A socio-technical approach to improving retail energy efficiency behaviours. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christina, Sian; Waterson, Patrick; Dainty, Andrew; Daniels, Kevin
• Is Part Of: Applied ergonomics. Volume 47(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 324
• Page End: 335
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Energy efficiency -- Multiple goal conflict -- Job design; Human engineering -- Periodicals; 620.82
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2014.08.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-6870

Abstract

Abstract: In recent years, the UK retail sector has made a significant contribution to societal responses on carbon reduction. We provide a novel and timely examination of environmental sustainability from a systems perspective, exploring how energy-related technologies and strategies are incorporated into organisational life. We use a longitudinal case study approach, looking at behavioural energy efficiency from within one of the UK's leading retailers. Our data covers a two-year period, with qualitative data from a total of 131 participants gathered using phased interviews and focus groups. We introduce an adapted socio-technical framework approach in order to describe an existing organisational behavioural strategy to support retail energy efficiency. Our findings point to crucial socio-technical and goal-setting factors which both impede and/or enable energy efficient behaviours, these include: tensions linked to store level perception of energy management goals; an emphasis on the importance of technology for underpinning change processes; and, the need for feedback and incentives to support the completion of energy-related tasks. We also describe the evolution of a practical operational intervention designed to address issues raised in our findings. Our study provides fresh insights into how sustainable workplace behaviours can be achieved and sustained over time. Secondly, we discuss in detail a set of issues arising from goal conflict in the workplace; these include the development of a practical energy management strategy to facilitate secondary organisational goals through job redesign. Highlights: This research explores how energy efficiency improvements within a large retail company are influenced by job design and goal setting. The study describes a longitudinal qualitative case study examining efforts to improve behavioural energy efficiency over a two- year period. Our findings highlight a set of socio-technical and goal-setting factors which both impede and/or enable energy efficient behaviours. Insights concerning management of energy tasks secondary goals in order to reduce multiple goal conflict are provided.