In their overview of stress related to the physical
work environment, McCoy and Evans (2005)
go beyond ergonomics to characterize as stressful
those situations where elements of the physical
environment interfere with the attainment of
work objectives. Stressors in the work environment
affect employee performance adversely
when they are high intensity or prolonged; they
slow down the individual’s ability to process and
understand the number and predictability of
‘signals’, which increase with task complexity.
Potential stressors (i.e. elements that interfere
with task performance, motivation and social
relationships) include ‘spatial organisation, architectonic
details, ambient conditions and
resources, and view or visual access from the
workspace. As environmental stressors, [these]
can influence physiological processes, produce negative affect, limit motivation and performance,
and impede social interaction’ (p. 222).