Workplace design and its impact on employee productivity in software industry

Abstract

In today’s competitive business world, employee productivity is an essential element of the success of any company. Employee productivity can be affected both positively and negatively by the workplace design. Further, a poor workplace design contributes to the deterioration of employee morale, job satisfaction, health and wellbeing. However, it seems that workplace design is barely regarded as important and a strategy for the improvement of the employee productivity. This study attempts to assess the relationship between the workplace design and employee productivity in the software industry, and to identify the key factors of the workplace design that have a significant impact on the productivity of software professionals. The target population of this study is the software professionals who work in large scale software companies with 100 or more employees, in Sri Lanka. The data for the study was obtained from an online survey and it was analyzed quantitatively using statistical methods and techniques. The research identified a significant positive relationship between workplace design factors and the productivity of software professionals. The results confirmed that spatial factors, environmental workplace factors and recreation amenities have a significant impact on the employee productivity. Further, it appeared that the relationship between recreation amenities and the employee productivity is influenced by the organizational culture. This research gives ample reasons for software organizations to consider the workplace design as an important factor in increasing the productivity of their employees, which is one of the most valuable assets of the organization. The research presents valuable suggestions and recommendations for employers on improving their workplace design and thereby enjoying direct and indirect benefits associated with it. Further, the present study outlines the possible directions for future research, in the field of workplace design and its impact on the employee productivity.