Employee experiences in underground workplaces: a qualitative investigation

Area of Science:

• Urban planning and sustainable development
• Occupational health and environmental psychology
• Architectural design and human factors

Background:

• Megacities face space constraints, driving interest in underground workplaces (UWS) as a sustainable solution.
• Successful implementation of UWS hinges on occupant needs and preferences.
• Existing research on UWS occupant experiences is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the experiences of employees in an existing North American underground workplace.
• To analyze the relationship between employee experiences, company policies, and organizational factors.
• To identify interventions for improving comfort and retention in UWS.

Main Methods:

• In-depth interviews with 73 full-time employees of a large underground facility.
• Qualitative thematic analysis of interview data.
• Exploration of environmental, design, and organizational factors influencing employee experience.

Main Results:

• Three predominant themes emerged: environmental effects (e.g., lack of sunlight), design aspects (e.g., unique working environment), and organizational factors/social dynamics (e.g., break policies).
• Employee experiences are significantly influenced by both the physical environment and organizational practices.
• Negative perceptions of underground spaces can be mitigated.

Conclusions:

• Many factors impacting employee comfort and retention in UWS are controllable by the organization.
• Simple organizational interventions can address negative attitudes towards underground environments.
• UWS can be a viable and effective component of sustainable urban development if designed and managed with occupant well-being in mind.