Understanding employee's electricity conservation behavior in workplace: Do normative, emotional and habitual factors matter?

Abstract Employee's electricity conservation behavior in workplace is beneficial to reduce electricity consumption and carbon emissions. This research aims to analyze how normative (e.g., personal norm, subjective norm and descriptive norm), emotional (e.g., positive and negative anticipated emotion) and habitual factors (e.g., electricity conservation habit) affect employee's electricity conservation behavior in workplace. The research data were collected from 309 employees in four Chinese cities using a questionnaire survey. The results indicated that employee's personal norm, subjective norm, descriptive norm, negative and positive anticipated emotions and electricity conservation habit are all positively and significantly affect employee's intention to conserve electricity in workplace. Moreover, personal norm has the largest effect. The results also suggested that demographic variables (e.g., gender, age, educational level and income level) have no significant effects on employee's intention to conserve electricity. The current research highlighted the importance of normative, emotional and habitual factors and contributed to the research on employee's electricity conservation behavior in workplace. Based on the research findings, the relevant policy implications were proposed and recommendations for following research were discussed. Highlights • This research studied employee's electricity conservation behavior in workplace. • The effects of normative, emotional and habitual factors have been examined. • Normative, emotional and habitual factors have positive and significant effects. • Personal norm was found to be the most influential determinant. • Education and publicity campaign about electricity conservation can be launched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]