Development and validation of a measure of the physical work environment

Elizabeth J. (Libby) Sander, Arran Caza, and Peter J. Jordan, generalize to a broader model applicable to all types of workplace environments, and explore the links between that model and a variety of outcomes. Sander and her team propose a conceptual model of the physical work environment and summarize the development of a scale based on that model. While the physical environment has been shown to influence a range of workplace outcomes, and there have been many studies of environmental effects on employees, this prior work lacks a unifying theoretical framework, as reflected in the inconsistency with which the physical environment is operationalized. These authors used four studies to develop and validate a measure of the physical work environment based on a comprehensive three-dimensional model. Results of the studies suggest the model and scale provide a consistent lens for measuring and interpreting studies of the physical environment. Implications for practice and theory are discussed.