How employees assess the quality of physical work settings

Introduction

  • Study on how employees assess physical work settings.

  • Author(s): David G. Carnevale and Jo Marie Rios.

  • Published in Public Productivity & Management Review, Spring 1995.

Background

  • Physical conditions of work have been historically overlooked compared to social relations.

  • Contemporary focus on physical work environments is rising due to 'sick buildings' and their health impacts.

  • Quality of work environments affects employee morale, productivity, and turnover.

Research Focus

  • Empirical test of person-environment relations in organizations.

  • Investigates how workers perceive surroundings and its relation to job satisfaction.

  • Hypotheses:

    • Employees assess settings based on adequacy, arrangement, symbolic features, and perceived control over their environments.

    • Evaluations of these elements influence overall feelings of job satisfaction.

Person-Environment Relations Model

Key Components

  • Objective Factors: Include space, furnishings, illumination, cleanliness, etc.

  • Adequacy: Employees' measurement of physical conditions relating to job satisfaction.

  • Arrangement: Layout affects behavior; e.g., influences interaction and feelings of isolation.

  • Symbolic Features: Physical spaces convey messages about authority, status, and organizational identity.

  • Control: Employee involvement in workspace design affects satisfaction.

Methodology

  • Study was conducted in a state-owned building with five organizations.

  • Used a survey to gather data on employee assessments, achieving an 81% response rate.

Analysis

Regression Models

  • Evaluated associations between physical conditions and sense of place, job satisfaction.

  • Key findings: Adequacy had the highest positive impact on sense of place.

Results

  • Significant positive relationship between quality of work environments and job satisfaction.

  • Adequacy, arrangement, symbolic features, and control are all positively associated with satisfaction.

Conclusions

  • Comprehensive assessment of physical work environments is crucial for enhancing employee attitudes.

  • Emphasizes the need for inclusive management practices in workspace design.

  • Highlights that workplaces must fit employees' needs to assure health, safety, and productivity.