Work Environment and Academic Staff Performance in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

This study is a review study and it was aimed to examine the impact of work environment on academic staff performance in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Depending on secondary data that were systematically collected from print and online publications.  The results collected indicated that the work environment of tertiary institutions influences academic staff job performance. The paper concluded that a good and conducive working environment enhances the job performance of Academic Staff in tertiary institutions. Based on this, the paper suggested that the government and relevant stakeholders in the management of tertiary institutions in Nigeria should ensure that: a conducive work environment should be provided in all tertiary institutions across the country.

This study is a review study and it was aimed to examine the impact of work environment on academic staff performance in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.Depending on secondary data that were systematically collected from print and online publications.
The results collected indicated that the work environment of tertiary institutions influences academic staff job performance.The paper concluded that a good and conducive working environment enhances the job performance of Academic Staff in tertiary institutions.Based on this, the paper suggested that the government and relevant stakeholders in the management of tertiary institutions in Nigeria should ensure that: a conducive work environment should be provided in all tertiary institutions across the country.

INTRODUCTION
Higher education institutions are a segment of society that has been structured to provide research, education, and community service.The university can also be viewed as a subset of society at large, which is composed of a variety of individuals with varying backgrounds, customs, ways of life, and values.(Ogunode & Odo 2023;Ogunode, Edinoh & Okolie (2023); Ogunode, Iyabode, & Olatunde-Aiyedun, 2022).Tertiary education is an education for national development.It is an education for manpower training and development.Tertiary education is an education for empowerment and advancement.It is an education that comprised of teaching, researching and community service provision.Tertiary education is key to national transformation due to its research capacity and community service.It is an education planned and designed for career development.
The goals of tertiary education according to the FGN National Policy on Education (2013) and Ogunode, Edinoh & Okolie (2023), manpower development, provision of quality high education, promotion of scholarship, community service, preparation of students with sound knowledge and skills for self-reliance and the world of work and transformation of the society through high-level manpower training.The objectives of tertiary institutions includes provision of post-secondary school education, inculcation of national and international value, provision of community services, teaching services and researching services and national development.
The academic staff have a great roles to play in the realization of the objectives of tertiary education in Nigeria.Ogunode, Jegede & Abubakar, (2020) and Yohanna & Simon (2013) viewed Academic staff as member of the tertiary institutions whose roles include teaching, researching and provision of community services.The job performance of academic staff in the tertiary institutions is vital to the development of tertiary institutions.The functions of academic staff includes; teaching, researching and provision of community service.Specifically, the roles includes; marking of students note and scripts, supervision of students projects, preparation of result, students registration at the departmental and faculty level, plan the lecture and prepare lecture notes and presentation of lecture in the classrooms.
Academic staff performance has been defined by many scholars to mean different things.According to Ofoegbu & Alonge (2016); Ogunode & Ibrahim (2023), and Ogunode, ThankGod and Olatunde-Aiyedun (2022), Academic staff job performance is the sum of an academic staff member's activities related to teaching, research, and community service that they have completed or are currently completing in the institutions where they work.It is also the result of effective teaching and learning that is based on resources for professional development and has a significant impact on creativity, innovativeness, and community service.The job performance of academic staff depends on the work environment.Academic staff job performance includes provision of academic services, preparation of lecture plan and lesson note, supervision of students' academic work, teaching, researching and keeping students' academic record.
Work environment in an educational setting refers to a place or an environment that is characterized culture, tone, feel or the internal quality of an organization, encompasses policies, rules, culture, resources, working relationships, work location, teaching and learning resources.It is an environment set aside for the production of education services.The work environment in education is very critical for the attainment of education objectives.The work environment can aid the effective implementation of teaching and learning and can also militate against the implementation of the school curriculum (Kohun, 1992;Durotolu 2000;Ollukkaran and Gunaseelan 2012;Sadiku 2017).Work environment is critical in any institutions.It determines to some extent the degree of productivities and performance.Work environment comprises all visible, invisible, material resources, human resources, roles, laws, policies, social relationship and forces that determines how institutions or organizations in the environment operates.
There are many investigations on work environment and academic staff job performance.For instance, Ogunode and Ibrahim, (2023) did a study on Impact of Motivation on Academic Staff Job Performance in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria and they discovered that motivation which constituent one aspect of environment influence job performance of academic staff in Nigeria.Also, Ollukkaran and Gunaseelan (2012) conducted a study to see how the workplace affected employees' performance and discovered that the workplace affected employees' productivities in the sampled organization.Oyewole, Arogundade and Sadiku (2019) conducted a study that critically looked at Academic staff job performance at Nigerian universities is correlated with the work environment and availability of instructional facilities.They discovered that, in the sampled institutions, there is a substantial correlation between the job performance of academic staff and the availability of suitable teaching resources.
Salau, Worlu, Osibanjo, Adeniji, Falola, Olokundun, Ibidunni, Atolagbe, ,Dirisu, and Ogueyungbo (2020) investigated the effect of work settings on public university retention outcomes in southern Nigeria and discovered that work environment plays great roles in staff retention in universities.Also, Wabar (2014) did a study on the influence of work environment on workers' productivity: A case study of selected oil and gas industries in Lagos, Nigeria and found out that work environment influences staff productivities in the sampled institutions.Bello (2018) carried out a study on effects of office environment on secretary's productivity and found out office environment has impact on secretary's productivity in the sampled institutions.Cephas, Gibson and Bolaji (2018) carried out a study on influence of physical environment on academic staff productivity in Federal Polytechnic Bauchi and they discovered in their study that physical environment played a great roles in academic staff job performance.They concluded that conducive physical environment should be provided for academic staff to aid their job performance in the institutions.Durotolu (2000) investigated administrative environment as a factor of Academic Staff Performance in College of Education in Kwara State, Nigeria and found out that administrative environment support academic staff to deliver their functions in the institutions.Femi (2020) did a study that investigated work environment and teachers job performance in some selected secondary schools in Lagos Nigeria.The study used research design of the survey type.The population of the study comprised all secondary school teachers in Lagos.The sample size of the study was 600.Questionnaire was employed as instrument for data collection.The questionnaire was designed to use a 4 point likert rating scale classified as strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Strongly Disagree (SA), and Disagree (D) with the value of 4, 3, 2 and 1, respectively.The research instrument was validated both in face and content by professionals in Department of Educational Management, University of Lagos.The research instrument was pilot-tested for reliability using the test-retest method in two tertiary institutions outside the sampled tertiary institutions in Abuja.The data collected from the study were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including means.The findings showed that work environment influence teachers' job performance in public secondary schools in Lagos, Nigeria.
The academic services of academic staff that are centred on teaching, research, and community service are to an extent dependent on the availability of a conducive and peaceful work environment.It is important that the work environment may have an impact on the effective performance of higher education personnel.The issue of the work environment does not seem to receive the full attention of most administrators and managers in Nigeria's higher institutions.The work environments of many tertiary institutions are not conducive to the implementation of teaching, research, and community services because many administrators are unable to give the issues of the work environment their full attention.Examining how the work environment affects academic staff members' job performance in Abuja's postsecondary institutions is essential.
Purpose of the study 1.The objective of this study is to assess the impact of the work environment on academic staff job performance in tertiary institutions in Abuja, Nigeria.2. To establish work environment that will enhances academic staff job performance in tertiary institutions in Abuja, Nigeria.

Research Question
Based on this research objectives, the researchers formulated the following research questions to address the objectives: 1.What is the impact of impact of the work environment on academic staff job performance in tertiary institutions in Abuja? 2. What are work environment factors that will enhances academic staff job performance in tertiary institutions in Abuja, Nigeria?

LITERATURE REVIEW Academic Staff Performance
Academic staff performance has been defined by many scholars to mean different things.According to Ogunode & Ibrahim (2023), The entire performance of an academic staff member's teaching, research, and community service obligations in the institutions where they are employed at a given moment is referred to as their job performance.The overall record of tasks completed by academic staff is used to compare their work performance to the duties and responsibilities that have been delegated to them.The measurement of particular and general tasks assigned to faculty members in institutions and their expectation that they complete them within a set time frame is another way to conceptualize the job performance of academic staff members.(Ogunode, et al 2023).Simon (2002) considered academic achievement from a social perspective.Through his analysis of the close relationship between the caliber of society and the performance of academic personnel, the author provided evidence for this claim.According to the author, the success of the academic staff is a direct result of the university administration's outstanding leadership.Reaching greatness on both an individual and organizational level is a means by which the community and its constituents fulfill their aspirations.According to Ogunode, ThankGod, and Olatunde-Aiyedun (2022), the work performance of academic staff members includes all tasks and responsibilities that they are expected to complete within a given amount of time.Andy, Emmanuel & Obabuike (2020), defined academic performance as a tool to help society in offering solutions to problems to enhance societal well-being.In this research, academic staff performance is measured with productivity.
Ofoegbu & Alonge (2016) Academic performance is defined as the ability to teach and learn effectively, with a strong foundation in developmental resources and a significant influence on creativity, inventiveness, and community service.University graduates' acquisition of autonomous economic abilities could serve as a proxy for academic staff effectiveness.Academic staff success is correlated with both theoretical and practical knowledge gained in important businesses and/or professions, as well as strong moral standards maintained by both staff and students in postsecondary institutions.(Ofoegbu & Alonge, 2016).From the above, academic staff job performance can be seen as the degree or level of implementation of academic services in tertiary institutions.Academic staff job performance covers all activities faculty members carry out within a particular timeframe in institutions.Academic staff job performance connotes the level of execution of teaching, research and community services of an academic staff in institutions.

Work Environment
The entirety of the forces, behaviors, and other significant elements that influence an employee's performance and activities either now or in the future makes up their work environment.The relationships that employees have with one another and with their working environment as a whole make up their work environment.(Kohun, 1992).Durotolu (2000) and Sadiku (2017) thought of the workplace as a milieu climate, culture, tone, feel, or internal quality of a business, particularly as experienced by its employees and even as observed by outsiders.A workspace can be specifically designed to boost productivity, and work environments are intended to provide particular performance outcomes.(Waber, 2014).The policies, regulations, culture, resources, working relationships, work location, and internal and external environmental elements that impact how employees carry out their job functions are all included in the work environment.(Ollukkaran & Gunaseelan 2012).
Ruchi & Surinder (2014) define the work environment as encompassing the following elements: the physical surroundings (such as heat, noise, and machinery); the essentials of the job (such as task difficulty, workload, and history); and additional business backdrop (such as industry context and worker relations).According to Bello (2018), a work atmosphere that is welcoming, well-thought-out, safe, and equipped with high-quality technology also fosters effective communication, all of which boosts output.This concept according to Cephas, Gibson & Bolaji, ( 2018) has frequently been used as a justification by businesses to drastically alter the physical workspace because it is an easy and useful upgrade to implement.Despite the fact that the physical workspace is set up to support particular behaviors.The physical surroundings of a workplace have an impact on how staff members interact, carry out their duties, and are managed.Human senses have been directly impacted by the physical environment in the workplace, which has also altered interpersonal relationships and, consequently, productivity.This is true because a room's or a gathering place's attributes affect a group's degree of contentment and productivity.(Cephas, Gibson & Bolaji, 2018;Bello, 2018).
The performance of employees is significantly influenced by their work environment.There is a claim that workplace circumstances, whether positive or negative, have a significant impact on workers' productivity (Chandrasekar, 2011).One of the most important elements that any firm, regardless of context, may use to recruit, utilize, and retain skilled workers is a favorable work environment.(Ruchi & Surinder, 2014).From the above, the work environment can be defined as all human and material resources available in an organized place designed for the production of services and products.The work environment constitutes all policies, programmes, laws, facilities and resources provided and available officially and non-officially in a set-aside place for service delivery.Work environment are collection of all resources found in an environment set aside for production and service.Work environment in an educational setting refers to a place or an environment that is characterized by teaching and learning resources.It is an environment set aside for the production of education services.The work environment in education is very critical for the attainment of education objectives.The work environment can aid the effective implementation of teaching and learning and can also militate against the implementation of the school curriculum.

METHODOLOGY
The study adopted the descriptive research design of the survey type.The population of the study comprised all academic staff in all the three public tertiary institutions in Abuja.The respondents consisted of 150 academic staff randomly selected from the 3 sampled public tertiary institutions.The researchers adapted questionnaire as instrument for data collection.The instrument was made up of two sections.Section A captured bio-data of respondents while Section B collected data on impact of the work environment on academic staff job performance in tertiary institutions.The questionnaire was designed to used a 4 point likert rating scale classified as strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Strongly Disagree (SA), and Disagree (D) with the value of 4, 3, 2 and 1, respectively.The research instrument was validated both in face and content by lecturers in Department of Educational Management, University of Abuja which ensured that the questionnaire items was up to data in term of coverage of the concept variables of the research questions.The research instrument was pilot-tested for reliability using the test-retest method in two tertiary institutions outside the sampled tertiary institutions in Abuja.The data collected from the study were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including means.

Data Analysis
The researchers adopted mean rating to analyze the questionnaire items 1 to 6.They also set a decision rule for the interpretation of the mean scores, using a cutoff point of 2.5 to determine agreement or disagreement with statements.This means that 2.5 was the cut-off mark for accepting an item at the agreed level and a mean rating below 2.5 was taken as an indication of mean scores within the disagreed level.

Grand Mean 3.19
Table 1 indicated that results on items 1 to 6 and the result had positive responses in agreement.It showed that work environment supports academic staff job performance in the implementation of teaching programme in the tertiary institutions with a mean of 3.01; work environment enhances academic staff job performance in the implementation of research programme in the tertiary institutions with a mean of 3.30; work environment supports academic staff job performance in the implementation of community services programme in the tertiary institutions with mean of 3.12; work environment aid academic staff job performance in the areas of carry out academic services with mean of 3.16; work environment aids academic staff job performance in the areas of marking of students script with mean of 3.22; and that work environment supports academic staff job performance in the preparation of students result with mean of 2.87.These gave a grand mean of 3.19 which is greater than the cut-off point of 2.50.two disclosed result on work environment factors that will enhance academic staff performance in tertiary institutions.The result revealed that on items 1 to 10 had positive responses in agreement.It indicated staff training with a mean of 3.15; increment in salaries with a mean of 3.05; positive social relationship with a mean of 2.87; Good leadership with a mean of 2.90; Good welfare policies with a mean of 3.11; provision of infrastructure facilities with a mean of 3.20; provision of instruction resources with a mean of 3.01; team work with a mean of 2.99; motivation with a mean of 3.30 and positive climate with a mean of 2.88.These gave a grand mean of 3.13 which is greater than the cut-off point of 2.50.

Impact of Work Environment on Academic Staff Performance in Tertiary Institutions.
The work environment of tertiary institutions has a significant relationship with academic staff job performance.This submission is attested to by Ajala (2012); Khan (2011); Amir (2010) and Oyewole, Arogundade & Sadiku (2019) who did a study and confirmed that the work atmosphere and the job performance of academic staff are significantly correlated.At a 95% confidence level, the association between the work environment and the job performance of academic staff is strong, favorable, and statistically significant according to (Oyewole, et al 2019).This means that a tertiary institution work environment that is conducive and has all human and material resources can influence academic staff.Also, Arogundade (2008) disclosed that Physical aspects of the workplace, such as facilities, may have an impact on how well academic staff members perform on the job in universities.Within the educational system, it is evident that a supportive work/learning atmosphere positively impacts instructors' performance, encouraging learning for improved performance.Arogundade (2008) further ascertained that a good university environment motivates lecturers to teach as well as promotes better learning in students.Hallak (1997) and Oyewole (2009) listed school buildings, classroom accommodations, furniture, libraries, laboratories, recreational equipment, apparatus and other instructional materials that are contributing to academic achievement.Ajayi, Awosusi, Arogundade, and Ekundayo (2011) discovered that the work environment of academic staff in Southwest Nigeria universities had a significant relationship with their job performance.Ajayi & Ayodele (2002) also found out that remuneration, cordial relationship between authority and staff recognition, information flow, promotion, staff development, and adequate provision of facilities and funds enhance job performance.It could be inferred from the result of their work that a better work environment would enhance better job performance of academic staff and vice versa.
Cephas, Gibson & Bolaji (2018) did a study and concluded that academic staff morale is significantly impacted by their physical work environment.An unattractive, dismal, and gloomy work environment lowers employee morale, but a well-designed physical workspace sparks curiosity and boosts output.Offering employees a comfortable, pleasant, and favorable physical work environment boosts productivity.Salau et al. (2020) examined the relationship between work conditions and academic staff retention at southern Nigerian public universities.The results demonstrated that "godfatherism" and favoritism were used to determine who was promoted.The study also showed that pay significantly affects employee retention.On the contrary, Oyewole (2009) discovered that there was no significant relationship between the provision of instructional materials and lecturers' job performance.He opined

Table 1 :
Impact of work environment and academic staff performance in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Table 2 :
Work environment factors that will enhance academic staff performance in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.