A study of the mechanism of interventions affecting the energy-saving behavior of employees in shared workplaces of office buildings

Employee energy-wasting behavior is a key factor causing high operational energy consumption in office buildings. Studies suggest motivating employees to adopt energy-saving behaviors effectively reduces such consumption However, most existing studies have ignored the psychological mechanism linking interventions and energy-saving behaviors. Therefore, this study explores the psychology that arises in employees after implementing interventions and how these affect their energy-saving behaviors. Additionally, employees work in shared workplaces, so this study considered the moderating role of group factors. A theoretical model was constructed by combining the stimulus-organism-response theory, the social influence theory, and the theory of planned behavior. A questionnaire survey obtained data from office building employees, and structural equation modeling verified the hypothesized causality. Results show that: (1) Four interventions elicit varied employees' cognitive and affective responses, influencing their energy-saving behaviors. (2) Different interventions have different effects on employees' cognitive and affective. (3) Of the four types of interventions, soft interventions are most effective in promoting energy-saving behaviors. (4) In shared workplaces, group factors can moderate the effects of interventions on employees’ psychology. These findings may provide a theoretical basis for managers to develop effective interventions.