Physical Boundaries Make Psychological Boundaries Stronger: The Synergistic Effect of Open Workspace and Authentic Climate on Employee Knowledge Sharing and Voice Behavior

Abstract

Physical settings in the workplace carry important implications for employees’ perceptions and behaviors. Organizations’ increasing need for employees’ sharing of expertise and ideas has led to an increased interest in the management of physical barriers in the workplace (Elsbach & Pratt, 2007). While prior research, which focuses primarily on the functional perspective (e.g., visibility, accessibility, level of noise), has yielded valuable insights into the role of open workspace (i.e., workspace with few or no physical barriers) in influencing employee knowledge sharing behavior (among other collaborative behaviors), the existing work may have over-emphasized the instrumental aspects of physical barriers. As a result, other critical psychological processes (such as the symbolic effects) through which physical barriers impact employees’ sharing of expertise and ideas could be overlooked, resulting in an incomplete and even biased view of open workspace. The goal of this dissertation is to extend the existing research by employing a symbolic perspective and investigate how and when fewer physical barriers in the workspace have a positive effect on employees’ knowledge sharing and voice behavior. Specifically, integrating the symbolic perspective of the physical environment with optimal distinctiveness theory, I propose that fewer physical barriers can increase employees’ knowledge sharing and voice behavior through decreased employees’ experienced isolation by signaling a sense of connectedness and inclusion. Furthermore, the positive relational cues of open workspace are more likely to be salient when there is a high (versus low) authentic climate. The results from two studies (a laboratory experiment and a field survey) supported that fewer physical barriers in employees’ workspace increased its occupant’s knowledge sharing and voice behavior, especially when there was a high (versus low) authentic climate. Moreover, employees’ experienced isolation mediated the above relationship. Together, my results suggest that there is a synergistic effect of physical barriers and authentic climate on employee knowledge sharing and voice by conveying positive relational cues.