Work Environmental Factors and its Impact on Employee Productivity: The Mediating Role of Employee Commitment

Abstract

Employee efficiency is vital to an organization’s success and sustainability. As such, the work environment can significantly influence employee productivity, either positively or negatively. Recognizing the importance of employees, top-performing organizations prioritize creating a supportive workplace, given that employees spend a substantial portion of their lives performing work-related tasks. Conversely, unsuitable, and unfavourable work environments can contribute to job-related stress. This study investigates the work environment factors that affect employee productivity and explores how these elements can boost employee performance. Data was collected through a survey of 300 randomly selected staff members from three tertiary institutions Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)) in the Ashanti Region of Ghana to test the conceptual framework. The findings revealed a positive relationship between the workplace environment and employee commitment, suggesting that employee commitment partially strengthens the impact of the workplace environment on employee performance. This study offers practical insights for academic institution management, emphasizing the need to enhance workplace environmental conditions to facilitate effective academic work within these institutions. Keywords: Work environment, employee productivity, employee commitment, employee efficiency