THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT ON EMPLOYEE SERVICE QUALITY IN NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA

Abstract

The issue of workplace environment and employee performance has been a high priority subject for organizational researchers and practitioners alike. While linking human resource management practice such as workplace environment that has received considerable attention in the developed western countries as a useful human resource management tool towards improving employee performance in the country is relatively not properly harnessed and requires scholarly attention particularly in the context of tertiary institutions. Within the framework of the Two Factor Theory, the study examined the effect of physical environment on employee service quality in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, (NAU) Awka, South-East, Nigeria. The study was guided by one research question and hypothesis. The study adopted the survey design. It relied on primary and secondary data, and multiple stage sampling technique was used to select the sample population. The data collected were presented in frequency table, pie chart, bar chart and simple percentage. Correlation Coefficient and Simple Regression Analyses statistical technique were used with the aid of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 2.0) to test the research hypothesis. Findings of the study show that spacious office space and enough lighting environment has a significant positive effect on employee service quality in NAU, Awka. Given the pivotal role that workplace environment plays in this 21st century, NAU management in particular and public institutions in general should therefore, ensure that the workplace environment is comfortable enough to support employee performance by improving the working conditions.