Employee Satisfaction with Facilities Management Services in a Nigerian Private University: Evidence from Covenant University, Ota
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study assessed employee satisfaction with facilities management services in higher educational facilities at Covenant University, Ota, focusing on staff of the College of Management and Social Sciences and the College of Leadership and Development Studies. A quantitative research method was adopted using an exploratory survey design and a structured questionnaire. From a population of 199 employees, selected purposively because they are directly involved in or affected by facilities services, making them appropriate for evaluating satisfaction levels, a sample size of 133 was determined at a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error, with 121 valid responses retrieved for analysis. The questionnaire captured respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics and perceptions of facilities management services using closed-ended Likert scale items. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences [SPSS], employing frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and the Relative Agreement Index [RAI]. Findings indicate that the respondents were largely professionally mature and highly educated, with 85.1% possessing qualifications above HND or B.Sc., 73.6% being teaching staff, and 67.8% occupying private offices. Awareness of facilities management services was generally high, enabling informed evaluations of service performance. High levels of satisfaction were recorded for car parking [mean = 4.00, RAI = 0.80], cleaning and waste management [mean = 3.94, RAI = 0.79], and water supply [mean = 3.92, RAI = 0.78], reflecting effective delivery of routine and visible services. Lower satisfaction levels were observed for termite treatment [mean = 2.84, RAI = 0.57], civil works [mean = 3.06, RAI = 0.61], and mechanical services such as air conditioning and plumbing [mean = 3.16, RAI = 0.63]. The frequency of complaints further showed that mechanical works ranked highest [mean = 3.55, RAI = 0.71], followed by civil works [mean = 3.36, RAI = 0.67] and cleaning services [mean = 3.11, RAI = 0.62]. The study concludes that while performance is strong in routine facilities services, improvements are required in technical and preventive maintenance to enhance overall employee satisfaction and institutional productivity.
Article Details
References
Adama, U. J., & Michell, K. A. (2018). Potential effects of technological innovations on facilities management practice. UCT–Nedbank Urban Real Estate Research Unit.
Adeyemi, A. Y., Ojo, S. O., & Aina, O. O. (2020). Facilities management practices and users’ satisfaction in Nigerian universities. Journal of Facilities Management, 18(4), 453–470. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFM-01-2020-0003
Adewunmi-Abolarinwa, Y. (2024). Strategic and sustainable management of workplace facilities. Routledge.
Ahmed, I. B. E. (2014). Modern approaches to quality control: IA-quality general concepts and definitions.
Akinwande, D. O. (2018). Users’ performance evaluation of facilities management practice in Federal Secretariat Complex, Akure, Ondo State.
Al-Amri, A. S., Mathew, P., Zubairi, Y. Z., & Jani, R. (2020). Optimal standards to measure the quality of higher education institutions in Oman: Stakeholders’ perception. SAGE Open, 10(3), 2158244020947440.
Al-Hussein, M., El-Diraby, T., & Kubba, S. (2015). Integrated facility management. McGraw-Hill Education.
Al-Khafaji, M. A., Al-Zubaidi, A. A., & Al- Juboori, A. S. (2019). Security management and its impact on employees’ performance in educational institutions. Journal of Facilities Management, 17(3), 268–282. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFM-03-2018-0018
Ali, A. S., Chua, S. J. L., & Lim, M. E. L. (2018). The effect of physical environment comfort on employees’ productivity in office buildings. Journal of Facilities Management, 16(2), 180–197. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFM-02-2017- 0006
Amos, D., Musa, Z. N., & Au-Yong, C. P. (2019). A review of facilities management performance measurement. Property Management, 37(4), 490–511.
Ayoko, V. O., Peter, T., & Jegede, D. O. (2023). Inadequacy of infrastructural facilities in public universities in Nigeria: Causes, effects and solutions. International Journal on Integrated Education, 6(3), 36.
Aziz, D., Nawawi, H. A., & Ariff, M. R. (2016). ICT evolution in facilities management: Building Information Modeling (BIM) as the latest technology. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 234, 363–371.
Boyce, P. R. (2014). Human factors in lighting (3rd ed.). CRC Press.
Brunia, S., De Been, I., & Van der Voordt, T. (2016). Accommodating new ways of working: Lessons from best practices and worst cases. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 18(1), 30–47.
Christensen, L. S., & Nilsen, N. E. (2021). Deconstructing quality at multi- campus universities: What moderates staff and student satisfaction? Quality Assurance in Education, 29(2–3), 198–208.
Dejaco, M. C., Cecconi, F. R., & Maltese, S. (2017). Key performance indicators for building condition assessment. Journal of Building Engineering, 9, 17–28.
Dullah, M., Limgiani, L., & Suwardi, L. A. (2023). Work environment analysis to improve employee performance. Revenue Journal: Management and Entrepreneurship, 1(2), 127–134.
Fadahunsi, J. O., Utom, J. A., Ochim, M. R., Aiyedun, C. A., & Oloke, O. C. (2019). Benefits of the adoption of facilities management practices in tertiary institutions: A case study of Covenant University. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 640, 012032.
Fatimayin, F. (2018). What is communication. National Open University of Nigeria.
Forero, D. E., & Gómez, A. (2017). Comparison of measurement models based on expectations and perceived performance for the satisfaction study in health services. Suma Psicológica, 24(2), 87–96.
Hassanain, M. A., Al-Hammad, A. M., & Fatayer, F. (2019). Assessment of facilities management practices in academic buildings. Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 33(2), 04019005.
Hassanain, M. A., Mudhei, A., & Al-Ahmed, M. (2018). Post-occupancy evaluation of academic and research laboratory facilities. Journal of Facilities Management, 16(4), 396–413.
Hossain, M. A., Hossain, M. M., & Chowdhury, T. H. (2018). Understanding the success of private universities: An empirical investigation from graduates’ perspective. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 35(1), 145–162.
Ikediashi, D., & Aigbavboa, C. (2019). Outsourcing as a strategy for facilities management provision in Nigerian universities. International Journal of Construction Management, 19(4), 281–290.
Ikediashi, D. I. (2024). Facilities management strategic roles and services quality performance in Nigeria’s banking sector. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 22(5), 1591–1615.
International Facilities Management Association. (2016). What is facility management?
Jankalová, M. (2016). Service quality— Object of business excellence measuring. Review of European Studies, 8, 71.
Kabulovich, A. G. (2025). Verbal and non- verbal means of communication among human beings. Eurasian Journal of Academic Research, 5(11– 2), 132–138.
Kim, J., Candido, C., Thomas, L., & De Dear, R. (2019). Desk ownership in the workplace: The effect of non- territorial working on employee workplace satisfaction. Building and Environment, 143, 440–452.
Koilakonda, R. R. (2024). Enhancing user experience during organizational transformations: Strategies for effective change management and user adoption. International Journal of Science and Research, 13(6), 1244–1248.
Lawrence, C. S., & Oluwabamise, L. H. (2025). The Public Works Department (PWD) and public infrastructure repair and maintenance operations in colonial southeastern Nigeria, 1896– 1960. Journal of Arts, Religion, Philosophy and Cultural Studies, 1(1).
Lindholm, G. (2017). The role of the outdoor environment in facilities management. Facilities, 35(1/2), 30– 42.
Mahmoud, A. S., Hassanain, M. A., & Alshibani, A. (2024). Evolving trends and innovations in facilities management within higher education institutions. Buildings, 14(12), 3759.
Marmo, R., Nicolella, M., Polverino, F., & Tibaut, A. (2019). A methodology for a performance information model to support facility management. Sustainability, 11(24), 7007.
Martínez-Caro, E., Cegarra-Navarro, J. G., & Cepeda-Carrión, G. (2015). An application of the performance- evaluation model for e-learning quality in higher education. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 26(5–6), 632–647.
Mensah, J. (2015). Service quality in higher education: A comparative study in tertiary institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Global Journal of Educational Studies, 1(2).
Myeda, N. E., Chua, S. J. L., & Aqillah, N. S. (2023). Adopting quality management principles in managing facilities management service delivery. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 40(10), 2393–2419.
Nardelli, G., & Rajala, R. (2018). The evolution of facility management business models in supplier-client relationships. Journal of Facilities Management, 16(1), 38–53.
Newell, G., & Marzuki, M. J. (2022). The increasing importance of environmental sustainability in global real estate investment markets. Journal of Property Investment & Finance, 40(4), 411–429.
Nicholls, S., & Crompton, J. (2018). A comprehensive review of the evidence of the impact of surface water quality on property values. Sustainability, 10(2), 500.
Odediran, S. J., Gbadegesin, J. T., & Babalola, M. O. (2015). Facilities management practice in Nigerian public universities. Journal of Facilities Management, 13(1), 5–26.
Ojoajogu, A. M., Ali, H. Y., Badi, S. Y., & Habibu, M. (2021). The role of supply chain management on customer satisfaction. International Journal of Intellectual Discourse, 4(1), 136–145.
Okorie, V. N., & Musonda, I. (2021). Facilities management challenges in Nigerian tertiary institutions. International Journal of Construction Management, 21(9), 889–900.
Oladapo, A. A. (2016). Facilities management practice in Nigeria: A case study of public buildings. Journal of Building Performance, 7(1), 1–14.
Oladokun, S. (2019). Assessing users’ perception of facility management services in a public university.
Onwuanyi, N., & Chima, P. E. (2024). Investigating the practice relevance of contemporary estate management research in Nigeria. COOU African Journal of Environmental Research, 5(1), 78–95.
Oyedeji, J. O. (2018). Facility management of Nigerian universities: Case of University of Lagos and Bells University of Technology. International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 5(2), 141–151.
Potkany, M., Babiakova, M., & Vetrakova, M. (2015). Facility management and its importance in the analysis of building life cycle. Procedia Economics and Finance, 26, 202–208.
Price, I., & Pitt, M. (2018). Facilities management: Managing space, services and assets in the built environment. Routledge.
Proulx, G., Laroche, C., & Pineau, J. (2018). Fire safety management and occupant behaviour in institutional buildings. Safety Science, 110, 121–130.
Riratanaphong, C., & Van der Voordt, T. (2015). Measuring the added value of workplace change. Facilities, 33(11/12), 773–792.
Roper, K. O. (2017). Facility management maturity and research. Journal of Facilities Management, 15(3), 235–243.
Shohet, I. M., & Lavy, S. (2017a). Facility maintenance and management and its impact on institutional buildings’ performance. International Journal of Strategic Property Management, 21(3), 297–310.
Shohet, I. M., & Lavy, S. (2017b). Facility maintenance and management. In A. K. Dey & S. K. Gupta (Eds.), Infrastructure management (pp. 115– 138). Springer.
Syarif, A. (2019). The measurement of customer satisfaction index with method of importance-performance and gap analysis. Global Review of Islamic Economics and Business, 7(2), 57–67.
Uko, E. S. (2015). Principalship and effective management of facilities in secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. International Journal of Academic Research and Reflection, 3(1), 64.
Vakili, R., Vakili, S., Ajilian Abbasi, M., Masoudi, S., & Saeidi, M. (2024). Overcrowded classrooms: Challenges, consequences, and collaborative solutions for educators: A literature review. Medical Education Bulletin, 5(2), 961–972.
Van der Voordt, T. (2017). Facilities management and corporate real estate management: FM/CREM or FREM? Journal of Facilities Management, 15(3), 244–261.
Weerasinghe, I. M. S., & Fernando, R. L. S. (2018). University facilities and student satisfaction in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Educational Management, 32(5), 866–880.
Wellalage, N. H., & Reddy, K. (2020). Determinants of profit reinvestment undertaken by SMEs in small island countries. Global Finance Journal, 43, 100394.
Xiong, B., Newton, S., & Skitmore, M. (2022). Towards a conceptual model of the job performance of construction professionals: A person–environment fit perspective. International Journal of Construction Management, 22(7), 1308–1322.
Yusuf, S., & Ibrahim, M. A. (2024). Educational services in Nigerian universities: Prospect, challenges and way forward. Fuoye Journal of Educational Management, 1(1).
Zhou, J., Xu, B., Fang, Z., Zheng, X., Tang, R., & Haroglu, H. (2024). Operations and maintenance. In Digital built asset management (pp. 161-189). Edward Elgar Publishing.