Occupier perceptions of green workplace environment: The Australian experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the perceptions by occupiers of green workplace environments. It examines how occupiers (both management and employees) perceive and evaluate the role of green workplace environments, and subsequently assesses the effectiveness of a green workplace environment. Design/methodology/approach – The paper relies on a data set derived from a survey of 128 respondents who have occupied Green Building Council Australia's Green Star-rated offices and buildings for more than 12 months. Findings – The findings suggest that green workplace offers greater psychological benefits (taking pride of the workplace environment) to occupiers than physical improvements (health and productivity gains). Further, management perceived greater benefits of green workplace compared to employees. Research limitations/implications – This paper summarises the findings of the first phase of a longitudinal study. It is limited at this stage by a relatively small data sample, given that there are only a limited number of Green Star-rated buildings that have been in operation for more than 12 months at this stage of data collection. However, the survey has a 36 per cent response rate and thus provides reasonable scope for generalisation of the findings. Practical implications – The results are useful to building owners and employers who need to be more aware of probable outcomes in terms of employee workplace satisfaction, and areas that may require particular attention in transitioning to green workplaces. The results are also useful to managers by highlighting areas of perceived deficiency in green workplaces and ensuring a more targeted effort in meeting the needs and expectations of employees. Originality/value – The paper provides empirical findings of the strengths and weaknesses of a relatively new concept, i.e. the green workplace. The findings from the Australian experience serves as a good benchmark for future similar studies.