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Promoting Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Exploring The Role of Mindfulness and Connectedness to Nature

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Abstract

This study explores the relationship between employees’ mindfulness and voluntary pro-environmental behaviour at the workplace, and also the mediating role of connectedness to nature. Based on 421 online survey responses, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to establish the validity and reliability of the conceptualised model. Pearson correlation was undertaken to study the relationship between variables, and mediation was examined using the PROCESS macro of Hayes. Findings were encouraging and employee mindfulness was found to be positively influencing voluntary proenvironmental behaviour, and the mediation analysis indicated the intervening role of connectedness to nature in this relationship. This study could be the first to examine, how mindfulness through connectedness to nature motivates employees to engage in voluntarily pro-environmental behaviours. The findings could be of much interest to organizational change champions seeking to encourage employees to voluntarily participate in pro-environment behaviours.
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Promoting Employees Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Exploring The Role of
Mindfulness and Connectedness to Nature
Sachin Kumar
Doctoral Research Fellow, Jindal Global Business School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat,
Haryana 131001, India. (Corresponding author - sachin.vrin@gmail.com)
Prof. (Dr.) Tapan K. Panda
Ex. Dean and Professor, Jindal Global Business School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat -
131001, India.
Prof. (Dr.) Krishan Kumar Pandey
Professor, Jindal Global Business School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat - 131001, India.
Abstract
This study explores the relationship between employees’ mindfulness and voluntary pro-environmental
behaviour at the workplace, and also the mediating role of connectedness to nature. Based on 421 online
survey responses, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to establish the validity and reliability of
the conceptualised model. Pearson correlation was undertaken to study the relationship between
variables, and mediation was examined using the PROCESS macro of Hayes. Findings were
encouraging and employee mindfulness was found to be positively influencing voluntary pro-
environmental behaviour, and the mediation analysis indicated the intervening role of connectedness to
nature in this relationship. This study could be the first to examine, how mindfulness through
connectedness to nature motivates employees to engage in voluntarily pro-environmental behaviours.
The findings could be of much interest to organizational change champions seeking to encourage
employees to voluntarily participate in pro-environment behaviours.
Keywords: Mindfulness, pro-environment behaviour, connectedness to nature, workplace,
sustainability.
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Introduction
The future of our planet is being endangered by severe environmental crisis manifested by unsustainable
activities (Kurucz et al., 2017), and the actions performed by organisations seems to be one amongst
the prominent sources of such ecological/environmental related problems (Stern, 2000). As such, the
organisations are under constant pressure to overcome the challenges of environmental performances
by decreasing their environmental impact (Weaver et al., 2015).
Furthermore, organisations across the globe are adopting environmental management practices
(Lu et al., 2017), and as the success of environmental management practices primarily depends on
employees informal and discretionary behaviour (Boiral, 2007), organizations are expected to
encourage their employees participation in environment-friendly behaviour (Zientara & Zamojska,
2018).
Moreover, despite the crucial role played by employees in making environment policies
successful, studies on employees’ pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) has received fewer attention,
especially in the context of workplace (Ruepert et al., 2016). The possible reason for this inattention
could be the absence of suitable behavioural approaches to encourage such behaviours (Temminck,
Mearns & Fruhen, 2015).
Looking into the dearth of behavioural approaches in promoting voluntary PEB among
employees, and moreover, the importance attached to the possible role of intrinsic motivations
(connectedness to the nature, CNS) (Hedlund-de Witt, De Boer, & Boersema, 2014), and mindfulness
in promoting PEB (Ericson, Kjonstad & Barstad, 2014), the present study explores voluntary pro-
environmental behaviour of employees in the workplace through the lens of mindfulness, connectedness
to nature and organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment.
Conceptual model and hypotheses
Mindfulness and voluntary pro-environmental behaviours
The higher level of mindfulness is known to facilitate greater connections with nature fostering pro-
environmental behaviour (Barbaro & Pickett, 2016). In their empirical study in the hospitality sector,
Barber and Deale (2014) noted mindfulness to be related to ecologically sustainable consumption
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behaviour. Moreover, Studer (2015) argued about the role of mindfulness in encourages individuals
toward more sustainable consumption behaviour in the area of food, mobility, and living habits.
Similarly, a study by Jacob, Jovic and Brinkerhoff (2009) also confirmed the positive association
between mindfulness and pro-environmental behaviour. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that:
H1: Employees mindfulness has a positive influence on the employees’ VPEB at the workplace.
Mindfulness and connectedness to nature
Mindfulness could be related to greater connectedness to nature (Howell, Dopko, Passmore & Buro,
2011), by encouraging individuals to approach nature through the sense of intrinsic connection
(Hedlund-de Witt, 2012). Moreover, mindfulness positively impacts “attentional capacity” (Mayer,
Frantz, Bruehlman-Senecal, & Dolliver, 2009) and “internal awareness” (Leary, Tipsord & Tate, 2008),
which relates to higher connectedness to nature (Patel & Holm, 2018). In their study, Aspy and Proeve
(2017) reported greater connectedness to nature amongst mindfulness meditation participants compared
to the controlled group. Moreover, in a meta-analysis, a connection between mindfulness and
connectedness to nature was confirmed (Schutte & Malouff, 2018). Therefore, it can be hypothesized
that:
H2: Employees mindfulness has a positive influence on the employees’ sense of connectedness to
nature.
Connectedness to nature as a mediator
Grounded on the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), studies emphasize that non-tangible
motivators (Zibarras & Ballinger, 2011), i.e., intrinsic motivations have greater propensity to drive
individuals towards pro-environmental behaviour (Osbaldiston & Sheldon, 2003). Intrinsic motivation
like CNS seems influencing pro-environmental behaviour (Hedlund-de Witt et al., 2014), particularly
in the workplace where pro-environmental behaviours are mostly voluntary (De Groot & Steg, 2009).
Moreover, CNS has been seen to facilitate the association between mindfulness and individuals’
environment-friendly behaviour (Barbaro & Pickett, 2016). The association between mindfulness, CNS
4
and PEB are well-supported by Schwartz’s Value Theory (1994) and Value-Belief-Norm (VBN
theory; Stern & Dietz, 1994). Therefore, it can be hypothesized that:
H3: Employees’ CNS mediates the association between employee’s mindfulness and the employees’
VPEB at the workplace.
Methodology
Measures
Employee mindfulness - The short-form of Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS;
Brown & Ryan, 2003; Van Dam et al., 2010) comprising of 5 items was used. Employees’
connectedness to nature - Employees’ sense of CNS was measured using the short version of “Nature
Relatedness” scale (Nisbet et al., 2009) that includes 6 items. Employees’ voluntary pro-environmental
behaviour - Employees’ VPEB at the workplace was measured using “OCBE” scale comprising of ten
items (Robertson & Barling, 2017). All the 3 scales are self-rated, and were rated on 5-point response
scale (1=never; 5=always).
Employees across different sectors from all the 6 regions of India were surveyed using an online
data collection process. The survey was administered using SurveyMonkey, and around 900 prospective
participants were contacted directly through LinkedIn. The survey was open for around 8 weeks
(March-April 2019), and both convenient and snowball sampling was considered.
Post data cleaning, 421 questionnaires were found to be fit for final analysis. The respondents’
demographic information indicates that respondents were predominantly located (place of job) in South
India (63.2%), followed by North (14.5), West (10.9), East (8.9) and remaining from the central and
northeast. Furthermore, respondents were employed in a variety of sectors viz., 55.5% in services
(IT/ITES, BFSI, consulting), 10.7% in manufacturing, 14.5% in higher education and remaining 14.5%
in others (healthcare, e-commerce, real estate, FMCG etc.).
Analysis and findings
Scale validation analysis - All the three measures was first subjected to exploratory factor analysis
(EFA). The MAAS scale kept its original structure, and all five items loaded significantly to a single
5
factor. The NR scale too kept its original structure, and all five items (one item was dropped due to
loading less than 0.5) loaded significantly to a single factor. The OCBE scale did not keep its original
structure, three items were removed, and the remaining seven items loaded significantly to a single
factor.
Confirmatory factor analysis - The initial CFA results of the measurement model did not support the
model fit and subsequently, one item from OCBE (OCBE-4 showing high standardised residual
covariance and large modification indices) was dropped. The final measurement model CFA output
supported the model fit. The results were Chi square/df = 2.211, GFI = .937, TLI = .953, IFI = .961,
CFI = .960 and RMSEA = .054. As all the model fit indices were above the recommended threshold,
the model was considered as a good fit (Hair, Black, Babin, Anderson & Tatham, 1998).
Convergent validity was verified using the items factor loadings, average variance extracted
(AVE) estimates, Cronbach’s alpha and Composite Reliability (CR). Moreover, discriminant validity
was examined by comparing the square root estimate of the AVE. The findings supported convergent
as well as the discriminant validity (Fornell & Larcker, 1981).
Mediation analysis
Bootstrapping method using the PROCESS macro by Hayes (2017) was used. Demographic
variables such as age and job experience were controlled in all of the analysis. The results of the analysis
support the hypotheses H1 and H2. Findings also supported the mediation of H3. Please refer Figure 1
depicting the tested model along with the results.
Figure 1. The conceptual model along with the results (result in parentheses shows indirect effect).
Connectedness
to Nature
0.41*** 0.27***
0.18** (0.11**)
Employee
Mindfulness
Voluntary Pro-
environmental
Behaviour
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Discussion
The results of this study are in accord with the value theories (Schwartz’s Value Theory and VBN
theory) and support a direct relation of employees’ mindfulness with the employees’ voluntary pro-
environmental behaviour at the workplace. Moreover, the results also supported the intervening role of
employees’ sense of connectedness to nature on the association between employees’ mindfulness and
voluntary pro-environmental behaviour. Moreover, the findings of the present study assert that
nourishing the spiritual needs, such as mindfulness, of the employees along with their sense of
connectedness to nature, could help in creating a conducive environment at the workplace. Such an
encouraging environment would bring about changes in values and behaviours, wherein employees
exhibit enhanced voluntary environment-friendly behaviour.
Implications
This study relates to the association of mindfulness with the environmental sustainability matters in
organisations and enriches extant understanding by examining the antecedents of voluntary pro-
environment behaviour (measured using OCBE scale) at the workplace.
As the findings indicate the positive association of employees’ mindfulness on the
sustainability-related behaviours, organisations must nurture such a culture among the employees. As
pro-environment behaviours exhibited by the employees at the workplace is mostly discretionary,
mindfulness could be used as a technique to motivate employees to participate in such activities.
Limitations and future research directions
Future studies could incorporate sub-dimensions of EM, CNS and OCBE to examine the effect related
to each of them. Also longitudinal studies, explicating causal relationship, on how employees’
mindfulness changes over time and its effect on pro-environmental behaviour at workplace and
connectedness to natures could be undertaken. Moreover, studies exploring sectorial data (services or
manufacturing) could garner in-depth sectorial insights.
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