Nabi Omidi, Neda Sadat Jafari, Mohammad Reza Omidi, Yadollah Mahmoodi,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (9-2025)
Objectives: In high‑risk operational environments, such as oil fields, physical and psychological factors can undermine employee productivity and positive organizational behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of ergonomic skills training on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and employee productivity among operational staff at the Azar Oil Field in Mehran, Iran.
Methods: This quasi‑experimental study, using a pretest–posttest design with a control group, was conducted on 40 male operational workers. Participants were randomly assigned to an ergonomic training group or a control group (20 individuals in each). Data were collected using the OCB Questionnaire developed by Podsakoff et al. (1990) and the Employee Productivity Questionnaire by Hersey and Goldsmith (1980). Paired t‑tests were applied to compare pretest and posttest scores within each group, independent t‑tests were used for between‑group comparisons, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to control for pretest scores.
Results: Following the four‑week ergonomic training intervention in 2024, with a follow‑up period of equal length (from the start of training to posttest), the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in total OCB scores (from 105.6 to 118.4; +12.1%) and employee productivity scores (from 128.8 to 145.6; +13.0%) (p < 0.001). The most significant improvements in OCB were observed in altruism (+15.3%) and conscientiousness (+14.8%). In productivity, improvements were seen in motivation (+16.2%) and ability (+15.4%). Cohen’s d effect sizes ranged from 1.78 to 2.20, indicating very high practical significance. No significant changes were observed in the control group during the same period (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Ergonomic skills training led to substantial improvements in OCB and productivity among employees in the Azar oil field. These findings underscore the strategic value of investing in ergonomic training as a practical approach to enhancing individual and organizational performance in high‑risk work environments.
