The less satisfied employees are with the physical setting of
their work environment -- such as the acoustics, ventilation, or
visual surroundings -- the more likely they are to be dissatisfied
with their jobs, as most people would attest. And there are plenty
of examples in popular culture that reinforce this idea. From comic
strips such as "Dilbert" to movies like Office Space,
cramped or unpleasant work environments are often presented in a
humorous and satirical light.
The Gallup Management Journal recently surveyed U.S.
employees to discover the truth behind the humor. While Gallup's
employee engagement research has always shown that managers have
the greatest influence on worker engagement, Gallup researchers
also wanted to examine aspects of the physical work environment to
determine which of them presented the biggest barriers to employee
engagement and performance.
The researchers studied employee responses to see which factors
differed most strongly among engaged employees (31% of respondents)
and those who were not engaged (52%) or actively disengaged (17%).
Gallup research indicates that engaged employees are more
productive, profitable, safer, create stronger customer
relationships, and stay longer with their company than less-engaged
employees.
The view matters
In the comic strip "Dilbert," hardly a week goes by without a
jab at the downside of working in today's modern office, with its
open-space floor plans and much-maligned cubicles. But the
GMJ survey data suggest that the problem might not be the
type of workspace that employees are given -- it might be that
employees aren't allowed to make that space their own. When Gallup
asked employees if they are able to personalize their workspace to
make it feel like their own, employees who answered affirmatively
to this question were 55% more likely to be engaged.
But workers want more than just a personal space; they want to
be able to see beyond that space to the outdoors. In one memorable
scene in the movie Office Space, the main character, Peter
Gibbons, reacts to his company's "cubicle farm" environment by
toppling a partition to obtain a better view. When the GMJ
asked survey respondents if they can see outdoors from their
workspace, 28% said they cannot. These employees are 86% more
likely to be actively disengaged than those who are able to view
the outside world from their workspace.
Too noisy? Too hot or too cold?
Not surprisingly, the GMJ found that feeling
comfortable at work contributes substantially to worker engagement.
When asked the question "Is the temperature in your work
environment comfortable to you?" nearly one-quarter of all
respondents (23%) answered no. Those employees are only
half as likely to be engaged as employees who work in environments
with comfortable temperatures. There is good news for managers who
are trying to lead under these conditions, however. Among those
employees who stated that their opinion counts at work, the
percentage of employees who answer no to the temperature
question drops to 13%. So, managers who pay attention to their
employees' concerns will have an advantage.
Noise levels also had a significant impact on worker engagement.
When asked, one in three employees indicated that noise in their
workplace frequently disturbs their work. These employees -- like
those who feel the temperature in their workplace is uncomfortable
-- are about half as likely to be engaged when compared to
respondents whose work environment is free of disturbing noises.
For managers of employees who must cope with noisy working
environments, it might be helpful to listen to what employees have
to say. Among workers who said their opinions count, the rate of
those who said that noise disturbs their work dropped to one in
five.
What about employees who have it good -- whose workplaces are
free from disturbing noises and uncomfortable temperatures? These
workers are three times more likely to be engaged than those whose
work environments are both noisy and uncomfortable. Clearly, the
presence of both of these factors poses a greater threat to
employee engagement than does either factor on its own.
The findings of the GMJ U.S. employee engagement survey
show a strong relationship between workplace engagement and
environmental factors such as noise, temperature, and personalized
workspaces. Employees working in a comfortable environment are much
more likely to be engaged and to make a positive contribution to
the organization's financial success. The characters in "Dilbert"
and Office Space clearly have their fair share of kindred
spirits.
Results of these surveys are based on nationally
representative samples of about 1,000 employed adults aged 18 and
older. Interviews were conducted by The Gallup Organization by
telephone quarterly from October 2000-October 2002, then
semi-annually thereafter. For results based on samples of this
size, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable
to sampling and other random effects could be plus or minus three
percentage points. For findings based on subgroups, the sampling
error would be greater.
The Gallup Management Journal is an online journal
published monthly by The Gallup Organization. For more information,
go to http://gmj.gallup.com.
The Gallup Organization has studied human nature and behavior
for more than 70 years. Gallup employs many of the world's leading
scientists in management, economics, psychology, and sociology.
Gallup performance management systems help organizations increase
customer engagement and maximize employee productivity through
measurement tools, coursework, and strategic advisory services.
Gallup's 2,000 professionals deliver services at client
organizations, through the Web, at Gallup University's campuses,
and in 40 offices around the world.