Effects of perceived office environment on the subjective well-being of workers: Insights from a structural equation modeling analysis

Well-being is a positive mental state that includes evaluations and affective reactions individuals make about their experiences, including life evaluation, affect, and eudaimonia. The importance of well-being is underscored by its association with productivity, health, and longevity. Despite extensive research on well-being related to demographics, personality traits, and satisfaction in various life domains, it remains unclear how and to what extent the office environment impacts workers' well-being. Therefore, this study explores the impact of the office environment on workers' subjective well-being, using structural equation modeling. Conducted with 1438 white-collar workers working in 61 offices in Tokyo, Japan, the survey assessed perceived office environment and measured subjective well-being based on guidelines from the OECD. The key findings indicate a significant association of the office environment with life domain factors such as satisfaction with one's job, work–life balance, private life, and subjective health, which are positively correlated with overall subjective well-being. In particular, common-area environments within the office such as spaces that promote refreshment and conversation have the most significant impact on well-being. The analysis model also revealed that the perceived quality of the office environment had a positive correlation with subjective well-being even after adjusting for demographic information such as age, gender, and personality traits. This research provides valuable insights for improving the design of office environments to foster workers' well-being. •Office environment and subjective well-being were analyzed using SEM.•The office environment influences subjective well-being through life domains.•Common-area environments within the office have the most significant impact.•Spaces that promote refreshment and conversation were particularly important.•Age, gender, and personality traits function as adjustment factors.