Unravelling the antecedents of office environment dynamics on employees' performance: a critical analysis of Ghana's manufacturing sector

Purpose In the contemporary landscape of business organisations, workplace ambience stands as a crucial determinant influencing the productivity levels attained by employees. This research unravels the factors within the office environment that impact employee performance. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a quantitative approach inspired by Herzberg's two-factor theory. Through a simple random sampling technique to select our respondents, data were gathered from 397 managers and employees within small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the western part of Ghana's manufacturing sector. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was deployed in the data processing and analysis. Findings The study found that a favourable office environment with good sound, office room temperature, and better lighting positively affects employees’ performance. However, a well-ventilated, spacious and accommodating office environment had no positive impact on employees’ performance at the workplace. Implications By implication, the study proffers valuable insight to policymakers of firms to make the work environment conducive to driving the needed performance from employees. Originality/value The results provide a foundation for further research into workplace dynamics and their implications for management practices aimed at improving employee outcomes.