Workplace design and well-being: aesthetic perceptions of hotel employees

Ksenia Kirillova, Xiaoxiao Fu, Deniz Kucukusta

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

40 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The study recognizes the lack of a clear theoretical and empirical link between employees’ sense of well-being and hotel design aesthetics, although beautiful environments are associated with optimal human functioning. Drawing on conceptual insights from organizational aesthetics and theory of subjective well-being, this quantitative study explored relationships between workplace design aesthetics, hotel employee subjective well-being and the role of contrast of back- vs. front-of-the-house. Based on cross-sectional data collected from 525 operations-level hotel employees in USA, the study found that backstage employees experience less aesthetic pleasure and report lower levels of well-being than frontstage employees. Design characteristics Unity and Variety positively affect the sense of well-being, while Typicality exhibits a U-type relationship with well-being. The effect of Variety is weaker for back-of-the-house employees. This study is the first attempt to empirically and explicitly connect organizational aesthetics to well-being and identifies a novel way to enhance the well-being of the hospitality workforce.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)27-49
Number of pages23
JournalService Industries Journal
Volume40
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 Jan 2020

Keywords

  • aesthetic pleasure
  • aesthetics
  • back-of-the-house
  • beauty
  • employee well-being
  • Hotel design
  • variety
  • workplace design

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Strategy and Management
  • Management of Technology and Innovation

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