A Cross-national Comparison of the Workplace Environment – A Case Study of Germany, Spain and Ethiopia

The objective of this study was to explore the perceived connection between the physical work environment and the cultural values of knowledge workers, focusing on a case study that compares the workplace environments of a midsized German project management company with office locations in Germany, Spain, and Ethiopia. To achieve this objective, a multi-step methodology was adopted. Initially, a thorough literature review was conducted to identify key physical workplace factors and relevant cultural values. Subsequently, the results built the base for a survey, which was distributed to the employees of the examined organization. The study's findings revealed that while clear-cut differences in workplace preferences based on national cultural values were not conclusively established, there was evidence indicating that cultural values do indeed influence preferences for physical workplace factors. These findings align with an expanding body of literature that explores the interplay between culture and the physical workplace. Thus, this study contributes novel insights into the relationship between the physical work environment and the cultural values of knowledge workers, particularly within the context of comparing German, Spain, and Ethiopian office workers.