1. The Role of Psychological States in Worker Well-Being
Cristina Banks, PhD & Isabelle Thibau, MPH
Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces
University of California, Berkeley

2. Overview Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces
HealthyWorkplaces Model
Application of the Model: Graduate Student Well- Being Study
Study Results & Conclusions
Future Research

3. HealthyWorkplaces Center
Created 2011
Physical, psychological, emotional, and social health and well-being.
Mission: “To re-invent the workplace by integrating and applying interdisciplinary sciences to achieve worker health and psychological well-being.”
Capitalize on what we already know
Develop new thinking
Innovate
Implement proven and tested solutions

4. What are we trying to accomplish?
Change how employees experience work and the work environment so they can be high-performing, fully-engaged and thriving workforce. When employees experience health and well-being, they come to work ready to do their best work every day.

5. How do we accomplish this?
Literature reviews across disciplines to identify factors that positively affect employee health and well-being.
Find commonalities across studies which might suggest underlying processes or factors that can explain variable results.
One potential factor identified:
psychological states arising from need satisfaction
Understand the linkages between organizational attributes, psychological needs, and work outcomes.

6. HealthyWorkplaces Model

7. Psychological States

8. Graduate Student Well-Being Pilot Study
Purpose: Explore the relationships between study environment features, psychological states, study outcomes Subjects: Graduate students from School of Public Health, College of Environmental Design (N=98) Measure: Graduate Student Experience Survey Method: Developed, administered on-line survey to all registered students (371+), one-month response period; attrition rate = 60% Analysis: Descriptive statistics and pair-wise correlations

9. Graduate Student Experience Survey
Workspace Features
Uncluttered workspace, clean
Views of nature outside
Enclosed study rooms
Re-arrangeable furniture
Windows
Layout
Ambiance
Quiet
Private
Natural light
Background noise
Wall decoration
Wall colors

10. Graduate Student Experience Survey
Social Factors
Communications with fellow students
Understanding course assignments
Understanding instructions from professors
Seating clusters that allow social interactions
Social supports
University Culture, Resources
Promotes good study habits
Supports teamwork
Promotes peer support
Safety culture
Access to healthy food
Research training

11. Measures of Psychological States
Physical well-being
Energy/Vitality
Personal growth
Safety
Meaning/Purpose
Positive emotions
Belonging/Social connection
Autonomy
Competence/Mastery
Engagement/Accomplishment

12. Psychological States Results
Energy/vitality (881)
Positive emotions (855)
Physical well-being (839)
Autonomy (554)
Engagement/Accomplishment (551)
Competence/Mastery (477)
Belonging/social connection (426)
Meaning/Purpose (377)
Safety (357)
Personal growth (327)

13. Outcome Measures
Satisfaction with study habits, performance in courses, learning and acquisition of knowledge.
Productive when I study and do coursework, able to achieve my education goals, able to work efficiently and comfortably

14. Outcome Results Satisfaction with study habits (3.23)
Satisfaction with performance in courses (3.71)
Satisfaction with learning course material and acquisition of knowledge (3.71)
Productive when I study (3.76)
Able to achieve my education goals (3.94)
Able to work efficiently and comfortably (3.28)

15. Important Workspace Features
Non-smoking policy
Windows
Cleanliness
Uncluttered workspaces
Layout of study space

16. Important Ambiance Factors
Natural light
Quiet
Clean
Free from odors
Thermal comfort
Fresh air

17. Important Culture Factors & Resources
Equity, fairness
Safety, free from harassment
Social bonding
Reliable internet/Wi-Fi
Cleanliness
Access to healthy food
Timely and effective communications

18. Features Associated with Positive Psychological States
Natural light
Supportive study culture
Equity
Support of peers
Clean, uncluttered environment
Windows
Quiet workspace
Recognition of accomplishments
Individual study tables
Having research training
Having predictable workloads

19. Relationship Between Features, Psychological States and Outcomes
Pair-wise correlations (p < .05):
Satisfaction with ability to achieve education goals and Positive Emotions (r = 0.32), Autonomy (r = 0.59), Competence/Mastery (r = 0.45).
Stepwise regression:
Satisfaction with ability to achieve education goals and 10 psychological states (R^2= 0.47, F = 2.34, p < .05)

20. Conclusions Features are associated with psychological states
Individual differences in the perception of psychological states
The more features in a student’s workspace that are associated with positive psychological states, the more reported satisfaction with the ability to achieve educational goals.

21. Future Research
More precise measurement of which features are actually present in student’s environment.
Include home study environment (45% time)
More in-depth exploration of the relationship between features and psychological states.
More comprehensive measure of “psychological state load” in study environment.