Work Environment and Employee Performance in selected commercial banks in Bujumbura, Burundi

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to establish the effect of work environment on employees’ performance in selected commercial banks in Bujumbura, Burundi. The study was guided by the following objectives: i) to determine the effect of physical workplace factors on employee performance in selected commercial banks in Bujumbura; ii) to examine the effect of psychosocial workplace factors on employee performance in selected commercial banks in Bujumbura; and iii) to determine the effect of work life balance factors on employee performance in selected commercial banks in Bujumbura. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was 193 employees and the sample size was 130 respondents, however only 122 respondents successfully participated in the study. The data collection instruments were questionnaires and interviews; and data analysis was done using frequency and percentage tables and regression analysis. The study found that physical workplace factors affect employee performance by a variance of 43.1% (R2=0.431, p=0.000); psychological workplace factors affect employee performance by a variance of 45.5% (R2=0.455, p=0.000); and work life balance factors affect employee performance by a variance of 53.7% (R2=0.537, p=0.000). The study therefore concluded that work environment in terms of physical workplace factors, psychological wellbeing of the workers and work life balance are of great relevance in enhancing employee performance positively if well considered and promoted by the management of the commercial banks, otherwise, the reverse would be true. The study in that regard made the following recommendations: The management of commercial banks should remodel the working space so that it is large and spacious enough for employees to feel comfortable when performing their work duties; the management of commercial banks should emphasize and encourage inclusive participation of employees and seek their opinions on matters that affect them; and the management of the commercial banks should come up with policies that encourage work life balance for efficiency and effectiveness of employee performance. The new knowledge added by this study was that all the variables that measured work environment, that is, physical workplace factors, psychological workplace factors and work life balance factors were all significantly and positively affecting employee performance of the surveyed commercial banks.