PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.

Senior High School

NURTURING A 21st CENTURY WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT

By:

Calalo, Lovely Mae R.

De Castro, Chelsie D.
Fortus, Eden Shane B.
Masacayan, Liezel
Pasahol, Kathlene Sarah Faye N.
Rivera, Eloisa Mae C.
Semillano, Stefanie Shaine L.

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for Practical Research 2

Accountancy, Business and Management

Padre Vicente Garcia Memorial Academy Inc.
2022-2023
 PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.
Senior High School

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents different research literature and studies related to the present
study. This study provides the researchers background knowledge which is useful
throughout the study.

Related Literature

How well employees engage with factors in their working environments

influences to a great extent their error rate, level of innovation and collaboration with
other employees, absenteeism and ultimately, how long they stay in the job
(Chandrasekar, 2011) which is a function of their commitment towards work. When
employees are committed to their work and place of business, they are more likely to be
happy and productive. Committed employees take ownership of their work and are
ambassadors for their company, both inside and outside of office doors. A working
environment that promotes commitment, innovation and collaboration will affect its
employees and will able to bring value and will cause stronger relationships at work and
the workplace.
Several areas have been identified as contributing to staff satisfaction and well-
being in workplace. These include individual factors such as burnout, personality and
family / work conflicts as well as work-related factors such as workload, shift type and
length and stress (van den Oetelaar et. al., 2016). Having a nurtured workplace
environment relative to the 21st century, can help the employees to be satisfied and happy
that lowers the burnout, conflicts and work-related related factors such as heavy
workload.
Yusuf and Metiboba (2012) submit that job commitment is a psychological state
that characterizes the employee’s relationships with the organization; and has
implications for the decision to continue or discontinue membership in the organization.
In relation, if working environment promotes commitment, it can affect the psychological
state of all employees. Therefore, it helps the organizations perform better and achieve
their goals because their employees feel connected to the organization and its
environment, and they are more productive and dedicated to their work.
Additionally, Yusuf and Metiboba (2012) define working environment as a
composition of three major sub-environments: the technical environment, the human
environment and the organizational environment. First, the technical environment refers
to the physical state of the workplace that includes equipment, tools, technological
infrastructure and other physical or technical elements of the workplace. Next, for the
human environment, it includes the peers, others with whom employees relate, team and
work groups, interactional issues and the leadership management. It is also referring to
the formal and informal transactions or interaction between colleagues, it can be also
 PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.
Senior High School
referring to the psychological element of the workplace. Lastly, the organizational
environment that includes systems, procedures, practices, values and philosophies which
operate under control of management. It can be also referring to the organizational
element of the work environment.
Urban (2019) stated that everyone’s needs are different, and most people are less
productive if frequently interrupted or if they feel isolated. One of the most successful
interior workplace designs and renovations was done by a company that surveyed its
employees first and provided nit only as variety of spaces, but also a process to be more
productive. The key was a focus on protocols to not only focus better, but also to
collaborate and socialize better as well.

Synthesis of Related Literature

The workplace environment is the most critical factor for the employees to
perform. Additionally, Yusuf and Metiboba (2012) they stated that there are three major
sub-environments in a workplace. And each of them are related in each other. The
technical environment that deals in the physical aspects of workplace, the human
environment that involves the psychological state of the employees, and lastly, the
organizational environment which deals with the culture, policies and regulations inside
the company. In relation, to the physical and psychological aspects that technical and
human environment attribute, Urban (2019) stated that everyone’s needs are different,
and the most successful workplace deigns and renovations affects employees’
productivity. So, in this present study, the researchers also tackle about these aspects or
the elements of the workplace. Moreover, according to Chandrasekar (2011), employees’
engagement in their working environment along with its factors, including individual
factors such as burnout, personality and family / work conflicts as well as work-related
factors such as workload, shift type and length and stress (van den Oetelaar et. al., 2016),
can influence their performance and they tend to commitment towards work. Likewise,
Yusuf and Metiboba (2012) also stated to their article that job commitment is a
psychological state and it has implications for the decision of the employee whether they
want to continue working in the organization. Consequently, in the present study, these
are also included as the variables or elements of a workplace. Lastly, the factors or
elements abovementioned have similarities with the present study.

Related Studies

The critical workplace environment is affected by several components. These

include staffing levels, the physical structure, presence of service support and resources.
If these factors are not optimized, it can lead to cognitive dissonance and strain for the
individual, feeling of isolation, staff members being forced to act outside of their comfort
zone and feeling unsafe (D’Lima et. al., 2018, Grailey et. al., 2020). Therefore, work
environment of employees should be a place of comfort, not an uncomfortable or
 PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.
Senior High School
monotonous office space. Nurturing a workplace environment can allow the employees to
connect more to work and be able to avoid the negativity.
Amir (2010) mentions elements that related to the working environment. There
are two main elements which are the office layout plan and also the office comfort. Amir
(2010) also stated that a physical workplace is an area in an organization that is being
arranged so that the goal of the organization could be achieved. The advantages of office
layout plan include increased collaboration and creativity, as well as improved company
culture. Additionally, a great benefit of the office layout plan is the flexibility and agility
it brings, with opportunities and to achieved office comfort. This recognizes the physical
elements of the workplace.
A comfortable workplace is considered as the fundamental condition to provide
healthy, livable and productive surroundings (Zhang and Barrett, 2010). The importance
of having effective design of office areas is further demonstrated by leading companies
such as Apple, Yahoo! and Google (Kastelein, 2014). They believe that a good physical
setting is essential to encourage employees’ movement at work as having workers in the
same place is crucial to company’s success.
According to Aryan & Kathuria (2017), the significance of psychological
wellbeing at workplace has developed in last 20-30 years as physical work has more been
converted into mental work, and more a person work mentality he or she feels more
psychological pressure at work. Some percentage of pressure at work is necessary for
creativity and performance in work but after certain level it affects negatively the
performance of an employee as well as of the organization. Pressure of being competitive
enhances productivity and creativity of an employee, but when an employee find himself
into much pressure the wellbeing of employee gets smashed.
Amabile and Pratt (2016), organizational resources such as sufficient financing
for projects, tangible materials and infrastructure are needed for individual employees to
perform creative tasks. Also, creativity and innovation should be stimulated through
organizational culture.

Synthesis of Related Studies

A good and healthy work environment contributes to efficiency and

competitiveness and is an important health factor for the members of the organization.
According to the study of Amabile and Pratt (2016), resources such as infrastructure are
needed for employees to perform creative tasks. Amir (2010) also mentions that the
office layout and its comfort should be aligned in the organizational elements such as the
company’s goals and objectives. Furthermore, Zhang and Barrett (2010), added that the
fundamental foundation of an organization is its comfortable workplace that promotes
healthiness, liveliness and productivity for its employees. The critical workplace
environment is affected by several components. According to D’Lima et. al., (2018),
Grailey et. al., (2020), the physical aspects and elements as well the other constituents of
 PADRE VICENTE GARCIA MEMORIAL ACADEMY, INC.
Senior High School
a workplace should be optimized to make employees comfortable and safe while
working, so it will not lead to distress and psychological conflict. As well as, in the study
of Aryan & Kathuria (2017), the significance of psychological wellbeing at workplace
has developed, and has more converted into mental work, therefore, the employees feel
more psychological pressure. Lastly, the factors or elements abovementioned have
similarities with the present study.