A model of satisfaction with open-plan office conditions: COPE field findings

This paper describes the factor structure of an office environmental satisfaction measure and develops a model linking environmental and job satisfaction. The data were collected as part of the Cost-effective Open-Plan Environments (COPE) project, in a field study that also included local physical measurements of each participant's workstation. The questionnaire was administered to 779 open-plan office occupants from nine government and private sector office buildings in five large Canadian and US cities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the 18-item environmental satisfaction measure formed a three-factor structure reflecting satisfaction with: privacy/acoustics, lighting, and ventilation/temperature. Structural equation modelling indicated that open-plan office occupants who were more satisfied with their environments were also more satisfied with their jobs, suggesting a role for the physical environment in organisational well-being and effectiveness.