The Biophilia Effect: Expanding Green Horizons in a Global Workplace

This symposium explores the growing evidence that nature contact -- ranging from biophilic office design to immersive outdoor experiences -- may exert profound effects on employee well-being, work engagement, and organizational outcomes. As rapid urbanization continues to limit daily exposure to natural elements, research increasingly points to nature as a powerful yet underexamined resource for sustainable management practice. In this session, five presentations illuminate multiple facets of the “Biophilia Effect.” First, we see how even simple interventions, such as workplace greenery, boost employee energy and dedication. Next, we learn how entrepreneurs and boundaryless workers may strategically leverage nature for real-time recovery. We then turn to an ethnographic study that reveals how specific environmental contexts (e.g., remote islands, mountainous terrain) mold employees’ work-life boundaries. A fourth paper uncovers moral complexities in (animal) caregiving professions, where necessary evils can cause psychological and ethical tension. Finally, we broaden our view by examining user acceptance of wooden housing, underscoring how green innovations can shape both corporate strategies and societal well-being. Collectively, these papers provide timely, high-impact insights for scholars across OB, ONE, and SIM, illustrating how nature-based approaches can enrich individuals’ work experiences, advance sustainable organizational practices, and foster responsible management in a globalized world. Biophilic Design at Work: Investigating How Greenery Supports Employee Engagement Author: Meredith Jordan Pool; Clemson University Author: Robert R Sinclair; Clemson University Detachment vs. Absorption in Nature: A Person-Centered Approach to Employee Recovery Breaks Author: J. Jeffrey Gish; University of Central Florida Author: Ute Stephan; King's College London Author: Jon C. Carr; North Carolina State University Author: Réka Anna Lassu; Pepperdine University Author: Sarah Burrows; Queen's University Author: Jeffrey M. Pollack; North Carolina State University The Topography of Work-Life Boundaries: How Environmental Context Shapes Work-Life Navigation Author: Elena Maria Wong; University of Pennsylvania The Mixed Consequences of Necessary Evils in the Veterinary Profession Author: Carisa Lam; Author: Vanessa Liu; User Acceptance of Wooden Housing: Green Future in the Construction Industry? Author: Malgorzata Iwanczuk-Prost; Wageningen University and Research Author: Emiel F.M. Wubben;