中国科学院行为科学重点实验室知识库

Energy consumption in the workplace worldwide contributes largely to carbon emissions. Hence, promoting employees’ workplace energy conservation behaviors (WECB) is crucial for corporates’ low-carbon transition. Given the unique characteristic of social interaction in the workplace (vs. in the household), we proposed the "social influence account" to interpret WECB. We aimed to investigate the potential impact of interpersonal discussion (i.e., one of the most basic forms of interpersonal interaction) about climate change on employees’ workplace energy saving behaviors and the mediating effect of social norms. Based on the results of a national survey in China (N = 800; Study 1), we verified that employees’ discussion with others about climate change-related issues was positively associated with workplace energy conservation behaviors, and that social norms mediated this effect. These results were replicated in a cross-national survey within an international company of Chinese and Indian employees (NChina = 122, NIndia = 122; Study 2), indicating a certain degree of generalizability of our "social influence account". Combined, the present research offers insights into explaining and cultivating general employees’ WECB from an interpersonal influence perspective. Communication and managerial implications are thus provided.