Transitional areas affect perception of workspaces and employee well-being: A study of underground and above -ground workspaces

Z Tan; AC Roberts; EH Lee; K-W Kwok; J Car; CK Soh; G Christopoulos

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106840

Transitional areas affect perception of workspaces and employee well-being: A study of underground and above -ground workspaces

Z Tan, AC Roberts, EH Lee, K-W Kwok, J Car, CK Soh, G Christopoulos

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Workspace design affects occupational health and performance as well as overall mental health. Using standardized and customized questionnaires (N = 195), this paper examines the relatively unexplored relationship between mental health, fatigue at work and factors relating to satisfaction within the workspace. Such factors include the subjective assessment of architectural properties of transitional spaces leading to the office and underground vs above-ground locations. Lower perceived confinement in transitional spaces was associated with better mental health, lower levels of perceived workload, and lower work-related physical and emotional fatigue. These associations were stronger than those with the perceived confinement in the workspace itself. Underground workers reported lower levels of physical and emotional fatigue. Among the participants working in above-ground offices, effects were stronger for those with higher levels of (non-clinical) claustrophobia. The present study highlights the effects, so far less acknowledged, of transitional spaces on the mental and psychological health of employees in underground and above-ground offices and suggests specific design interventions to enhance employee well-being.

Original language	English
Journal	BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
Volume	179
Issue number	ARTN 106840
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106840
Publication status	Published - 15 Jul 2020

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106840

https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2SrcApp=PARTNER_APPSrcAuth=LinksAMRKeyUT=WOS:000541479800005DestLinkType=FullRecordDestApp=ALL_WOSUsrCustomerID=a2bf6146997ec60c407a63945d4e92bb

Cite this

@article{9c3b0e1c7c264e5aaf8b31a295043a7f,

title = "Transitional areas affect perception of workspaces and employee well-being: A study of underground and above -ground workspaces",

abstract = "Workspace design affects occupational health and performance as well as overall mental health. Using standardized and customized questionnaires (N = 195), this paper examines the relatively unexplored relationship between mental health, fatigue at work and factors relating to satisfaction within the workspace. Such factors include the subjective assessment of architectural properties of transitional spaces leading to the office and underground vs above-ground locations. Lower perceived confinement in transitional spaces was associated with better mental health, lower levels of perceived workload, and lower work-related physical and emotional fatigue. These associations were stronger than those with the perceived confinement in the workspace itself. Underground workers reported lower levels of physical and emotional fatigue. Among the participants working in above-ground offices, effects were stronger for those with higher levels of (non-clinical) claustrophobia. The present study highlights the effects, so far less acknowledged, of transitional spaces on the mental and psychological health of employees in underground and above-ground offices and suggests specific design interventions to enhance employee well-being.",

author = "Z Tan and AC Roberts and EH Lee and K-W Kwok and J Car and CK Soh and G Christopoulos",

year = "2020",

month = jul,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106840",

language = "English",

volume = "179",

journal = "BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT",

issn = "0360-1323",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

number = "ARTN 106840",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Transitional areas affect perception of workspaces and employee well-being: A study of underground and above -ground workspaces

AU - Tan, Z

AU - Roberts, AC

AU - Lee, EH

AU - Kwok, K-W

AU - Car, J

AU - Soh, CK

AU - Christopoulos, G

PY - 2020/7/15

Y1 - 2020/7/15

N2 - Workspace design affects occupational health and performance as well as overall mental health. Using standardized and customized questionnaires (N = 195), this paper examines the relatively unexplored relationship between mental health, fatigue at work and factors relating to satisfaction within the workspace. Such factors include the subjective assessment of architectural properties of transitional spaces leading to the office and underground vs above-ground locations. Lower perceived confinement in transitional spaces was associated with better mental health, lower levels of perceived workload, and lower work-related physical and emotional fatigue. These associations were stronger than those with the perceived confinement in the workspace itself. Underground workers reported lower levels of physical and emotional fatigue. Among the participants working in above-ground offices, effects were stronger for those with higher levels of (non-clinical) claustrophobia. The present study highlights the effects, so far less acknowledged, of transitional spaces on the mental and psychological health of employees in underground and above-ground offices and suggests specific design interventions to enhance employee well-being.

AB - Workspace design affects occupational health and performance as well as overall mental health. Using standardized and customized questionnaires (N = 195), this paper examines the relatively unexplored relationship between mental health, fatigue at work and factors relating to satisfaction within the workspace. Such factors include the subjective assessment of architectural properties of transitional spaces leading to the office and underground vs above-ground locations. Lower perceived confinement in transitional spaces was associated with better mental health, lower levels of perceived workload, and lower work-related physical and emotional fatigue. These associations were stronger than those with the perceived confinement in the workspace itself. Underground workers reported lower levels of physical and emotional fatigue. Among the participants working in above-ground offices, effects were stronger for those with higher levels of (non-clinical) claustrophobia. The present study highlights the effects, so far less acknowledged, of transitional spaces on the mental and psychological health of employees in underground and above-ground offices and suggests specific design interventions to enhance employee well-being.

U2 - 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106840

DO - 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106840

M3 - Article

SN - 0360-1323

VL - 179

JO - BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT

JF - BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT

IS - ARTN 106840

ER -

Transitional areas affect perception of workspaces and employee well-being: A study of underground and above -ground workspaces

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this