EFFECT OF WORK ENVIRONMENT ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN ENUGU STATE CIVIL SERVICE
(A STUDY OF MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCE ENUGU STATE)
ABSTRACT
This research project focuses on “Effect of work environment on the performance of workers in an organization (A study Ministry of Water Resource Enugu State). This study was designed to find out if or whether work environment has any effects on the performance of workers in Enugu North Local Government.  The research adopted a survey method. The data were sourced through primary and secondary sources. The primary sources of data include the structured   questionnaire, interview, and observation while the secondary sources include textbooks, newspapers, magazines, journals, seminar and symposia.  The sample size of 275 was gotten from the population of 887 using Tara yamanie formula. The statistical tools adopted for the analysis were frequency table and percentages while Chi-square technique was used to test formulated hypotheses. The study found out that the environment has a far reaching effect on the performance of workers. It then become imperative that adequate attention should be given to office conditions. Also that, the Local Government had embarked on several development projects such as roads, drainage and revenue to run their affairs efficiently and effectively. The research therefore recommends  that the staff of Enugu North Local Government should register and identify with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), adequate modern machines and infrastructure facilities should be put in place in the organization so as to enhance the productivity of workers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background to the Study                    
1.2    Statement of the Problem                    
1.3    Objectives of the Study                    
1.4    Research Questions                    
1.5    Research Hypotheses                 
1.6    Significance of the Study                
1.8        Scope of the Study                     
1.8    Limitation of the Study                   
1.9    Definition of Terms                
References                         
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1    Conceptual Framework                       
2.1.1     Definition of Work Environment         
2.2     Theoretical Framework/ Review                 
2.3    Empirical Review                               
2.4     Summary of Literature Review                  
References                              
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.9    Research Design                         
3.10    Area of the Study                        
3.11    Population of the Study                      
3.12    Sample Size and Sample Procedure/Technologies         
3.13    Instruments for Data Collection                       
3.14    Validation of the Instrument used               
3.15    Reliability Of The Instrument                
3.16    Method Of Data Collection                     
3.9    Method of Data Analysis                         
References                                   
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1    Data Presentation                        
4.2    Test of Hypotheses                   
4.3    Summary of Results                      
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1    Discussions of the Findings                           
5.2    Conclusion                                
5.5    Recommendations                             
5.6    Implications of the Research Findings                
5.5    Suggestion for Further Research              
Bibliography
Questionnaire
Appendix

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
 Humans are influenced by certain activities around their habitat or working environment. A work environment can be identified as the place that one works, which means the milieus around a person. It is the social and professional environment in which a person is supposed to interact with a number of people. Hay Group (2007) contends that work environment includes a friendly, well-designed, safe physical space, good equipment and effective communication, which will improve productivity. Well-designed and organized offices and work areas make significant differences to how people feel about their work. Working environment can give some depressing messages about how much the organization value employees and the standards it expects from them (Armstrong &Murlis, 2007) a satisfied, happy and hardworking employee is biggest asset of any organization. Effective work environment encourage the happier employee with their job that ultimately influence the growth of an organization as well as growth of an economic. Lambert et al. (2001) found that environmental factors are important determinant of job satisfaction. The level of salary, promotion, appraisal system, climate management, and relation with co- workers are the very important factors. Creating better and higher performing workplace requires an awareness of how workplace impacts behaviour and how behavior itself drives workplace performance (Armstrong, 2007). People work individually and interact with   others and this requires different workplace solutions (Chandrasekar, 2011). ~ Management’s new challenge is to form an environment that attracts, retain and motivate its workforce. The responsibility lies with managers and supervisors at all levels of the organization. They have to create a working environment where people enjoy what they do, feel like they have a purpose, have pride in what they do and can reach their potential. The work environment affects employee morale, productivity and engagement- both positively and negatively. In an effort to motivate workers, firms have put into practice a number of activities such as performance based pay, employee involvement, recruiting agreements, practices to help balance work and family life as well as various forms of information sharing, Rchandraseker, 2011).
    Today’s work environment is different, diverse and constantly changing. The combination of factors has created an environment where the business needs its employees more than the employees need the business. It is the quality of the employee’s work environment that most impacts on the level of employee’s performance and subsequent performance.
    In today’s competitive business environment, organizations can no longer afford to waste the potential of their workforce (Hughes, 2007).  Therefore, most government organisations are making all possible efforts to make work environment more comfortable, safe and healthy. The workplace environment impacts employee morale, productivity and engagement - both positively and negatively. Comfortable office design motivates the employees and increases their performance to a large extent.  
According to Abdulla et al. (2010), environmental factors represent the immediate job environment that contains skills required to perform a job, authority, autonomy, relationship with supervisors and co-workers and other working conditions. It is important for the employer to know how its work environment impacts greatly on the employee’s level of performance  and performance. A well designed office signals the values and objectives of the organisation and the use of design in office interior communicates an organisation values and identity. Office design therefore should be one of the factors in affecting employee’s productivity. lt’s therefore important to find out if employee’s health can directly or indirectly disturb their work performance or productivity. So it is necessary to study the impact of the work environment in an organization on the performance of its employees. Brill (1992) estimates that improvements in the physical design of the workplace may result in a 5-10 percent increase in employee productivity.

1.2    Statement of the Problem
 Employee morale can be impacted in both positive and negative ways by the workplace environment. The environments in the workplace of most government organizations/public companies are insecure and harmful to one’s health. Work place environment plays a major role in the performance and productively of an employee, most government organization/public companies have an unsafe workplace environment and are most time unhealthy too. An unsafe health facility environment such as unsuitable furniture, poorly designed workstations lack of ventilation excessive noise, inappropriate furniture inadequate security measure in fire emergencies ailment and health workers in such environs are exposed to occupational diseases such as heat stress, deafness, ergonomic disorders  and suffocation health workers productivity and performance can decrease due to poorly planned workplace environment as this adversely affect their morale and give rise to poor performance  and low job satisfaction as a result.
Some offices do not have louvers, light and some with uncompleted roofs. The researcher intend to find out the effect of work environment on performance of workers in an organization.

1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.    To assess the effect of work environment on the productivity of workers.
2.    To examine the effect of depressing and unstimulating nature on office environment.
3.    To ascertain the effect of inadequate work furniture and fitting, modern machines in the performance of workers Ministry of Water Resource Enugu State.
1.4 Research Questions
1.    What effect does work environment has on the productivity of workers?
2.    What effect does depressing and un-stimulating nature has effect on office environment?
3.    What are the effect of inadequate work furniture and fitting, modern machines in the performance of workers Ministry of Water Resource Enugu State ?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
H1     Work environment has positive effect on the productivity of workers.
HO:     Work environment has negative effect on the productivity of workers.
H2:     Depressing and un-stimulating nature has positive effect on office environment.
H0:    Depressing and un-stimulating nature has negative effect on office `    environment.
H3:    Inadequate work furniture and fitting, modern machines affect the performance of workers Ministry of Water Resource Enugu State.
H0:    Inadequate work furniture and fitting, modern machines do not affect the performance of workers Ministry of Water Resource Enugu State.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study is important in providing better understanding of the relationship between working environment and employees productivity in government organization which will serve as a guide to evaluate how the working environment affect the performance of government employees. In addition, the study makes room for employees to voice their level of work affection which helps in formulating training needs (Newstrom and Davis, 2015).
    In a more perspective view, the outcome of the research would be used to alert the management of Ministry of Water Resource Enugu State of employees’ level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with reference to specific work environment features.
Moreover the study would serve as background information for similar research in the future. The significance of this study is to:
1.    Highlight the effect of a working environment on the performance  of workers with a view of identifying specific area of deficiencies to be modified in order to meet the requirement of the modern day work.  
2.    The study will also help to improve workers morale and their condition of services.
1.7 Scope of Study
 This research work was limited only to the effects of work environment on the performance of workers in an organization, in Ministry of Water Resource Enugu State. In this all the staff of the local government were used as the population of the study.
1.8 Limitation of Study
 Due to the relative short time allowed for this research work, based on the distance from my place of residences to Enugu North Local Government area and the tight academic programme, in the course of the study, the researcher ran into shortage of money and this prevented the researcher from having all the researcher really required. Also the organizational policy in Enugu North Local Government prevented the researcher's knowledge of certain facts from the organization. There was shortage of questionnaire collected as not all the respondents returned theirs.
1.9 Definition Of Terms
a)    Performance: This means an incentive, which encourages workers to be more devoted to their job.
b)    Morale: This means the moral conditions of workers regarding discipline and confidence.
c)    Job Satisfaction: This refers to the pleasurable emotional of the state which as a result of the appraisal of one’s job.
d)    Welfare Benefits: Satisfactory state of performance and maintaining workers by giving them allowance that will keep them in good health condition.  
e)    Incentives: These are wage and salaries
f)    Performance: this refers to eth execution of work
g)    Impact: These are wages and salaries objectives where studying against another.
1.10     Brief History of Ministry of Water Resources Enugu
The Nigerian Ministry of Water Resources is created to provide sustainable access to safe and sufficient water to meet the cultural and socio-economic needs of all Nigerians in a way that will enhance public health, food security and poverty reduction, while maintaining the integrity of fresh water ecosystem of the nation.   In Enugu, the Ministry of Water Resources was increated in 976 and Federal Ministry of Water.  Other mandate of the Ministry includes the following: • Formulation and implementation of Water Resources Policy Programme, development and support for irrigated agriculture for food security; Collection, storage, analysis and dissemination of hydro-meteorological and hydrological data;  Monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes for effective performance;  Supply of adequate and potable water for domestic and industrial uses;
• Provision of adequate sanitation and maintenance of water quality
• Exploration and development of undergrounded water resources;
• Formulation and review, from time to time, of National water legislation; • Liaison with all relevant national and international agencies on all matters relating to water resources development; and support of studies and research on the nation’s underground and surface water resources potentials.
REFERENCES
Armstrong, R.T and  Murlis, F. (2007). Quantitative and qualitative research in the built environment: application of “mixed” research approach. Work study, 51(1), 17-31.
Lambert, E. N., Fornell, C., 81 Rust, R. T. (1997). Customer satisfaction, productivity, and profitability: Differences between goods and services. Marketing Science, 16(2), 129-145.
Newstrom, T.S and Davis, S.B. (2015). Human capital and the rise and fall of families. ln Human Capital; A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education (3rd Edition) (pp. 257-298). The University of Chicago Press.
Bharucha-Reid, R., &Kiyak, H. A. (1982). Environmental effects on affect: Density, noise and personality. Population and Environment, 5(1), 60-72.
Carnevale, E. , &Ginther, O. J. (1992). Relationships of age to uterine function and reproductive efficiency in mares. Theriogenology, 37(5), 1101-1115.
Davis, K., &Newstrom, J. W. (1993). Human Behavior at Work management. London: l-leinernann. Fosfuri, A.. llotta, M., &Ronde, T. (2001). Foreign direct investment and spillovers through workers’ mobility. Journal of international Economics, 53(1), 205-222.