Virtual Nature, Real Consequences: How Immersive Virtual Work Environments Shape Pro-Environmental Behavior, Performance, and Employee Well-Being

This study examines how immersive virtual work environments affect employees' well-being, productivity, and pro-environmental decision-making. Using three randomized controlled experiments, we tested how different biophilic designs—incorporating nature’s patterns and processes into architectural design—influence workplace outcomes in virtual reality. Our findings challenge conventional wisdom. Positive biophilic environments such as pristine forests and thriving wildlife had no meaningful impact on employees, contradicting established theories about nature's restorative benefits. Surprisingly, negative environments—particularly virtual offices surrounded by forest fires—affected resource allocation toward environmental causes. However, these benefits came at a cost: employees experienced negative affect, shame, reduced attention, and higher task load. We also discovered that the degree of immersion matters less than expected. Moderate exposure to virtual environments was as effective as full immersion for changing behavior. Additionally, simple corporate communications such as environmental posters placed in virtual spaces achieved similar pro-environmental outcomes without the negative psychological effects. These results reveal virtual biophilic design as a