Mediating role of job satisfaction, affective well-being, and health in the relationship between indoor environment and absenteeism: Work patterns matter!

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Soriano, Aida^a | Kozusznik, Malgorzata W.^{a; b} | Peiró, José M.^{a; c; *} | Mateo, Carolina^d

Affiliations: [a] Departamento de Psicología Social, IDOCAL, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain | [b] Research Group for Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOPP), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium | [c] Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas (IVIE), Valencia, Spain | [d] Instituto Valenciano de la Edificación, Valencia, Spain

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: José M. Peiró, Departamento de Psicología Social, IDOCAL, Universitat de València, IVIE, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46011, Valencia, Spain. Tel.: +34 963 864 489; Fax: +34 963 864 668; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Office workers spend long hours in their workplace, and these environments impact their well-being and performance. This relationship can involve different mediation chains. The degree of complexity of this relationship can vary depending on different types of office work (work patterns) employees carry out. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the relationship between indoor environment and absenteeism, and the mediating role of job satisfaction, affective well-being, and health, in different work patterns. METHOD:1306 office workers from different European countries were classified into work patterns depending on: task complexity and interactivity. RESULTS:Job satisfaction, affective well-being, and health mediate the relationship between indoor environment and absenteeism. However, differences in the mediation paths were found for different work patterns. The paths through which indoor environment can affect absenteeism increased as the work patterns increased in complexity and interactivity. CONCLUSION:Work patterns play a role in the relationship between indoor environment, health, well-being, and absenteeism. This study highlights the mechanisms through which an improved indoor environment can protect employees’ well-being, and decrease absenteeism in different work patterns. It also points out workers especially at risk of a detrimental impact of poor indoor environment and it suggests ways to prevent them.

Keywords: Physical conditions, positive emotions, performance, task complexity, interactivity

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-182802

Journal: Work, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 313-325, 2018