Building a green workplace: unpacking the social psychological drivers of employee green behaviour

Maguire, Duncan (2024) Building a green workplace: unpacking the social psychological drivers of employee green behaviour. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

The purpose of this PhD thesis is to better understand the intricacies of, and mechanisms that lead to, pro-environmental behaviours at work – generally known as employee green behaviours (EGB). The construct of EGB and factors that can lead to their prevalence were tested with a survey sample of 455 participants across the UK and USA.

First, this thesis develops a multidimensional scale by utilising the neglected green five taxonomy. This part of the research validated these categories with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and a nomological network. The research question built on the suggestions in the literature and resulted in a novel categorisation of EGB based on proximity of achieving the goal of the behaviour. Second, in social exchange theory and the theory of normative conduct were combined to determine their effect on EGB by employing structural equation modelling (moderated mediation analysis). It was found that support from the organisation and supervisors can influence EGB, yet categories of EGB do not interact uniformly. Furthermore, a strong green organisational climate can have a positive moderating effect. Third, this thesis further tested the effect of green norms in the workplace with another model utilising a green descriptive norm. The green descriptive norm is a currently understudied area in the literature, the results of this chapter found that the green descriptive norm had a strong effect on certain categories of EGB.

The theoretical implications of this thesis point to a ‘goal proximity’ distinction between ‘proximal’ and ‘distal’ EGB. Moreover, researchers ought to consider the ‘level’ of predictive factors when hypothesising of models with EGB. Green norms seem to be universally important and should be emphasised in future research. The findings of this research offer practical implications for organisational leaders seeking to enhance their employees' engagement in pro-environmental behaviours, ultimately fostering a workforce ready to contribute to environmental sustainability goals.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Norwich Business School
Depositing User:	Kitty Laine
Date Deposited:	12 Nov 2024 14:38
Last Modified:	12 Nov 2024 14:38
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/97649
DOI:

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