The Role of Environmental Control on Environmental Satisfaction, Communication, and Psychological Stress

Abstract

The main purpose of this quasi–field experiment was to test whether an office ergonomics training program reduces employees’ psychological stress and improves their environmental control, environmental satisfaction, and communication levels. A conceptual model was developed and used to test these relationships. Preintervention and postintervention survey data were collected from 89 knowledge workers. The office ergonomics training program significantly improved workers’ self-reported perceptions of environmental control, satisfaction with the work environment, and the degree to which the environment supported communication with coworkers. However, psychological stress was unchanged. Environmental control was found to mediate the relationship between preenvironmental and postenvironmental satisfaction. Overall, the results confirm the importance of incorporating ergonomics training into office workplaces to enhance the effective use of work environments and of knowledge workers’ sense of control and environmental satisfaction.