Activity-based Workplaces Research Articles

Knowledge work productivity in an activity-based workplace: a comparative analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to extend the current knowledge on the impacts of activity-based workplaces (ABWs) on productivity in knowledge work. It offers more background information that is needed to properly evaluate ABWs’ suitability for different organisations. In the results section, ABWs are compared to the cellular and open-plan office types.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted using a survey method with 5,841 respondents. The data were collected between 2015 and 2019 from 32 public-sector organisations.FindingsThe findings of this paper reveal that ABWs offer clear advantages over the other office types but requires careful design and well-implemented solutions. The superiority between ABWs and cellular offices also depends on workers’ profiles and needs and is not for everyone.Practical implicationsFor practitioners, this paper offers valuable information to compare the three office types: ABW, cellular and open-plan. It also highlights the importance of careful planning and good implementation, which are both essential to making the ABW environment productive for employees. Finally, this paper clearly provides evidence that ABWs and open-plan offices differ in their facilities and productivity.Originality/valueThis paper included a unique and large sample with open variables, which are fairly rare in ABW-related papers. It also provides evidence that ABWs, when implemented correctly, seem to be an excellent option for some work profiles.

Work-Spot Preference Estimation Using Machine Learning for Activity-Based Workplaces

Work-Spot Preference Estimation Using Machine Learning for Activity-Based Workplaces

Individual determinants of satisfaction with the work environment after relocation to activity-based workplaces: A prospective study.

Relocation to activity-based workplaces influences work environment satisfaction, but individual determinants of changes in satisfaction remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine whether age, gender, education, occupational position, or office type before relocation can predict work environment satisfaction among employees and managers relocated to activity-based offices. Respondents (n = 422) rated work environment satisfaction three months before and nine months after relocation. The findings indicate that, on average, satisfaction decreased after relocation, while for some workers it increased. Occupational position and office type at baseline predicted changes in satisfaction with the work environment; specifically, managers and those working in open-plan offices before relocation reported a smaller decline in satisfaction after relocation, compared to those relocating from private offices. Participants with no university education were more satisfied with the physical and psychosocial work environment in activity-based workplaces than those with a university degree.

Implementation of Activity-Based Workplaces (ABW)-The Importance of Participation in Process Activities.

Relocation to new office solutions such as activity-based workplaces (ABW) has increased but satisfaction with the ABW among employees varies, and the importance of participation in the relocation process is unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between employees' extent of participation in the implementation process activities and satisfaction with the relocation to ABW. Data were collected from 699 employees in a Swedish governmental agency 3-months prior to, 3-months and 9-months after relocation to the ABW. Questionnaires were used to assess participation in process activities and perceived satisfaction with knowledge about working in ABW, office rules, and information and support during the process. Participation in activities was significantly associated with higher overall satisfaction with knowledge, office rules, information and support, and effects were generally more pronounced as the number of attended activities increased. Satisfaction also increased among non-participants, although without reaching the same levels as participants. Our results show the importance to offer and facilitate a high participation in the relocation process activities to obtain satisfaction with a relocation to ABW.

How teachers’ expectations influence their experiences with activity-based workplaces in higher education

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of teachers’ expectations on their experiences and satisfaction response dregarding the introduction of activity-based workplaces (ABWs) in a Dutch university of applied sciences.Design/methodology/approachThe first author executed a three-year at-home ethnographic study as senior lecturer at the university in which the research was executed.FindingsTeachers have will expectations, should expectations and want expectations that relate to the stages before, during and after the introduction of ABWs. Unmet should and will expectations negatively affect want expectations and not only influence teachers’ affective commitment to their work but also generate dissatisfaction and even anger toward the organization, showing the importance of monitoring all three types of expectations.Research implicationsUsers evaluate their expectations against their experiences which can lead to the formation of (dis)satisfaction regarding the introduction of ABWs. To explain the satisfaction response, research should consider expectations and experiences.Practical implicationsDiscrepancies between users’ expectations and experiences lead to dissatisfaction with ABWs. Involving users and aiming to capture their expectations in the design support professionals predicting satisfaction and preventing the organization from costly re-refurbishments.Social implicationsExploring users' expectations creates an understanding of users' everyday processes and underlying values which can improve the fit between users and building and reduce costs. Reducing accommodation costs benefits society, as more money can be spent on education.Originality/valueThis paper integrates Lefebvre’s spatial theory and Oliver’s disconfirmation theory to study the influence of expectations on users’ experiences and describes the process before, during and after introducing ABWs.

The Potential of Harnessing Real-Time Occupancy Data for Improving Energy Performance of Activity-Based Workplaces

Currently, the available studies on the prediction of building energy performance and real occupancy data are typically characterized by aggregated and averaged occupancy patterns or large thermal zones of reference. Despite the increasing diffusion of smart energy management systems and the growing availability of longitudinal data regarding occupancy, these two domains rarely inform each other. This research aims at understanding the potential of employing real-time occupancy data to identify better cooling strategies for activity-based-working (ABW)-supportive offices and reduce the overall energy consumption. It presents a case study comparing the energy performance of the office when different resolutions of occupancy and thermal zoning are applied, ranging from the standard energy certification approach to real-time occupancy patterns. For the first time, one year of real-time occupancy data at the desk resolution, captured through computer logs and Bluetooth devices, is used to investigate this issue. Results show that the actual cooling demand is 9% lower than predicted, unveiling the energy-saving potential to be achieved from HVAC systems for non-assigned seating environments. This research demonstrates that harnessing real-time occupancy data for demand-supply cooling management at a fine-grid resolution is an efficient strategy to reduce cooling consumption and increase workers’ comfort. It also emphasizes the need for more data and monitoring campaigns for the definition of more accurate and robust energy management strategies.

Relocation to Activity-Based Workplaces (ABW)-Importance of the Implementation Process.

Activity-based workplaces (ABW) have been implemented in many organizations to offer office flexibility and decrease facility costs. Evaluations of the ABW implementation process are rare. The study aimed to examine the ABW relocation process of two offices in a Swedish governmental agency and to explore factors that influence the implementation process and satisfaction with it. Qualitative or quantitative data were collected on process variables (context, recruitment, reach, dose delivered, dose received, satisfaction), barriers and facilitators to the process were explored in focus group interviews, and immediate outcomes (perceived knowledge, understanding office rules, satisfying information and support) were measured by questionnaire before and after the relocation. The evaluation showed that recruitment was unsatisfactory and reach insufficient—and participation in activities was thus low for both offices. However, intended changes improved. Unclear aims of ABW, lack of manager support and, lack of communication were some of the reported barriers to participation, while a well-planned process, work groups, and program activities were facilitators. Thus, to increase satisfaction with the relocation, our results suggest that recruitment should be thoroughly planned, taking these factors into account to increase participation. This knowledge may be useful for planning and designing successful ABW relocations and evaluations.

Effects of relocation to activity-based workplaces on perceived productivity: Importance of change-oriented leadership

Activity-based workplaces (ABWs) are becoming popular in Western countries and were implemented at four office sites of a large Swedish government agency. A fifth office was used as a control group. The study aim was to examine the effects of relocation to ABW on perceived productivity among employees and to determine if perceived change-oriented leadership behavior prior to relocation moderates potential effects. Data were collected three months prior to relocation, and three and 12 months after. 407 respondents were included in linear mixed regression models. Perceived productivity decreased significantly after relocation compared to the control group and these effects persisted 12 months after the relocation. However, the decrease in perceived productivity was significantly smaller among employees perceiving high change-oriented leadership before relocation. Our results point out the importance of a change-oriented leadership behavior during the implementation to avoid productivity loss among employees when implementing ABWs.

A user-specific activity pattern generation framework for evidence-based ABW planning

To plan successful activity-based workplaces (ABW), architects need to clearly understand user-specific activity patterns through the accurate recognition of user activity. Because user activity is closely associated with space, equipment, and users, such diverse activity-related information should be essentially considered for accurate activity recognition. However, previous activity recognition methods have limitations for accurately recognizing user activity for ABW planning, because they only relied on sensor-estimated data and are, therefore, unable to comprehensively consider diverse activity-related information. The study thus integrates site investigation and sensor estimation using a Bluetooth Low Energy beacon and accelerometer for accurately recognizing user activity based on diverse activity-related information. We defined five important items of activity-related information (user actions, number of nearby users, function of space, equipment located in space, and space use policy) and developed a user-specific activity pattern generation (UAPG) framework consisting of three stages: (1) the preparation stage, (2) sensor-estimation stage, and (3) activity pattern generation stage. The demonstration was conducted through scenario-based experiments in an academic office building. In the demonstration, the UAPG framework achieved 91.8% of activity recognition accuracy and successfully generated user-specific activity patterns. In addition, information regarding space usage, proportion of activities, and spatial preference of the user was generated based on a user-specific activity pattern. Such objective information provided by the UAPG framework enables evidence-based ABW planning that efficiently accommodates users with minimal office space, while simultaneously increasing their satisfaction and productivity.

Thinking activity-based work environment throughout situated acceptance

Purpose This paper aims to focus on activity-based workplaces, which offer a diversity of typologies and configurations which, instead of being attributed to users, are shared according to the needs of their activities. Indeed, this paper questions the way these activity-based workplaces configure the ways in which individuals and collectives carry out their activity. Design/methodology/approach To do so, this paper established a two-phase methodology. Three days of observation amid three different units evolving in activity-based workplaces have helped us to identify the uses that emerged from these spatial typologies. Then, a set of two interviews with eight participants have been conducted based on the four dimensions of the situated acceptance model (Bobillier Chaumon, 2013) and on picture elicitation. Findings The results allow us to understand how activity-based workspaces can be considered as artefacts for the activity that needs to be appropriated to allow the worker to realise his activity. Research limitations/implications The results provide an overview of the social and psychological consequences of activity-based workspaces on workers, their work collective and their activity. Thus, the conclusions can be mobilised in activity-based real estate projects, for example, during the design stage. Originality/value This research conducted with a situated approach based upon the study of the development of the activity proposes a change from the usual managerial approach about these activity-based workplaces, which prescribe an ideal way of working within the workplace.

Objective measures of cognitive performance in activity based workplaces and traditional office types

Distraction from the background environment while performing concentrationdemanding tasks is a common issue for office employees in shared work areas. However, few field studies have been conducted on the effects of different office types and work areas on objective measurements of cognitive performance. The first aim of the present field study was to investigate, before relocation to an activity-based workplace (ABW), differences in performance on a concentration-demanding cognitive task between individuals in shared/open-plan offices compared to cell offices. The second aim was to investigate, after relocation, how performance differs (withinperson) between different work areas within the ABW. This study included employees from five offices (n = 113), of which four relocated into an ABW. An acoustician measured the equivalent sound levels of the work areas. Data were analyzed using linear regression (aim 1) and mixed models (aim 2). Before relocation, employees working in shared/open-plan offices performed significantly worse (14%) than those in cell-offices, which had a 15 LAeq lower noise level. After relocation, employees performed significantly worse in the active zone without noise restrictions, compared to all other work areas. When shifting open-plan area from the active zone to the quiet zone cognitive performance increased significantly by 16.9%, and switching to individual working rooms increased performance by 21.9%. The results clearly demonstrate the importance for organizations to provide quiet areas or rooms with few distractions for employees working on tasks that demand concentration in an ABW. A daily drop in performance for each employee may be expensive for the organization in the long run.

Activity-based work and its implications for the academic work environment

PurposeThe aim of the current interview study was to investigate how the university staff and their immediate managers perceived the academic work environment after a transition to activity-based workplaces (ABW).Design/methodology/approachInterviews were conducted with 11 university lecturers/researchers and 12 academic middle managers, that is, heads of departments or units in a Swedish university.FindingsThe qualitative content analysis revealed four central themes indicating how the academic environment had been affected: challenges related to decision-making and implementation of ABW, interpersonal relations and communication, consequences for academic identity and issues related to the physical work environment.Research limitations/implicationsThe non-purposive sampling of participants coming from a single university is a limitation of the current study. More studies are needed to deepen the knowledge and to further corroborate the transferability of the findings.Practical implicationsThe savings the universities expect to achieve in terms of reduced costs for premises, when introducing ABW, may lead to other kinds of costs, such as jeopardizing employee performance, comfort and well-being. It is therefore important that the academic staff is empowered and involved during the planning and implementation process of new offices.Originality/valueThe study contributes new knowledge concerning implementation of ABW and its consequences for the academic work environment.

Impact of activity-based workplaces on burnout and engagement dimensions

PurposeThis paper aims to explore, which characteristics of activity-based offices are related to the position of workers on the burnout – engagement continuum.Design/methodology/approachLiterature review and an online survey amongst knowledge workers in the Netherlands, which provided data of 184 respondents from 14 organisations. The data has been analysed by descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, factor analyses and path analysis, to test the conceptual model.FindingsFive physical work environment constructs were identified of which three showed to have significant relations with employees’ position on one of the three dimensions of the burnout – engagement continuum. Distraction has a direct and indirect (through overload) negative relation with the individual strain (meaning increased exhaustion). Office comfort has indirect positive relations (through recognition and appreciation) with the interpersonal strain (meaning increased involvement). The possibility for teleworking has an indirect positive relation (through control) on the self-evaluation strain (meaning increased efficacy).Practical implicationsThe findings show that in the design and management of a healthy physical work environment, corporate real estate managers and human resource managers should particularly pay attention to lowering distraction, providing comfortable workplaces and considering the option of teleworking to some extent.Originality/valueThis paper provides new insights into the impact of distinct activity-based workplace characteristics on workers’ position on the burnout – engagement continuum.

Sense of Coherence, Health, Well-Being, and Work Satisfaction before and after Implementing Activity-Based Workplaces.

Activity-based workplaces (ABWs) are implemented with possible implications for health, well-being, and work satisfaction in the workplace. Drawing on the theoretical framework, i.e., sense of coherence (SOC), the aim was to investigate how indicators pf SOC—meaningfulness, manageability and comprehensibility—are associated with, or function as barriers or facilitators for, health, well-being and work satisfaction during relocation to an ABW. We followed the implementation of ABWs at the Swedish Transport Administration (2018–2019). Questionnaires were administered before (n = 536), 3 months (n = 409) and 9 months (n = 373) after relocation. Focus group interviews (15) were conducted before and after. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and content analysis. Relocation to an ABW was associated with a reduced work satisfaction (physical p < 0.001; psychosocial p < 0.001), and minor changes in health and occupational well-being during relocation (p > 0.001). The reduction in work satisfaction was smaller among employees with high meaningfulness in the relocation process (p < 0.001). All SOC indicators were positively associated with overall health, well-being and work satisfaction (p < 0.001). Interviews suggested that meaningfulness was facilitated by participation in the presented activities and that communication before relocation was crucial. The results indicate that organizations implementing ABWs should promote perceived meaningfulness in the process to mitigate possible declines in satisfaction with the physical and psychosocial work environment.

Wunderkammer – Ting- og kunnskapsorganisering i en aktivitetsbasert tidsalder

Dette essayet stiller spørsmål ved hvordan vi organiserer ting og kunnskaper. Inngangen er fortidens wunderkamre, spesifisert gjennom en bok av Samuel Quiccheberg fra 1565, samt bruken av et cellekontor i dag. Quicchebergs bok er beskrevet som den første avhandling som ser på hvordan en skal organisere samlinger. Cellekontoret har også sine ting og sin organisering, og dets subversive bruk er aktuell på grunn av vår tids debatter rundt kontorlandskap og aktivitetsbaserte arbeidsplasser. Essayet er satt sammen av flere mindre tekster med ulike språkdrakt. Her gis ingen svar på formulerte problemstillinger, men essayets søkende form er brukt som en metode for å se etter utenkte sammenhenger.

The effects of moving into an activity-based office on communication, social relations and work demands – A controlled intervention with repeated follow-up

When organizations adopt activity-based workplaces (ABWs), improved interaction is a common goal. Yet, few controlled longitudinal studies have been conducted on the effects of ABWs on interaction, social relations and work demands. The aim of this natural intervention study was to investigate the effects of moving into an ABW on satisfaction with communication, on social relations (i.e., social support and social community) and on work demands (i.e., quantitative demands, emotional demands and work pace) 3 months and 12 months after the relocation. The study included four offices which relocated into an ABW and one control office that did not. Questionnaire data from 408 respondents were analyzed with linear mixed models. Satisfaction with communication and the sense of belonging to a community had decreased 3 and 12 months after the relocation. Work pace was not affected while small, mostly short-term, negative effects on social support, quantitative demands and emotional demands were only observed among employees who had moved to ABWs from private offices. Differences between office sites were also observed. The results suggest that, to avoid negative outcomes, organizations moving to ABWs should focus on solving difficulties in locating colleagues at the office and on supporting particularly workers from private offices in adopting activity-based working.

Perceptions of performance and satisfaction after relocation to an activity-based office

Many companies move from open-plan offices (OPO) to activity-based workplaces (ABWs). However, few studies examine the benefits and drawbacks following such a change. The aim of this study was to explore how physical conditions, office use, communication, privacy, territoriality, satisfaction and perceived performance change following a company’s relocation from an OPO to an ABW. A mixed methods approach included pre- and post-relocation questionnaires and post-relocation focus groups, individual interviews and observations. The questionnaires enabled comparisons over time (n = 34) and broader analyses based on retrospective ratings of perceived change (n = 66). Results showed that satisfaction with auditory privacy, background noise, air quality, outdoor view and aesthetics increased significantly after relocation. Negative outcomes, such as lack of communication within teams, were perceived as being due to the high people-to-workstation ratio and lack of rules. Overall satisfaction with the physical work environment increased in the ABW compared to the OPO. Perceived performance did not change significantly.Practitioner Summary: Activity-based workplaces (ABWs) are commonly implemented although their effects on performance and well-being are unclear. This case study gives advice to stakeholders involved in office planning. Despite shortcomings with the people-to-workstation ratio and rules, employees showed improved satisfaction with auditory privacy and aesthetics in the ABW compared with the previous open-plan office.

Accommodating new ways of working: lessons from best practices and worst cases

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore which factors may explain the high or low percentages of satisfied employees in offices with shared activity-based workplaces. Design/methodology/approach The paper compares data on employee satisfaction from two cases with remarkably high satisfaction scores and two cases with significantly lower satisfaction scores (total N = 930), all of the same organisation. These cases were selected from a database with employee responses to a standardised questionnaire in 52 flexible work environments. In the four case studies, also group interviews were conducted. Findings Overall, there are large differences in employee satisfaction between cases with, at first sight, a similar activity-based office concept. The main differences between the best and worst cases regard employee satisfaction with the interior design, level of openness, subdivision of space, number and diversity of work places and accessibility of the building. Employee satisfaction shows to be influenced by many physical characteristics of the work environment and by the implementation process. Satisfaction with the organisation may have an impact as well. Research limitations/implications Almost all cases regard Dutch organisations. Due to the lack of quantitative scales to define the physical characteristics of the work environment, the study is mainly descriptive and explorative and does not include advanced multivariate statistical analyses. Practical implications The data revealed clear critical success factors including a supportive spatial layout to facilitate communication and concentration, attractive architectural design, ergonomic furniture, appropriate storage facilities and coping with psychological and physical needs, such as privacy, thermal comfort, daylight and view. Critical process factors are the commitment of managers, a balance between a top-down and a bottom-up approach and clear instructions on how to use activity-based workplaces. Originality/value The study connects descriptive research with inductive reasoning to explore why employees may be satisfied or dissatisfied with flex offices. It is based on a combination of quantitative survey data from 52 cases and a closer look at two best cases and two worst cases based on qualitative data from interviews and personal observations. The study has high practical value due to the integral approach that incorporates many items of the physical environment and context factors like the implementation process.