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1. Introduction
To meet the competition and market requirements, organizations seek to increase their productivity by ensuring the job satisfaction of their personnel (Fisher, 2010; Böckerman and Ilmakunnas, 2012). Public sector organizations, working under tight fiscal conditions and based on the principles of New Public Management also attempt, through employee job satisfaction, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their services, both to citizens and other organizations (Barzelay, 2001; Wright and Davis, 2003; Steijn, 2004; Dizgah et al., 2012).
Related studies have shown that productivity and job satisfaction are positively correlated (Watson et al., 1999; Judge et al., 2001; Böckerman and Ilmakunnas, 2012). That is, the more satisfied employees are with their work, the more productive they are and vice versa. Additionally, both job satisfaction and productivity are affected by the physical workplace (Leaman, 1995; Oseland and Barlett, 1999; Roelofsen, 2002; Leaman and Bordass, 2005; Batenburg and Voordt van der, 2008). Due to its impact on labor productivity, the physical workplace has generally been understood in the literature as an important organizational factor which makes a significant contribution to effective performance. Within this context, most studies consider to what extent and in what ways the physical work environment affects labor productivity. These studies generally focus on the characteristics of the built environment and their impact on human resources, such as lighting, noise levels and the aesthetics of interior space (Bachner, 2000; Chigot, 2005; Oseland, 2009; Bakker and Voordt van der, 2010). Some investigations emphasize on the needs of employees, which vary according the organization type (Hansen et al., 2005; Langston et al., 2008).
Although much of the above research has been conducted in a variety of work environments and different cultural backgrounds, there has been no work dealing with the influence of the workplace on employee satisfaction and productivity in the Greek public administration or the sector as a whole, for example, the University of Athens (UOA). However, whether the physical work environment of Greek public servants is directly related to their job satisfaction and productivity seems to be highly significant, as a poor work environment has a proven association not only with reduced job satisfaction and low productivity but also with absenteeism, burnout, depression, musculoskeletal disorders, etc. (McGowan, 2001;...