Environmental and social psychological perspectives on training system optimization: A case study of knowledge workers in engineering consulting

This study examines how environmental and social psychological factors influence training effectiveness for knowledge workers in engineering consulting firms. Using mixed-methods research with surveys (n=200) and interviews (n=12) at a leading Chinese engineering consulting firm, the research investigates six key factors: physical environment, organizational environment, social environment, self-efficacy, social identity, and psychological safety. Structural equation modeling reveals organizational environment as the strongest predictor (β = 0.43, p < 0.001), followed by psychological safety (β = 0.33, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (β = 0.29, p < 0.001). The model explains 59% of variance in training effectiveness. The study identifies significant interaction effects, particularly between social environment and psychological safety (β = 0.23, p < 0.01), and a compensatory mechanism where professional identity moderates organizational support (β = -0.16, p < 0.05). These interactions explain an additional 6% of variance beyond main effects. Findings demonstrate that training effectiveness depends on complex interdependencies between environmental conditions and psychological processes rather than isolated influences. The research provides evidence-based strategies for engineering consulting firms to optimize training systems by prioritizing organizational support while creating synergistic interventions addressing both social learning environments and psychological safety, contributing to training effectiveness theory and professional development practices in knowledge-intensive industries.