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Title: Work environments and organizational effectiveness: A call for integration

Abstract

In response to a request from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory`s Analytical Chemistry Upgrades Program, a team was formed to (1) review work environment and productivity research, (2) report the research in a manner usable to organizational decision-makers, (3) identify Hanford Site facilities examples of the work environment principles and research, and (4) publish the review results in a referred journal. This report summarizes the work environment-organizational effectiveness research reviewed, provides the foundation for a publishable article, and outlines the integration of work environment research and organizational effectiveness in continuing improvement programs and strategic planning. The research cited in this review shows that the physical work environment offers a valuable tool that, used wisely, can contribute significantly to the performance of an organization, its bottom-line economics, and the well-being of all of its employees. This finding leads to one central recommendation: to derive the maximum benefit to the corporation, managers and designers must integrate organizational goals and programs with work environment design. While much of the research cited focuses on office environments, the results and design principles and practices are relevant to a full range of settings: laboratories, schools, hospitals, and factories. The major findings of the research reviewed are summarizedmore » below in four areas: (1) performance, (2) well-being, (3) image, and (4) turnover and recruitment.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10172195
Report Number(s):
PNL-9968
ON: DE94016419; TRN: AHC29418%%19
DOE Contract Number:  
AC06-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Jul 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; PERSONNEL; WORKING CONDITIONS; PRODUCTIVITY; HANFORD RESERVATION; CORRELATIONS; PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT; DECISION MAKING; EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES; INDUSTRIAL PLANTS; MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS; OFFICE BUILDINGS; ORGANIZING; HUMAN FACTORS; 290200; 290300; ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY; ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, AND SAFETY

Citation Formats

Heerwagen, J H, Heubach, J G, Brown, B W, Sanchez, J A, Montgomery, J C, and Weimer, W C. Work environments and organizational effectiveness: A call for integration. United States: N. p., 1994. Web. doi:10.2172/10172195.
Heerwagen, J H, Heubach, J G, Brown, B W, Sanchez, J A, Montgomery, J C, & Weimer, W C. Work environments and organizational effectiveness: A call for integration. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/10172195
Heerwagen, J H, Heubach, J G, Brown, B W, Sanchez, J A, Montgomery, J C, and Weimer, W C. 1994. "Work environments and organizational effectiveness: A call for integration". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/10172195. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10172195.
@article{osti_10172195,
title = {Work environments and organizational effectiveness: A call for integration},
author = {Heerwagen, J H and Heubach, J G and Brown, B W and Sanchez, J A and Montgomery, J C and Weimer, W C},
abstractNote = {In response to a request from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory`s Analytical Chemistry Upgrades Program, a team was formed to (1) review work environment and productivity research, (2) report the research in a manner usable to organizational decision-makers, (3) identify Hanford Site facilities examples of the work environment principles and research, and (4) publish the review results in a referred journal. This report summarizes the work environment-organizational effectiveness research reviewed, provides the foundation for a publishable article, and outlines the integration of work environment research and organizational effectiveness in continuing improvement programs and strategic planning. The research cited in this review shows that the physical work environment offers a valuable tool that, used wisely, can contribute significantly to the performance of an organization, its bottom-line economics, and the well-being of all of its employees. This finding leads to one central recommendation: to derive the maximum benefit to the corporation, managers and designers must integrate organizational goals and programs with work environment design. While much of the research cited focuses on office environments, the results and design principles and practices are relevant to a full range of settings: laboratories, schools, hospitals, and factories. The major findings of the research reviewed are summarized below in four areas: (1) performance, (2) well-being, (3) image, and (4) turnover and recruitment.},
doi = {10.2172/10172195},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10172195}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}