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Abstract
Working environments are becoming far more diverse. For example, Activity-Based Working (ABW), a new style of working where workers choose their own work environment, is now attracting attention. An office that introduces ABW is comprised of various spaces, including open plan workspaces, corresponding to the ways of working. However, such an office may result in distraction. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the environmental factors that affect individual workers’ concentration at work. This study aimed to ascertain the relationship between individual workers’ attributes, such as the Big Five personality traits, personal control, and age, and the factors that distract them from their work. A questionnaire-based field survey was conducted at an office that partially adopted ABW to investigate the relationship between selection of seats and concentration at work. The results revealed different tendencies among workers for the type of work environment needed to concentrate according to their individual attributes. Additionally, it was suggested that the changing of seats lead to improved concentration at work, thus increasing productivity.
Highlights
In Japan, the number of workers is expected to decline due to rapid population declines, decreasing birth rates, and an aging population
Previous field studies have revealed that the provided space was not necessarily used as intended, and it has been suggested that introducing Activity-Based Working (ABW) does not contribute to improving intellectual productivity [1]
The target ABW office belongs to a department with 2 divisions and 5 groups, and ABW was introduced in April 2016, with the installation of 20 assigned and 54 unassigned seats
Summary
In Japan, the number of workers is expected to decline due to rapid population declines, decreasing birth rates, and an aging population. Activity-Based Working (ABW), a new style in which workers choose their own work environment, is attracting attention. An office that introduces ABW comprises various spaces, including open plan workspaces, each corresponding to the ways of working. Previous field studies have revealed that the provided space was not necessarily used as intended, and it has been suggested that introducing ABW does not contribute to improving intellectual productivity [1]. Such an office may activate communication, it may cause distraction due to conversation and noise or the lack of privacy [2]. It is necessary to pay close attention to the work style of each worker and to clarify the environmental factors which are important for concentration at work
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