Does Open-Plan Office Environment Support Creativity? The Mediating Role of Activated Positive Mood

This study examines how perceived physical office environment features affect occupants’ creativity through positive moods. Based on a sample of 181 occupants in open-plan offices, we found that perceived spatial organization features had a positive relationship with occupants’ self-assessed creativity, and this relationship is mediated by positive moods. Although perceived architectonic details of the physical work environment do not have a direct effect on occupants’ creativity, there is also a mediating effect through positive moods. A further examination revealed that activated positive mood significantly mediates the relationship between both physical work environment features and occupants’ creativity, whereas deactivated positive mood was not significant as a mediator. When occupants perceived the physical work environment to be supportive in providing various workspaces and is well decorated, it is most likely to enhance creativity.