Impact of Physical Environment on Organizational Behavior

1 Impact of Physical Environment on Organizational Behavior Research into organizational behavior has revealed a conflict between organizational demands and individual needs. Studies have demonstrated how an organization's physical environment is instrumental in shaping organizational behavior. The satisfaction of the needs of an individual leads to the creation of a motivating force that promotes the desired behavioral patterns. The physical environment is instrumental in satisfying the needs of the individual organizational member, which, in return, influences organizational behavior. The physical environment setting has become an instrumental factor in minimizing conflict between the organization and the individual and promotes the modeling of the right behavior that ensures the achievement of organizational goals. This paper reviews various studies to establish the impact of the physical environment on organizational behavior.

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2 Impact of Physical Environment on Organizational Behavior Introduction An organization is not like an isolated island. Instead, it is in constant interaction with various factors in its environment. The word ‘environment’ refers to the surroundings or conditions in which an activity takes place. Thus, organizational environment refers to a set of characteristics that describe an organization and differentiate it from other firms within a given period. Such characteristics affect the employees’ functional behavior, trends, and motives. An organization's physical environment is one factor that primarily affects business performance. In recent times, organizational managers have been working hard to improve conditions in the workplace to enhance the performance of the employees and the organization in general. To run an organization effectively and proficiently, studying organizational behavior is crucial. This study focuses on one factor that affects organizational behavior: the physical environment. The physical environment affects how employees behave towards each other, perform their roles, and develop and uphold organizational values, impacting organizational behavior.

Literature Review Various works of literature exist on the physical environment in an organization and how it affects organizational behavior. For instance, Afifah, Arman, and Supardi (2022) studied the effect of work discipline and work facilities on employee performance. The study established that work discipline and work facilities significantly impact the employees' performance. The effect is simultaneous and partial. Employees' access and use of facilities at the workplace can demoralize or motivate them to work harder and diligently. Afifah, Arman, and Supardi (2022) point out that when the facilities are dilapidated and poorly serviced, employees tend to be sluggish and unmotivated, underpinning the value of a supportive physical environment to

3 promote organizational behavior of dedication and job satisfaction to drive performance. Good workplace facilities promote positive organizational behavior and high performance.

Bawono and Johannes Lo (2020) also conducted a study in which they analyzed the influence between job stress, career development, and employee engagement. In this study, the authors offer insights into how employee engagement affects stress and turnover, which impacts organizational behavior. Employee engagement is mainly done through physical interactions that underline the organization's physical environment. Employees' stress and turnover are improved with enhanced and positive engagement. The study results also highlighted the value of the physical environment in influencing employee behaviors, such as job satisfaction, which affects organizational behavior. Employee turnover and retention explain organizational behavior linked to employee performance and satisfaction (Bawono & Johannes Lo, 2020).

Further, Erkuş and Fındıklı (2021) also carried out a study on workplace conflicts, mainly arising from the relationship between employees and supervisors. The two concluded that role conflict and supervisor support affect employees' satisfaction and output based on their findings.

Role conflicts are more pronounced when the physical demarcation of offices or departments is unclear. Supervisors' support is critical to employees' success in performing their roles.

Supervisors influence the employees' perception of their duties and workplace environment.

Unsupportive employees cause employee dissatisfaction. Erkuş and Fındıklı's (2021) study underscores the contribution of the supervisors to employees' happiness. In this respect, employee happiness is an aspect of organizational behavior that can be studied concerning the physical environment at the workplace.

Furthermore, Harsono et al. (2020) also carried out a study that brought to light the effects of work safety systems on employee performance, underlining the place of the physical

4 environment in furthering employee performance. According to the authors, the safety system at the workplace involves the safety of buildings and employees from possible dangers. Harsono et al. (2020) observe that safety systems allow employees to work without fear of injury or destruction. This study helps us understand the impact of the physical environment on organizational behavior as it provides insights on how the safety measure taken can promote the performance of lower it. Safety systems protect structures and employees from possible harm in an ideal workplace environment. However, organizational behavior is a product of numerous factors, safety measures included.

Findings Studies that have been carried out point toward a significant relationship between an organization's physical environment and organizational performance. The influence that an organization's physical environment has on organizational behavior cannot be ignored. For instance, Zhong and House (2012) state that the physical environment has a bearing on the psychological well-being of employees and the overall organizational behavior. Physical constructs such as light and darkness affect the employee psychologically and, by extension, the entire organizational behavior. According to Zhong and House (2012), such aspects of the physical environment as poor light, temperature, and disorganized working space shape organizational behavior by either improving morale or lowering it. In addition, darkness and bush work environment promote immoral conduct in the organization and irresponsibility.

Looking at the impact of the physical environment on organizational behavior from another angle, Erkuş and Fındıklı (2021) reviewed how role conflict and supervisor support influence the output ad satisfaction of the employees. Role conflicts are more pronounced when the physical demarcation of offices or departments is unclear. Supervisors' support is significant

5 in facilitating employees' success in performing their roles. The supervisors influence the employees’ perception of their duties and workplace environment (Erkuş & Fındıklı, 2021). Not giving support to the employees results in employee dissatisfaction, which may adversely affect their overall performance. This study underscores the contribution of supervisors to employees' happiness. Lian, Lance Ferris, and Brown (2012) conducted a study that supported these findings. In their study, they established that abusive supervisors at the workplace could lead to low morale and deviance among employees. They breed resentment among employees, which poisons organizational behavior.

In their study, Afifah, Arman, and Supardi (2022) also offer essential information on the relationship between facilities at the workplace and employee performance. They found that good workplace facilities promote positive organizational behavior and high performance.

Conversely, employees' access to and use of facilities at the workplace can demoralize or motivate them to work harder and diligently. To this end, when the facilities are dilapidated and poorly serviced, employees tend to be sluggish and unmotivated, underpinning the value of a supportive physical environment to promote organizational behavior of dedication and job satisfaction to drive performance. Roskams and Haynes (2019) added that the alignment of the physical workplace environment could affect employees' perception and organizational behavior by impacting how they understand their environment and the implication of the available structures. For example, a workplace environment that requires more segregation is linked to higher susceptibility to distraction. In contrast, higher workspace territoriality is associated with negative perceptions about the effects of the flexible working environment.

Qiu and Dooley (2022) also pointed out that the physical environment comprises various factors, people being one of the constant factors in the workplace that weighs heavily on how the

6 employees behave. In their study, they explain how a leadership style, servant leadership, impact organizational citizenship behavior. Servant leadership, demonstrated through the visible acts of leaders, like caring about the employee's welfare and being concerned about their well-being, creates trust and confidence, which drives organizational behavior. Park and Jang (2019) also reviewed the impact of the physical environment on organizational behavior by looking at how workplace interventions affect stress reduction among employees. In their study, they established that employees show reduced stress if they are allowed to exercise regularly at the workplace.

They concluded that workplace exercise interventions promote good health among employees. It also reduces stress and promotes job satisfaction.

Lastly, Kunto (2019) established that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), work environment, and discipline impact employee satisfaction. When an organization has quality safety measures, employees are more motivated to work and vice versa. According to the study, employees tend to be more satisfied working for an organization that adheres to OSHA and are demoralized when the OSHA guidelines are overlooked. Cumulative employee satisfaction is linked to organizational behavior. They established how various physical environmental factors could significantly impact employee satisfaction.

Conclusion The physical environment of an organization indeed has a significant influence on the organization's behavior. Several studies analyzed in this paper have established how different aspects of the physical environment influence employees' and organizational behavior. For instance, it has been established that hostile supervisors at the workplace affect employees' morale, retention, problem-solving, and turnout. Not giving support to the employees results in employee dissatisfaction, which may adversely affect their overall performance. Similarly, an

7 unsafe workplace also creates room for laxity and low morale among employees because they constantly fear for their safety. Employees are more motivated to work when an organization has quality safety measures.

Light and darkness at the workplace impact the psychological welfare of employees and, by extension, organizational behavior. Employees will be dull if their offices are poorly lit, underlining the contribution of the physical environment to organizational behavior. Finally, the type of leadership in an organization influences employees' behavior, highlighting the effect of a leader on organizational behavior. Servant leadership demonstrated through the visible acts of caring about the employee's welfare and being concerned about their well-being has been found to drive positive organizational behavior. In a nutshell, the physical environment affects organizational behavior depending on the element involved.

Recommendations Based on the study findings, the physical environment can significantly impact organizational behavior. Therefore, improving the physical environment can result in developing positive organizational behavior that ensures the growth and success of a company. The organization can explore the following recommendations from this study to augment organizational behavior that supports high productivity. a. The organization should create a positive physical environment to promote positive organizational culture. b. Supervisors should be professional and humane to enhance positive workplace morale among employees and cultivate good moral standards that will define organizational culture and behavior.

8 c. The organization should hire professional and competent employees to promote a culture of high productivity and diligence. d. The facilities the organization has should be aligned with the employees' needs to perform their assignments at the workplace.

9 References Afifah, E., Arman, A., & Supardi, S. (2022). Effect of work discipline and work facilities on employee performance (Survey at Bangkinang, Airtiris, and Lipat Kain). Jurnal Riset Manajemen Indonesia, 4(2), 193-201.

Bawono, W., & Johannes Lo, S. (2020). Employee engagement as a mediator influences work stress and career development to turnover intention in the employee office of PT PKSS central office. Dinasti International Journal of Management Science, 1(5), 695-705 Erkuş, A., & Fındıklı, M. (2021). Workplace happiness: A research on the effects of workplace environment and psychological capital. Istanbul Management Journal, 1(91), 1-24.

Harsono, Y., Ratnawati, E., Qurtubi, A., Hia, L., & Hasanah, A. (2020). Influence of application of work safety system to employee performance. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(03), 688-693.

Kunto. (2019). The effect of Osha, work environment, and work discipline on employee satisfaction and employee performance. Archives Of Business Research, 7(11), 14–20.

Lian, H., Lance Ferris, D., & Brown, D. (2012). Does taking the good with the bad make things worse? How abusive supervision and leader-member exchange interact to impact need satisfaction and organizational deviance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 117(1), 41–52.

Park, S., & Jang, M. (2019). Associations between workplace exercise interventions and job stress reduction: a systematic review. Workplace Health & Safety, 67(12), 592-601.

Qiu, S., & Dooley, L. (2022). How servant leadership affects organizational citizenship behavior: the mediating roles of perceived procedural justice and trust. Leadership &Organization Development Journal, 43(3), 350–369.

10 Roskams, M., & Haynes, B. (2019). Employee-workplace alignment. Facilities, 38(3/4), 282297.

Zhong, C., & House, J. (2012). Hawthorne revisited: Organizational implications of the physical work environment. Research In Organizational Behavior, 32, pp. 3–22.