Speech as a way of constructing change in space

Abstract

PurposeThis article presents a model of employees' rhetorical patterns, which take place during a workplace change.Design/methodology/approachThe method of discourse analysis is used to investigate employees' perceptions of and dispositions to the change. In total, 21 semi‐structured interviews were conducted in two organizations before and after moving to open plan offices.FindingsPeople tend to frame the change in space by either opposing or conforming ways of making sense. Opposing discourses include rhetorical strategies of social community versus own responsibility, believing in a hidden agenda of management, and distancing oneself. Conforming discourses include social community versus individual opinion, including oneself, and trusting the professionals. Additionally it was found that employees tend to be ambiguous with their messages when interviewed during a workplace change process.Social implicationsAcknowledging the results of this paper can help workplace managers to make a difference between naturally occurring change resistance among employees and well justified disagreement with the content of the change. Also, the results help workplace managers to understand the rhetoric and behaviour of employees' during a workplace change.Originality/valueThe methodology of discourse analysis is rarely used in facilities management research and is thus a method to be considered in future studies of FM.