate employees by giving rewards
and incentives. They could promote the employees who are working best under
minimum supervision so that they can get motivated to work harder. Additionally,
the management can give certificates of recommendation to employees so that
they can use them during application for promotion.
Supervisors must reduce the tendency to micromanage and instead display that
they have confidence in the ability of their team members and trusts them to do
their work efficiently. Periodic meetings with employees to air their grievances to
management to serve as a motivating factor to the employees. Managers should
also be counseled on their relationships with their subordinates. The organization
should have a good program in place for their employees work life balance as this
can be a great factor to motivate and retain them.
