Knowledge workers' creativity and the role of the physical work environment

Abstract

Abstract The present study examines the effect of the physical work environment on the creativity of knowledge workers, compared with the effects of creative personality and the social‐organizational work environment. Based on data from 274 knowledge workers in 27 small and medium‐sized enterprises, we conclude that creative personality, the social‐organizational work environment, and the physical work environment independently affect creative performance. The relative contribution of the physical work environment is smaller than that of the social‐organizational work environment, and both contributions are smaller than that of creative personality. The results give support for human resource practices that focus on the individual, the social‐organizational work environment, and the physical work environment in order to enhance knowledge workers' creativity. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.