ABSTRACT
The automotive industry in Malaysia, which encompasses other similar activities, is a growing industry. Car production in Malaysia has recently also been increasing, with less than 254,000 cars produced in 1999 to double that number (442,000 cars) and employing 47,000 workers in 2007 (OlCA, 2007). According to Fisk et al.(1997), productivity is one of the most important factors affecting the overall performance to any organization, from small enterprises to entire nations. Since the 1990s, there has been increasing amounts of attention on the work environment and productivity. Laboratory and field studies have shown that the physical and chemical factors in the work environment could have a notable impact on the health and performance of its occupants and consequently on the productivity. Workplace environmental conditions, such as humidity, indoor air quality, and acoustics, have significant correlation with workers' satisfaction and performance (Tarcan et al. 2004; Marshall et al. 2002; Fisk, 2000). Indoor air quality can have a direct impact on health problems and can lead to uncomfortable workplace environments (Jus len & Tenner, 2005; Fisk & Rosenfeld, 1997; Marshall et al. 2002). In addition, Shikdar and Sawaqed (2003) noted a high correlation between performance indicators and health, facilities, and environmental attributes. In other words, companies with larger health, facilities, and environmental problems could face more performance-related problems such as low productivity and high absenteeism.
