Spurious Correlation between Work Environment and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

IntroductionInterest in the office environment from the management perspective has increased in recent years (Davis, Leach, & Clegg, 2011; Elsbach & Bechky, 2007; Elsbach & Pratt, 2007). For example, there has been a shift in focus to improve communication through the change of office layouts or the implementation of non-territorial office layouts (Inamizu, 2013, 2014, 2015b).In fact, much of the existing research on offices has noted a relation between the work environment, including satisfaction with that environment, and organizational achievements, particularly job satisfaction (Danielsson & Bodin, 2008; Sundstrom & Sundstrom, 1986). For example, according to De Croon, Sluiter, Kuijer, and Frings-Dresen (2005), who reviewed 49 high-quality papers out of a sample of 1,091 existing studies on offices, a certain level of correlation exists between office design and job satisfaction. Specifically, open-plan offices decrease job satisfaction because of less privacy. In addition, Veitch, Charles, Farley, & Newsham (2007) conducted a survey of 779 workers in open-plan offices in five cities and nine organizations in the U.S. and Canada, developing a scale to measure work environment satisfaction and examining the relationship between work environment satisfaction and job satisfaction. As a result, this study demonstrated a positive relationship between work environment satisfaction and job satisfaction. Veitch et al. (2007) went so far as to declare that even though work environment has been considered as a factor in job dissatisfaction since Herzberg's (1966) study, a satisfying work environment can be a factor in job satisfaction and other organizational achievements as well.However, can we simply assume that there is a relation between work environment satisfaction and job satisfaction? Except for some studies, the above conclusions were actually drawn from surveys conducted at a single point in time. We therefore need to take another look at the causal relationship between these two factors.A longitudinal study is effective for exploring causal relationships across multiple points in time. For example, Takahashi, Okawa, & Inamizu (2014a, 2014b) conducted a longitudinal study of a certain corporation's restructuring to show that a spurious correlation may exist between job satisfaction and self-determination (a construct of intrinsic motivation) and further suggested that the perspective index is a true factor in job satisfaction. In fact, many studies have shown the perspective index to be a factor in job satisfaction (Inamizu, 2015a; Okada & Inamizu, 2014; Tahakashi, 1997, 2013, 2014).On the basis of an awareness of these problems, this study investigates whether a relation exists between work environment satisfaction and job satisfaction by conducting a survey of Company X before and after its office move. The survey found that while the office move significantly increased work environment, job satisfaction did not change at all and even deteriorated. In other words, this study suggests that it is difficult to assume the simple causal relationship of increased work environment satisfaction leading to greater job satisfaction.MethodCompany X designs, develops, and sells accounting systems and has almost 60 employees. Besides its Tokyo headquarters, the company has several branches outside of Tokyo and even has several employees who telecommute. The company's organizational structure consists of departments such as business planning, general affairs and finance, sales, development, and customer service (which handles client inquiries regarding the accounting systems).On March 30, 2015, Company X moved its headquarters office. Figure 1 shows the layout of the new office. The new office has three times the space as the old office, allowing more room for work desks, as well as meeting rooms,1 web conference areas,2 communications spaces,3 and an entrance lobby. …