Physical-work-environment-on-employee-productivity-pag-ibig-fund-.docx

BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN, PHILIPPINES

INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT OF PAG-IBIG FUND, MALOLOS MSB ON EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY

Puatu, Mark Samuel A. Tadeo, Mark Joseph R. Paraiso Ronalyn Joy B. Grade 12 – Accountancy, Business and Management Strand Senior High School Program Laboratory High School

INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL WORKPLACE 1.

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INTRODUCTION

Democracy tends to be measured by citizenship participation, electoral competition and civil liberties (Caoili, 2005). Those privileges are entitled in every democratic country including Philippines. As a post-colonial society, people in the Philippines tend to be distracted and alarmed from anything that might trigger their freedom. Imposing democracy in governing this country paves away their anxiety of having unduly constraint. This kind of government starts with the free involvement of its citizens in most of societal and government activities. The core of a democracy is that all citizens have a right to participative decision-making (Vollenhoven, 2015). This one is practiced through election competition and voting. In this democratic country, citizens have the privilege to choose who they want to be the leaders of their country as long as majority in favors. Those civil liberties are implemented and authorized by the government as what is stated by the law. According to Sawe (2017), Philippines is a unitary state presidential, representative, and a democratic republic country whereas the President is both the head of state and government. The government of the Philippines is made up of three interdependent branches which are the legislative, the executive, and the judicial system. Every branch has their own function and should work interdependently to synchronize the overall government management. The government manages their operations indirectly, but with the help of minor leaders from provinces, municipalities and barangays. Moreover, it is composed of different commissions and departments that render services to the citizens and protect them from any local and foreign maltreatment and unlawful acts. The Philippine government’s main role is to serve the Filipinos. This duty needs to be expanded to include the sound management of market and political power, and effective handling of conflict associated with market competition and political contests (Beja, 2012). It cannot be done by a leader only. The capability of the President to serve is limited noticeably in physical aspects. As an alternative, the president gives authorization to the elected minor leaders and make decisions and judgment on every action they have done or going to. Additionally, the government manages to conduct their operations and services and extend its hand to its people throughout the country with the use of fund from taxes collected. The government distributes those funds justifiably to different agencies depending on their function and needs. Government agencies are appointed to responsibly oversight and administer their specific field of work and function. Most agencies are bestowed to serve and secure the right of the Filipinos to basic societal needs such as education, health, justice, protection and more, while the others are for the development of the country through building infrastructures, monitoring, and enhancing economic standing, and more. Moreover, government agencies also help Filipinos to overcome their problems in physical, mental, social and financial aspects through conducting programs and seminars for free such as giving scholarships, managing medical brigades to cities and rural areas, and offering loan with a little interest to those in short financially. These government agencies are led by different appointed secretaries who have enough knowledge and capability to handle and run a department. Under those secretaries are civil service employees or public servants who are incapable of fulfilling their assigned duties and orders from the top management. Other employees include workers who have special skills that are needed to accomplish different governmental operations and projects.

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Those people play significant roles in serving the public. The secretaries of every agency communicate to the higher individuals in the government to ask for consent and approval before starting a project or making a judgment. Additionally, they are assigned to strengthen public or local and international relations that can potentially develop productive relationship that is beneficial. Employees under these secretaries, work as what they are ordered and serve their clients with all due respect and with professionalism. Moreover, skilled workers that are also public servants are contributing greatly to their department through excellent performance in their own specialties. While the approach may vary by agency or government level, general requirements tend to be common among all departments regardless program mission. These duties and responsibilities are critical elements of organization consistency expected from every employee (Lutzenberger, 2017). According to a study from 1996-2001, an increase in job satisfaction is directly related to a 6.6 percent increase in productivity per hour. Job satisfaction is a global concept that has often been discussed, studied, and described. Vroom (1964) defined job satisfaction as an orientation of emotions that employees possess towards role they are performing at the work place. Job satisfaction serves as a driving force and an essential piece for employees’ motivation and encouragement towards better performance. If employees are not satisfied with their working conditions, they are likely to feel separate from the organization thus giving poor performance. Hence, it is beneficial for firms to provide flexible adjustments so that their employees will feel that they are valued and they are part of the organization. The satisfaction and morale of the employees should always be prominent as it will be reflected in their performance and productivity because with low satisfaction and morale, employees will make lesser efforts to make room for improvements. There are also numerous factors that affect the employee’s productivity of certain companies and businesses, but the result of most of the past studies state that productivity of the employee is closely associated to their job satisfaction and the workplace they are working on. Many businesses fail to understand the importance of working environment for employees’ job satisfaction and thus face a lot of difficulties during their operation. Since workplace is one of the main factors that affect employees’ productivity, this study focuses on the workplace quality and condition. Job satisfaction is a key factor in assessing employees performance and the workplace is one the determinants of job satisfaction. Therefore, workplace is a significant factor that affects the productivity of the employees of a certain business or company. Office employees consume almost all of their time inside the establishment in which they work in; hence it is acceptable to say that the physical environment quality of a workplace or office is essential to develop a fine and healthy ambiance and working environment in general. Working environment consists of safety to employees, job security, good relations with coworkers, recognition for good performance, motivation for performing well and participation in the decision making process of the firm (Spector, 1997). Numerous studies found out that the satisfaction of the employees of a certain business or company with their work environment is directly related to their job performance. An example of this is the result of the study of So Young Lee (2006) that has a positive association result on the relationship of the employees’ workplace satisfaction with job satisfaction. Furthermore, many authors have noted that the workplace design, along with effective management processes, is playing an important role in increasing employees’ productivity and boosting organizational performance. Dole and

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Schroeder (2001) explained that it is often assumed that employees who are more satisfied with the physical environment of the establishment they’re working on are more likely to produce better outcomes. Employees’ satisfaction is recognized as a key indicator of the success of an organization and its performance. Therefore, maintaining and continuously developing the workplace of a certain business can lead to its success and affluence. The Local Government units in the Philippines play an essential role in every aspect of our today’s society. Home Development Mutual Fund or more popularly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund which stands for Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industria at Gobyerno is one of this important LGUs in the country. Pag-IBIG Fund answers to the need for a national savings program and an affordable shelter financing for the Filipino workers. The agency has significant contributions through the years. It is the largest source of housing finance in the country to date. Pag-IBIG Fund provides employment to a huge amount of people and is directly operated by the Government of the Philippines. It also has thousands of branches nationwide. Pag-IBIG Fund’s main role is to serve as a vehicle for the expression of the will of its members—a voice that can be strong and vigilant to influence policy directions of government on labor relations, income and wage policies. One of Pag-IBIG Fund’s branches is located in Malolos, Bulacan— the Malolos Member Services Branch. Just like any other branch, it offers the same services such as member registration, providing loyalty cards and up to offering provident loans, housing loans, and provident claims. The quality of their services is on par with other top performing branches nationwide. Its interior is designed to cater a huge amount of people every day. The branch is also equipped with a fair amount of technology from computers to online kiosks. These components or the workplace of this branch in general affects the satisfaction of its employees which then leads to the rate of their productivity. This study then focuses on the influence of the Physical Work Environment of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos MSB on their employees’ productivity. Physical workplace really is a key indicator of how the employees performs and behaves in their field of expertise. Ulrich (2004) explained that the opportunity to view natural settings through a window, to human productivity and well-being is the subject of significant research. And so, this research attempts to delineate the influence of the physical work environment of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos on its employees’ productivity. It is specifically intended to answer the following questions: a.) how may the physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund of Malolos be assessed by its employees in terms of its facilities, storage of materials, interior surface, noise, technologies, and lighting and ventilation? b.) how does the workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund of Malolos affect the employees performance in terms of their satisfaction, comfortability, motivation towards work, and their personal health? c.) what are the measures to improve the working conditions for a better performance in Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos? Answering these questions will conclude the researchers’ purpose and objectives. 1.1 WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT Work environment stirs a vital role in employee productivity and performance. According to Roos (2015), there are five (5) do-it-yourself tips to spur creativity and innovation in your organization, or workplace, by changing the physical environment. If the employees want to stimulate innovation in the organization, it is important to get all the elements right. First in the list is play. Having playful elements with interactive features within the

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physical workplace might activate the employee’s creative mind. Next is adding natural elements. Plants, trees, windows, wood, stone and the likes have the tendency to stimulate creative thinking. Looking on those elements can brighten the mood of the employees, and according to a research, mood is a predictor of creative and innovative performance. Color is also a factor in the behavior of the employees. If the color of the physical workplace reflects tranquility, the employees might have the tendency to outburst their creative problem solving strategies. The remaining elements on the list are sounds and scent. There are specific kind of sounds and scent that stimulate focus on the thinking of the employees and therefore bring out cognitive performance. In fact, the physical environment can contribute to both creative and attention-required performance but also to high level interaction, enhanced productivity, attracting and retaining staff, increased flexibility, expressing the brand and supported cultural change (Roos, 2015). As stated by Wolfe (2017), a physical office space should reflect a company’s culture and employees’ needs and in turn, can play an important role in employee engagement. There are guidelines to create an office space that reflects the needs of employees and the company itself. Company should consider the need for individual and team spaces to decide whether to put private spaces or to open floors. The lighting of the office also affects the working behavior of the employees. Studies show that the use of daylight or natural light makes people happier than artificial light. Moreover, allowing the employees to personalize their workplace gives satisfactory to them and therefore can enhance their productivity. Last is to make sure that corporate culture resonates throughout the office for the employees’ needs to be understood and valued. According to Giacobassi (2015), workplace design is a much referenced buzzword when it comes to tracking and improving employee productivity. Noise in the workplace can distract everyone. Giving the employees an option to work in a quiet place away from interruptions might allow them to maintain focus. Having private spaces also allow the employees to discuss different ideas elaborately without the hesitation to be overheard and therefore may result to good judgment and creativity. Companies should give their employees options and control in their workplace. Providing staffs with adjustable desks, options for lighting and temperature control, and variety in workrooms increases job satisfaction. Allowing the employees to design their environment gives them the resources they need to maximize their productivity at work. Lastly, letting the employees work from home also affects their productivity knowing that home provides all the components they need. 1.2 EMPLOYEES’ PERFORMANCE The performance of the employees of certain businesses or company relies on different aspect and factors. One of the major factors of these influences is the interior design of the establishment or the workplace itself. The result of the study of El-Zeiny (2011) reveals that that the vast majority of employees (96 %) of private sectors in Egypt believe that superior office design leads to superior overall performance, also makes a company more competitive. Furthermore, the study stated that 44 % of the respondents believe that their overall productivity and job performance will increase more than 50% if the related workplace design problems are solved, and about 52 % of the respondents believe that their performance will increased from 30% to 10%. However, the latter believe that the interior design of their office or workplace

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doesn’t affect their job performance. Overall, analysis of the collected data revealed that the interior design of the workplace had a substantial influence on the employees’ performance. Also, Raziqa & Maulabakhsh (2014) conducted a research on the impact of the working environment on the employees’ job satisfaction. The study used a correlation analysis to get its result. According to the result of the study, there is a positive linear relationship between working environment and job satisfaction. The respondents have agreed that working environment plays a vital role in attaining job satisfaction. The study also expounded that good working environment increases employee loyalty, level of commitment, efficiency, productivity, and also develops a sense of ownership among employees which ultimately increases organizational effectiveness as well as reduces prohibit cost emerging as a result of dissatisfied employees. It also has the benefits that are tremendous for both the organization and its employees. Laeman (1995) on the other hand, stated in his research that temperature, water quality, lighting and noise conditions in their offices makes the employees unhappy and more likely to affect their concentration at work. Also the study reveals that good working environment will ensure the employees’ quality of life at work as well as their motivation to work and their personal health. Furthermore, he stated that those are not the only factors that should be taken into consideration but also the indoor air quality, thermal comfort, layout of individual workspaces, workplace color schemes, interior plants, dust levels and biological contaminants, indoor carbon dioxide concentration and many other factors should be considered by the top management of any organizations and institutions. Hence, a comfortable working environment is important to enable employees to focus and do their job perfectly. 1.3 ATTAINING THE TARGET WORKPLACE CONDITION Every employee has their source of motivation towards the things they do every day. It is a very important driving force for them to do and perform better in very tasks they do. Taiwo (2010) explained that in order to enhance the workplace environment, it is essential that the individuals on the top of the organization should determine what motivates their employees. He also stated that providing the employee with a job which is above his/her expectations is a must. Furthermore, proper management process and any work requirements should be suitably communicated among employees. Tyler (2006) on the other hand, explained that the supervisor of each business is also one of the key factors to improve the work environment inside the office. She stated that for them, their supervisor is the representation of the organization on which they belongs. If the employees don't like their supervisors then they will never like their organization (Tyler, 2006). Therefore, it is an integral part for every business to manage the manager and employee relationship in order to retain employees and improve the work environment inside the office. Providing a safer work environment is also crucial and essential to every business thereof. Kerke (2012) argues that every businesses or organizations in general should discourage any kind of unsafe and unhealthy operations. Additionally, they should adopt workplace safety as its regular feature by conducting safety briefings occasionally. By doing so, the business or organization will then improve the establishment’s workplace. Thus, providing them with an increased of employees’ satisfaction and productivity.

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A safe and sound working environment really improves the employees individually, but there’s more to it than just the interior design of the workplace. Bakotic & Babic (2013) found out that employees who experience difficult and perplexing working conditions are likely to be dissatisfied. To improve satisfaction of employees working under difficult working conditions, it is necessary for the management to improve the working conditions. This will make them equally satisfied with those who work under normal working condition and in return overall performance will increase. He stated that improving working conditions relates to the improvement of safety at work, training of workers, control and improvement of machinery and tools, and to provide adequate protective equipment. With these, their overall job satisfaction as well as their performance will increase favorably that will benefit both the organizations and its employees. 2.

METHODOLOGY

The researchers facilitated the use of quantitative method in establishing this study. Quantitative method was used to gather the needed information from the respondents regarding assessment on the influence of physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos MSB to the employee productivity. To accumulate necessary information about the physical work environment of Pag-IBIG Fund, primary data were collected by means of conducting a survey to the employees of the said government agency. Quantitative research methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. Quantitative research focuses on gathering numerical data and generalizing it across groups of people or to explain a particular phenomenon (Babbie 2010). This method, with the help of survey answered by the employees of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos, was utilized to acquire the most reliable and credible data to make this research worthy of its existence. It is very essential to make a great foundation in furnishing the results and generalizations of this research With the use of quantitative method research, the researchers can facilitate the integration of statistical findings and capitalize on the respective strengths of the numerical approach. The study applied various mathematical steps to accurately analyze the data and provide a proper conclusion and recommendation for the study. This method provided the necessary information, both statistically and numerically, needed to present a reliable and credible interpretation of results. The research design is the researcher’s plan for selecting subjects, research locale, and data collection procedures to answer the research question (Garcia, 2010). This study used descriptive design to portray the situation in Pag-IBIG Fund in Malolos. Descriptive design aims to provide an accurate and valid representation of the factors or variables that pertain to the research question (Van Wyk, 2012). Descriptive research design was used in the study to show a picture of the condition of physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund in the City of Malolos and its impact to the employee productivity. The main objective of the study was to assess the influence of physical work environment of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos MSB to employee productivity and performance. Upon planning the methodology of the study, the researchers considered to gather data from the employees of the

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said government agency that specializes in home development mutual fund. Through this, different answers were gathered and used in interpretation of data. The respondents were centered on the employees and staffs of Pag-IBIG Fund. By using quantitative method in gathering data from the respondents, in-depth knowledge were collected and utilized in the study. The researchers used purposive sampling as a technique in obtaining the qualified participants on this part of the study. Lavrakas (2008) defined purposive sampling as a type of non-probability sampling in which a researcher chooses or picks a sample based on his judgement that can be logically assumed as a representative of the population. This sampling technique was applied due to the qualifications needed before participating as respondent. It is usually used in a research to select the rich information about the subject under study for the proper utilization of available sources. This involves the selection and identification of individuals or group of individuals that are knowledgeable in the certain topic (Etikan et al., 2016). Qualified participants were the employees in the said home development mutual fund agency with more than one year of work experience in the office. 20 employees were included as part of the study. Moreover, the researchers believed that survey questionnaires distributed to the staffs of Pag-IBIG were enough to represent the population of the whole office. Upon employing also the quantitative method, as said earlier, the office employees were considered in the study. They were selected purposively due to the qualifications needed. Only those who experienced the atmosphere of Pag-IBIG office for more than one year were included as an eligible participant in the study. A total of 20 samples was utilized in this population to obtain needed data in the study such as their assessment on the influence of Pag-IBIG’s physical condition on employee performance in terms of satisfaction, comfortability, motivation on work, and health of employees. Through the use of survey, the researchers collected data from the respondents as part of the quantitative method that was employed in the study. Furthermore, the researchers constructed a survey questionnaire consisted of different parts, for 20 respondents, as research instruments of the study. The researchers employed the use of Likert Scale model for the survey questionnaire. Likert scale uses fixed choice response format and is designed to measure attitudes or opinions (McLeod, 2008). Through the written questionnaire, data were gathered from the employees or staffs under the scope of the study. This instrument played a vital role in obtaining the beneficial data for the study to comply on its objectives on assessing the work environment of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos. The survey questionnaire consisted of statements regarding the employee’s assessment on the physical work environment of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos MSB in terms of facilities, storage of materials, interior surface, noise, technologies, and lighting and ventilation. For the second part, the answers were represented using the five-point Likert Scale. The researchers have taken measures and procedures to identify the respondents who may be involved and be able to access important information that were used in the study. The data collected through surveys were carefully transcribed used in formulating analysis. These data were carefully analyzed and interpreted by the researchers to come up with an appropriate conclusion and recommendation to the study. Furthermore, a Likert scale model was used in reviewing the influence of workplace to the employees.

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The data were tabulated, analyzed, and interpreted by using the tabulated method of presentation. The tabulated data constituted the principal and basic information needed to answer the specific problems of the study. The weighted mean of such scale was used to give interpretation on the result. The following formula was used: 𝜇=

∑fx 𝑁

Where: 𝜇 = weighted mean Σ = summation f = frequency of responds under each scale x = value assigned to each scale N = number of respondents The following descriptive rating was used: Table 1 Equivalent Descriptive Rating for Each Scale

3.

Scale

Weighted mean

Descriptive Rating

5

4.50 – 5.0

Strongly agree

4

3.50 – 4.49

Agree

3

2.50 – 3.49

Neither agree nor disagree

2

1.50 – 2.49

Disagree

1

1.0 – 1.49

Strongly Disagree

RESULTS

This part shows the results of the study based on statement of the problem. This part of the study is divided into three parts to clearly show the different interpreted results of the study from the survey. The first part consists of the assessment on workplace condition of Pag-IBIG. It shows the opinion of the staffs to the physical workplace of their office based on facilities, storage of materials, interior surface, noise, technologies, and lighting and ventilation as part of the work environment of the office.

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The second part shows the employees’ evaluation of the influence that the physical workplace bestow on them based on satisfaction, comfortability, motivation on work, and health of employees. Through the use of survey, answers were analyzed to give reliable results in the study. The last part presents the measures on how to improve the working conditions for a better performance in the office.. Through the perception of the office staffs, answers were analyzed and presented.

3.1 PHYSICAL WORKPLACE OF PAG-IBIG FUND MALOLOS MSB

3.1.1 FACILITIES Table 2 Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in Terms of Facilities FACILITIES 1. The facilities of Pag-IBIG Fund are satisfactory. 2. Pag-IBIG Fund possesses a great condition of facilities. 3. Office facilities of Pag-IBIG are well-maintained.

FREQUENCY

PERCENTAGE (%)

20

100%

17

85%

19

95%

Table 2 displays the physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in terms of its facilities. The table shows that 100% of the respondents agreed that the level of facilities of Pag-IBIG Fund is in a satisfactory rating. On the other hand, 95% said that office facilities of Pag-IBIG are well-maintained and only 85% of the respondents perceived that Pag-IBIG Fund possesses a great condition of facilities. As affirmed by Roos (2015), there are five (5) do-it-yourself tips to spur creativity and innovation in your organization, or workplace, by changing the physical environment. If the employees want to stimulate innovation in the organization, it is important to get all the elements right. Like the facilities, everything must be organized according to the satisfaction imposed to the employees. Having playful elements with interactive features within the physical workplace might activate the employee’s creative mind, thus leading to a more productive work. Next is adding natural elements. Plants, trees, windows, wood, stone and the likes have the tendency to stimulate creative thinking.

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3.1.2 STORAGE OF MATERIALS Table 3 Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in Terms of Storage of Materials STORAGE OF MATERIALS

FREQUENCY

PERCENTAGE (%)

18

90%

19

95%

15

75%

1. Office supplies and materials are stored in a well-maintained storage. 2. The allotted space for storage of materials is adequate for all office supplies. 3. The materials are stocked in an organized manner.

Table 3 shows the assessment of employees on the physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in terms of storage of materials. It can be depicted that the employees believed that the storage of materials in Pag-IBIG Fund is in good level with the rating that can be seen from the table. 95% of the respondents said that the allotted space for storage of materials is adequate for all office supplies. It justifies the fact that they have a good storage for all their materials. Also, 90% perceived that office supplies and materials are stored in a well-maintained storage. However, only 75% of the employees agreed that the materials are stocked in an organized manner. The result is supported by the statement of Roos (2015). Looking on the elements inside the office can brighten the mood of the employees, and according to a research, mood is a predictor of creative and innovative performance. Organized things clear up the mind and makes the person more focused in work activity leading to productivity. 3.1.3 INTERIOR SURFACE Table 4 Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in Terms of Interior Surface INTERIOR SURFACE 1. The interior surface of Pag-IBIG Fund is appealing to the eyes. 2. Pag-IBIG Fund’s interior surface is very well engineered. 3. The internal structure of the workplace is very modern.

FREQUENCY

PERCENTAGE (%)

19

95%

18

90%

19

95%

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Gathered by the researchers from the survey are the numerical data shown in the table above. The table above conveys the frequency of response of employees about the physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in terms of interior surface. Every employee agreed on the statement given to them about the interior surface of their office. With a 95% frequency level, the respondents said that the interior surface of Pag-IBIG Fund is appealing to the eyes and its internal structure of is very modern. On the other hand, 90% asserted that their office is very well- engineered. The result is supported by the statement of Roos (2015). Looking on the elements inside the office can brighten the mood of the employees, and according to a research, mood is a predictor of creative and innovative performance. Color is also a factor in the behavior of the employees. If the color of the physical workplace reflects tranquility, the employees might have the tendency to outburst their creative problem solving strategies. Therefore, interior surface is important as part of work environment. Additionally, one of the major factors of these influences is the interior design of the establishment or the workplace itself. The result of the study of El-Zeiny (2011) reveals that that the vast majority of employees (96 %) of private sectors in Egypt believe that superior office design leads to superior overall performance, also makes a company more competitive. Furthermore, the study stated that 44 % of the respondents believe that their overall productivity and job performance will increase more than 50% if the related workplace design problems are solved. 3.1.4 NOISE Table 5 Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in Terms of Noise NOISE 1. The external clients’ area in PagIBIG Fund is full of noise. 2. Open office noise in Pag-IBIG is very evident due to crowded people. 3. The noise in Pag-IBIG Fund is very disturbing.

FREQUENCY

PERCENTAGE (%)

20

100%

20

100%

20

100%

With regards to the noise in the office, the table above presents a clear numerical detail about their response to the physical condition of their workplace in terms of sound emission. It is clearly pictured out in the data above that all of the respondents assessed their work environment

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as a noisy environment. 100% of the respondents said that the external clients’ area in Pag-IBIG Fund is full of noise and is disturbing to work. The other element is the sound condition. There are specific kinds of sounds that stimulate focus on the thinking of the employees and therefore bring out cognitive performance. In fact, the physical environment can contribute to both creative and attention-required performance but also to high level interaction, enhanced productivity, attracting and retaining staff, increased flexibility, expressing the brand and supported cultural change (Roos, 2015). Therefore, sound activation is a factor that might influence performance in work. 3.1.5 TECHNOLOGIES Table 6 Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in Terms of Technologies TECHNOLOGIES 1. Pag-IBIG Fund has modern technologies in its workplace. 2. High technologies in Pag-IBIG Fund help a lot in work. 3. Some technologies in the workplace are in need to be upgraded.

FREQUENCY

PERCENTAGE (%)

18

90%

20

100%

20

100%

Table 6 shows the result of the survey on employees about their assessment on the physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in terms of the technologies that it possesses. 100% of the respondents stated based on their survey that some technologies in their office are in need to be upgraded and updated. Additionally, they said that high technologies in Pag-IBIG Fund help a lot in work. However, only 90% believed that their agency has modern technologies up to date. Giacobassi (2015) elaborated that companies should give their employees options and control in their workplace. Providing staffs with adjustable desks, options for lighting and temperature control, and variety in workrooms increases job satisfaction. Allowing the employees to design their environment gives them the resources, such as technologies, they need to maximize their productivity at work. Lastly, letting the employees work from home also affects their productivity knowing that home provides all the components they need.

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3.1.6 LIGHTING AND VENTILATION Table 7 Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch in Terms of Lighting and Ventilation LIGHTING AND VENTILATION 1. The office has a good lighting. 2. The office has enough ventilation for the clients and employees. 3. The overall lighting and ventilation system of the office is in good condition.

FREQUENCY

PERCENTAGE (%)

20

100%

20

100%

20

100%

About pertaining to the lighting and ventilation of the said government agency under study, relevant data in the table above are listed. All of the employees and staffs said that their office has a good lighting. Also, 100% of the response said that the Pag-IBIG office has enough ventilation for the clients, employees, and staffs. Another 100% goes to the statement that the overall lighting and ventilation sytem of the office is all in good condition. Based on the statement of Wolfe (2017), there are guidelines to create an office space that reflects the needs of employees and the company itself. Company should consider the need for individual and team spaces to decide whether to put private spaces or to open floors. The lighting of the office also affects the working behavior of the employees. Studies show that the use of daylight or natural light makes people happier than artificial light. Moreover, allowing the employees to personalize their workplace gives satisfactory to them and therefore can enhance their productivity.

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3.2 INFLUENCE ON EMPLOYEES’ PEFORMANCE 3.2.1 SATISFACTION Table 8 Influence of the Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch on Employee Productivity in Terms of Satisfaction SATISFACTION 1. The facilities help the employees to be satisfied in their job. 2. The physical condition of the office affects the employees in a positive way. 3. A good lighting and ventilation boosts the employee productivity. 4. New and fast technology in office caters additional help to the employees. GRAND STRONGLY MEAN 4.65 AGREE

MEAN 4.4

4.4

4.85

4.95

VERBAL INTERPRETATION AGREE AGREE

STRONGLY AGREE

STRONGLY AGREE

Table 8 shows the satisfaction and mean rating of influence of Pag-IBIG Fund’s physical work environment to the employees based on satifaction. Based on the gathered data, the respondents agreed that new and fast technology in office caters additional help to the employees acquiring the highest mean of 4.95. In spite of employees being satisfied to their work in office that has good facilities, they also agreed that the facilities help the employees to be satisfied in their job having the lowest mean rating of 4.4. Also, a 4.4 mean goes to the statement that the The physical condition of the office affects the employees in a positive way. On the other hand, the employees and staffs strongly agreed that a good lighting and ventilation boosts the employees’ productivity with mean rating of 4.85. Overall, respondents approved that that they are satisfied on the physical workplace they work in with the grand mean 4.65. This result is supported by the statement of Raziqa & Maulabakhsh (2014) who conducted a research on the impact of the working environment on the employees’ job satisfaction. According to the result of their study, there is a positive linear relationship between working environment and job satisfaction. The respondents have agreed that working environment plays a vital role in attaining job satisfaction. The study also expounded that good working environment increases employee loyalty, level of commitment, efficiency, productivity, and also develops a sense of ownership among employees which ultimately increases organizational effectiveness as well as reduces prohibit cost emerging as a result of dissatisfied employees.

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3.2.2 COMFORTABILITY Table 9 Influence of the Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch on Employee Productivity in Terms of Comfortability COMFORTABILITY 1. The physical workplace has enough space for the employees to work. 2. The workplace seems comfortable to do the tasks. 3. The office place is comfortable to work in, thus, helping the employees to perform more quickly and efficiently. 4. The office provides enough office needs to make the employees be productive. GRAND STRONGLY MEAN 4.91 AGREE

MEAN

4.9 4.85

VERBAL INTERPRETATION STRONGLY AGREE STRONGLY AGREE

STRONGLY AGREE 5

4.9

STRONGLY AGREE

Conveyed in table 2 is the influence of the physical workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch on Employee Productivity in terms of comfortability that was measured through the use of the Likert’s scale model. All of the personnel of the company strongly agreed that the office place is comfortable to work in, thus, helping the employees to perform more quickly and efficiently exhibiting a mean of 5.0. The table portrays that majority of the people working in Pag-IBIG Malolos agreed that they are comfortable because the physical workplace has enough space for the employees to work and the office provides enough office needs to make the employees be productive having both the mean of 4.9 among all the statements. To sum everything up, the researchers got 4.91 as the grand mean which shows the physical condition and work environment of Pag-IBIG Fund has influence to its employees in terms of comfortability. This result about comfortability is supported by Laeman (1995). He stated that there are only factors that should be taken into consideration like the indoor air quality, thermal comfort, layout of individual workspaces, workplace color schemes, interior plants, dust levels and biological contaminants, indoor carbon dioxide concentration and many other factors. These should be considered by the top management of any organizations and institutions. Hence, a comfortable working environment is important to enable employees to focus and do their job perfectly.

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3.2.3 MOTIVATION ON WORK Table 10 Influence of the Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch on Employee Productivity in Terms of Motivation on Work MOTIVATION ON WORK 1. It is inspiring to work in a wellmaintained office. 2. The employees become determined to give the best effort everyday with a good office condition. 3. The appealing appearance of the office adds motivation to work. 4. Good system of technologies and utilities boosts the motivation of employees to work. GRAND STRONGLY 4.61 MEAN AGREE

MEAN

VERBAL INTERPRETATION

5

STRONGLY AGREE

4.8 4.3

4.35

STRONGLY AGREE AGREE AGREE

Table 10 shows the statistic measure of the influence of physical workplace to the motivation bestowed on each employee of the company. Retracted from the computed data, office workers believed that it is inspiring to work in a well-maintained office getting the highest mean of 5.0 among other statements. On the other hand, the mean with the lowest rating of 4.3 came from the statement which states that the appealing appearance of the office adds motivation to work. In a nutshell, employees see the physical work environment as factor which affects the motivation of workers in office as founded by the grand mean of 4.61. Moreover, Laeman (1995), explicitly stated in his research that bad temperature, water quality, lighting, and noise conditions in internal offices makes the employees unhappy and more likely to affect their concentration at work. Also the study reveals that good working environment will ensure the employees’ quality of life at work as well as their motivation to work and their personal health. Every employee has their source of motivation towards the things they do every day. It is a very important driving force for them to do and perform better in very tasks they do. Taiwo (2010) described that in order to enhance the workplace environment, it is needed that the individuals on the top of the organization determine what motivates their employees to do their best performance. He also stated that providing the employee with a job which is above his/her expectations is very essential.

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3.2.4 HEALTH OF EMPLOYEES Table 11 Influence of the Physical Workplace of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos Member Services Branch on Employee Productivity in Terms of Health of Employees HEALTH OF EMPLOYEES 1. The noise in the work environment affects the health of the workers. 2. Good lighting in the office adds a positive vibe in health. 3. Proper ventilation prevents various sicknesses. 4. The physical condition of the work environment influences the health of employees directly, thus affecting productivity. GRAND STRONGLY 4.88 MEAN AGREE

4.85

VERBAL INTERPRETATION STRONGLY AGREE

4.8

STRONGLY AGREE

4.95

STRONGLY AGREE

MEAN

STRONGLY AGREE 4.9

The researchers who immersed in the work environment of Pag-IBIG Fund Malolos MSB wanted to know the influence of workplace as perceived by the office workers. Table 11 gives credible data that tackles the topic of health of employees as a subject to externalities imposed by the work environment. Based on the table, most of the respondents believed that proper ventilation prevents various sicknesses. Also, majority of the workers claimed that the physical condition of the work environment influences the health of employees directly, thus affecting productivity. It is also noticeable in the table that every statement got a rating of strongly agree with a grand mean of 4.88 which means that physical workplace affects the health of employees. Providing a safer and healthier work environment is also critical and essential to every business. Kerke (2012) argues that every businesses or organizations in general should discourage any kind of unsafe and unhealthy operations. Additionally, they should adopt workplace safety as its regular feature by conducting safety briefings occasionally. By doing so, the health of employees will be taken into consideration because it affects the performance not just of the employee but of the company also. 3.3 ATTAINING THE TARGET WORKPLACE CONDITION There are various factors that influence the employee’s productivity, but the result of most of the past studies state that productivity of the employee is closely associated to their job satisfaction and the workplace they are working on. Many organizations fail to understand the importance of working environment for employees’ job satisfaction and thus face a lot of difficulties during their operation. Workplace is one of the main factors that affect employee productivity thus must be taken into consideration. The following measures may be taken as the strategic initiatives to take forward the organizations in line with the better employee performance.

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Table 12 Measures to Improve the Working Conditions for a Better Performance Initiatives to Improve Work Environment to Boost Productivity 1. Make employees’ workspace look attractive to them. Add more things to the office place that will satisfy their mind to boost job performance 2. Take in mind that the work environment can seriously affect employee morale. A dull office lacking light and color can initiate depression and a lack of motivation to work. Brighten up the space with a soothing paint job, green plants, and tasteful artwork. 3. Remember to often organize every material in the workspace to clear up the mind of employees. 4. Improve the lighting system of the office to keep up the mood of the employees towards their performance. 5. Make the working space of employee comfortable by always keeping it clean, tidy, organized, and attractive. 6. Maintain a nice internal working structure for the personnel. 7. With regards to the noise condition, try to reduce the noise to not disturb the workplace and make a peaceful work activity. 8. Each color has different effects on the human body. Try to make the office a little brighter and appealing to the eyes of workers. 9. Install a sound absorbent material on the ceiling, walls, and floors, of the work environment. 10. Maintain a good condition of machines and technologies for a better performance of office staffs. Shown in the table above are the steps to keep a better atmosphere in the office surroundings. Great office conditions positively affect the performance and productivity of the employees. Following steps to continue and maintain a good physical workplace condition will result to productivity and growth of the employees, hence, giving the company edge to reach its goals. Every company or organization must ignite a step to a better performance. Bakotic & Babic (2013) found out that employees who experience difficult and perplexing working conditions are likely to be dissatisfied. To improve satisfaction of employees working under difficult working conditions, it is necessary for the management to improve the working conditions. This will make them equally satisfied with those who work under normal working

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condition and in return overall performance will increase. He stated that improving working conditions relates to the improvement of safety at work, training of workers, control and improvement of machinery and tools, and to provide adequate protective equipment. With these steps and measures, organizations can make sure that their staffs are in good phase to render their service to the overall goal of the organization. 4. DISCUSSION 4.1 CONCLUSIONS Office workers, especially in public sectors and government agency such as Pag-IBIG Fund, spend big amount of their time inside a building where the physical environment influence their work performance. It is assumed that employees who are satisfied with their workplace tend to be more productive and perform well. From the literature reviews and the method used in acquiring data from the respondents, it is very coherent that indoor environments of an office has different influences on employee’s satisfaction, comfortability, motivation, and health which affects productivity and performance. The study showed that the employees in Pag-IBIG Fund are greatly affected and influenced by the working conditions. Facilities, interior surface, storage of materials, noise, technologies, and lighting and ventilation affect their performance and productivity as a worker. Additionally, employees who are more satisfied with the physical environment of the establishment they are working on are more likely to produce better outcomes. Employees’ satisfaction is recognized as a key indicator of the success of the management and its performance. Therefore, maintaining and continuously developing the workplace of a certain business can lead to its success and prosperity of the organization. Workplace layout, alongside with effective management processes, is playing an important function in escalating employees’ efficiency and boosting organizational standing. The condition of work environment is a significant factor that affects the productivity of the employees of a certain business or company. Working environment has impact on the job satisfaction of employees. Bad working conditions restrict employees to fully give their capabilities and attain full potential, so it is imperative that the businesses realize the importance and great value of good working environment. This study impacts upon the future performance of businesses and companies by taking working environment more seriously within their organizations to increase the motivation and commitment level of their employees. This way their work force can attain the best results. It also ensures that the employees of the organization will have the ease of working in a good condition and free environment without burden or pressure that would cause their performance to decline. The benefits of providing a good working environment to the employees are beneficial for both the organization and its employees in achieving their goals. 4.2 RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings and the conclusion of the study, the following recommendations are formulated. 1. Maintain updated software in computers to avoid delay in computer-related processes.

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2. Keep a well ventilated area to make the employees and clients comfortable. 3. The researchers recommend the companies and other government organizations to maintain a satisfactory working environment for their employees. 4. Companies are recommended to give their employees enough space to boost their performance. 5. Always do a check-up of machines and computers for a better performance of office staffs. 6. The researchers encourage each and every company to motivate their workers by giving them back what they deserve in the work environment. 7. The future researchers are advised to do further and in-depth research by conducting a new study on a wider scope in a different setting. The companies are advised to give their employees the best space that they can give to boost the performance of their workers. Upon boosting the performance of every employee, it will result to attain and achieve the overall target of the organization. The researchers also recommend the companies and other government organizations to maintain a good working environment for their employees. It is very significant to create a good workplace to result into a good outcome of business or organizational goal. This action will help to mold the mood and mind of the employees to give their best potential in rendering their service to the Filipino people in line with the objectives and goals of the organization. The researchers encourage each and every company to motivate their workers by giving them back what they deserve in the workplace. Since workplace affects working performance, the researchers highly recommend giving employees, staffs, and personnel a satisfactory working environment to create a place of full productivity and growth. In this way, it can also affect the economy of the country in a positive way, thus leading to economic growth and expansion. Finally, the future researchers are advised to do further and in-depth research by conducting a new study on the same scope but in a different setting. There are many branches of Pag-IBIG Fund in the Philippines. By doing the recommendation, the future researchers may be able to gather different information which may result to a different conclusion and can be used to triangulate in this study.

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