Workplace Configurations Research Articles

You’re No Longer on Mute: Social Norms, Generational Differences, Working-from-Home, and the Acceptance of Workplace Communication and Collaboration Technologies

Due to COVID-19, there has been a radical shift in workplace configurations, with an increase in work-from-home and hybrid work environments. Given this shift, this study sought to understand the motivations for adopting workplace communication and collaboration technologies, including differences in generational and work-from-home configurations. Using an online, cross-sectional survey of full-time employees in the United States (N = 425), it was determined that while perceived usefulness and ease-of-use predicted technology adoption, it was subjective norms that exerted the most direct influence on behavioral intentions, which were positively related to job satisfaction expectations, employee engagement expectations, and perceived career growth opportunities. Finally, while there were no generational differences in perceived usefulness and ease-of-use, work-from-home and hybrid workers viewed technologies as more useful as well as more easy-to-use than in-office workers.

Artificial intelligence for international business: Its use, challenges, and suggestions for future research and practice

AbstractThe emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed global business, aiding operational efficiency and innovation. It utilizes machine learning and big data analytics, driving predictive market trends and strategic decision‐making. However, despite the rising discussion and accessibility of AI tools, understanding its impact on international business remains limited. This article explores AI's potential in international business strategies, practices, and activities. To address this aim, we reviewed 37 articles in the existing literature to critically explore AI within the context of international business. More specifically, we explored how AI can be applied to innovation approaches in international business, international market selection, entry modes, foreign exchange, international human resource management, international supply chains, managing across cultures, and more topics. AI has necessitated changes in workplace configurations and the need for organizational and employee adjustments in response to this technology. As a result of the foregoing issues on AI integration within international business, our analysis provided an exploratory discussion around its use, challenges, managerial implications, and suggested areas requiring future studies.

Operator workplace design compatibility: A study on mini tractor

Small tractor for agriculture is India’s most trending tractor segment for farmers. Looking to the mini tractor industry in India, there is a need to study the ergonomic aspects of mini tractor for operator’s better safety, comfort and higher efficiency. Study was conducted in which the tractor workplace configurations of 8 different mini tractor models were measured using different measuring scales. The location of different mini tractor seat and control locations were calculated considering the biomechanical and anthropometric measurements. These values were given as design values for mini tractor operator’s workplace design. The ergonomic evaluation of workplaces of 8 different mini tractor models was carried out in laboratory as well as in the field. Studies on evaluation of the optimum location of controls resulted in steering column angle of 70º with horizontal, foot pedals (clutch and brake) distance of 70.5 cm from SRP and the draft control lever distance of 28.6 cm from seat reference point (SRP). Heart rate was significantly influenced by different mini tractor models. It was found that the value obtained from the different mini tractor workplace configurations should be near to design values so that the operator can operate it with efficiently and comfortably.

Examining the Impacts of Public Sector Leadership on Employee Behaviors and Well-being

Since December 2019, the coronavirus pandemic has caused chaos and challenges in public organizations throughout the globe (O’Flynn, 2020). First, this pandemic has shaken countries and decreased the level of trust between governments and citizens when the accuracy of public health information has become doubtful (Fletcher et al., 2020). Second, there are ongoing changes to work design and decreasing work motivation among public employees that have affected the performance of public organizations. Also, we have seen good, bad, and ugly leadership behaviors in coping with this global health crisis. For instance, many citizens and public servants questioned the ethical behaviors of the former US President when running his second presidency campaign (Lipton et al., 2021). In Australia, the Prime Minister has been criticized for his personal and leadership behaviors during the COVID-19 lockdown (Karp, 2021). Also, UK citizens and public servants have raised concerns about the decision-making and the transparency of government procurement processes during the pandemic (Parker, 2021). By contrast, New Zealand’s Prime Minister took prompt actions, reached out compassionately, and developed effective strategies in responding to the COVID pandemic (Matthews, 2020). These contrary behaviors highlighted the need to reconsideration the role of public leadership during the pandemic to improve public trust and motivate public servants (O’Flynn, 2020). contrary Public organizations have continuously undergone many changes to the nature of work (such as job cuts, new work arrangements, and increased workload) and new ways of public service delivery (Christensen & Lægreid 2011, Hansen & Ferlie, 2016). During this period of ongoing and continuous organizational change, we have observed levels of conflicting values and goal ambiguity which affected the attitudes and behaviors of public servants (Battaglio & Condrey, 2009; Gould- Williams et al., 2014; Steen & Schott, 2019). Public servants have been expected to work more innovatively and effectively in response to the pandemic (Schuster et al., 2020). These challenging and stressful circumstances have required public servants to embrace sweeping and substantial changes to their work (Steen & Schott, 2019). We have seen reports of public servants experiencing more work strain, burnout, demotivation, and sickness during the pandemic (Schuster et al., 2020). Discrimination, mistreatment, or misbehaviors between colleagues have occurred substantially during the outbreaks when employees have worked remotely (Hickok, 2021; Liu, 2020). These contemporary issues have pressurized public leaders to re-think how to embrace effective leadership behaviors in supporting and motivating their subordinates in an ethical manner (O’Flynn, 2020; Schuster et al., 2020). Although previous studies have examined different leadership behaviors in the public administration area (see for a review, Crosby & Bryson, 2018), there remains an opportunity to expand the research on the ways positive employee behaviors safeguard the well-being of public servants (O’Flynn, 2020; Steen & Schott, 2019). This symposium, therefore, focuses on the extent to which leaders from different countries enact their leadership behaviors during the pandemic to resolve the contemporary workplace challenges faced by public organizations to enhance the work and well-being of public servants. This symposium comprises four papers, therein, expand our knowledge of when and how public leaders contribute to positive behaviors and the well-being of public servants in coping with the emerging issues in public administration. The four papers contain diverse contexts to explore the bright and dark sides of leadership, the work environment of public administration, behaviors, and the well-being of the public servants. Specifically, the four papers provide a holistic understanding of the different views of leadership in diverse public sector contexts (including developed and transitional economies). Finally, we contribute to the public and general management literature by extending our knowledge of workplace configurations in motivating employees to work better in the ongoing complex and uncertain environment. We expect this symposium to be effectively exploratory and empirical as per the AOM 2021 call for papers, broadening the literature on management and organizational studies by identifying and incorporating practices and policies that stimulate and sustain positive and healthy workplaces for a better future of work. Towards a New Normal: Augmenting Transactional Leadership Using Public Values Presenter: Geoff Plimmer; Victoria Management School The Interplays between Social Relationships and Leadership Role on Public Servants Presenter: Stephen Teo; Northumbria U. Ethical Leadership, Emotional Exhaustion, and Extra-Role Performance in Time of COVID-19 Presenter: Elisabetta Trinchero; CERGAS SDA Bocconi Micromanagement, Work Engagement, Trust in Supervisor, and Unethical Pro-Organizational behavior Presenter: Diep Nguyen; Northumbria U.

Effects of Workplace Configurations on Frontline Physiotherapists in Public and Private Hospitals in Brazil during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The work of physiotherapists in handling Covid-19 patients depends on the severity of the patient condition. These workers rely on adequate workplaces, especially Intensive Care Units (ICU), where critical patients are handled. Private and public hospitals in Brazil dealt differently with the demands imposed by the Covid-19, and consequently, workers in public and private hospitals had to rely on distinct working conditions. Thus, this article aims to identify the possible risks, and the effects of such situations on the physical and cognitive stress of physiotherapists on the frontline of Covid-19 in ICUs in private and public hospitals.

E-worker postural comfort in the third-workplace: An ergonomic design assessment.

Biomechanical simulation is an important tool in human-centred design, allowing for the assessment of comfort interactions between user, product and space, to optimize design features from an ergonomics perspective. The aim of this study was to develop a biomechanical model for the evaluation of postural comfort levels. The study used the scenario-based method to focus on the electronic-worker (e-worker) sedentary tablet tasks at public workplace (third-workplace) configurations. An empirical method determined work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) risk levels. The experimental method was based on a motion-capture marker-based laboratory protocol and biomechanical model. Body postures were analysed to determine the WMSDs risk to the joints, and were compared to subjective questionnaires. Posture was affected by the tablet target location and workplace setting. The findings confirmed our hypothesis, that neutral-position cost functions govern human motion. Almost half of the time, the e-workers' joints tended to remain in the neutral position range; of the three third-workplaces, high-risk variability was less significant between the 'restaurant' and 'lounge' settings, compared to the 'anywhere' configuration. This evaluation model can contribute to optimizing comfort level in design for third-workplace settings and other sedentary work activities; it can be used to develop guidelines for minimizing work-related strain and health hazards.

Collaborating with technology-based autonomous agents

PurposeThis article reports the results from a panel discussion held at the 2019 European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) on the use of technology-based autonomous agents in collaborative work.Design/methodology/approachThe panelists (Drs Izak Benbasat, Paul Benjamin Lowry, Stefan Morana, and Stefan Seidel) presented ideas related to affective and cognitive implications of using autonomous technology-based agents in terms of (1) emotional connection with these agents, (2) decision-making, and (3) knowledge and learning in settings with autonomous agents. These ideas provided the basis for a moderated panel discussion (the moderators were Drs Isabella Seeber and Lena Waizenegger), during which the initial position statements were elaborated on and additional issues were raised.FindingsThrough the discussion, a set of additional issues were identified. These issues related to (1) the design of autonomous technology-based agents in terms of human–machine workplace configurations, as well as transparency and explainability, and (2) the unintended consequences of using autonomous technology-based agents in terms of de-evolution of social interaction, prioritization of machine teammates, psychological health, and biased algorithms.Originality/valueKey issues related to the affective and cognitive implications of using autonomous technology-based agents, design issues, and unintended consequences highlight key contemporary research challenges that allow researchers in this area to leverage compelling questions that can guide further research in this field.

Remote Telepsychiatry Workforce: a Solution to Psychiatry's Workforce Issues.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how a remote workforce may increase access to care while reducing physician burnout. We review workforce issues and organizational and individual obstacles for implementing a telepsychiatry workforce including administrative, logistical, and clinical considerations and offer resources for how to overcome barriers that may arise in implementing a remote workforce. There is an increasingly unmet demand for mental health services and a shortage in psychiatrists. Burnout may be a key factor contributing to psychiatrists working less, pursuing less acute cases, and leading to worsened outcomes for patients and the psychiatrists themselves. Telepsychiatry provides comparable patient and provider satisfaction and equal outcomes when compared with face-to-face encounters. We provided 3 case examples to demonstrate psychiatrists demonstrating successful delivery of care in a range of clinic settings and workplace configurations while optimizing their quality of life and reducing their risk of burnout.

Collaborating with Technology-Based Autonomous Agents: Issues and Research Opportunities

Purpose: This article reports the results from a panel discussion held at the 2019 European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) on the use of technology-based autonomous agents in collaborative work. Approach: The panelists (Drs. Izak Benbasat, Paul Benjamin Lowry, Stefan Morana, and Stefan Seidel) presented ideas related to affective and cognitive implications of using autonomous technology-based agents in terms of (1) emotional connection with these agents, (2) decision making, and (3) knowledge and learning in settings with autonomous agents. These ideas provided the basis for a moderated panel discussion (the moderators were: Drs. Isabella Seeber and Lena Waizenegger), during which the initial position statements were elaborated on and additional issues were raised. Findings: Through the discussion, a set of additional issues were identified. These issues related to (1) the design of autonomous technology-based agents in terms of human-machine workplace configurations, as well as transparency and explainability, and (2) the unintended consequences of using autonomous technology-based agents in terms of de-evolution of social interaction, prioritization of machine teammates, psychological health, and biased algorithms. Originality/value: Key issues related to the affective and cognitive implications of using autonomous technology-based agents, design issues, and unintended consequences highlight key contemporary research challenges that allow researchers in this area to leverage compelling questions that can guide further research in this field.

Nothing happened, something happened: Silence in a makerspace

An ever-increasing range of work activities occur in open spaces that require collective discipline, with silence emerging as a key feature of such workplace configurations. Drawing from an ethnographic examination of a makerspace in Paris, we explore the ways in which silence is incorporated into new work practices in the context of their actualization, embodiment and apprenticeship. Through its engagement with the conceptual work of Merleau-Ponty, this article does not posit silence as the opposite of sounds or as a passive achievement. Silence is inscribed in a learning process and requires numerous efforts to be maintained (e.g. body postures to avoid staring into the eyes of someone entering into an open space, wearing headphones, etc.). It is also the envelope of numerous noisy acts that take place in the phenomenological body and in the embodied practices of workers. We argue that ‘silencing’ is an event ordering that gives direction to what ‘happens’ in collective work activities and is central to the process of embodied learning in collaborative spaces.

Compatibility Analysis of Control Arrangement for Some Indian Tractors

A good tractor design requires that important controls are easily accessible to the operator. Tractor operator controls within the workplace should be conveniently and logically located, and the workplace should fit both tall and short operators. The design parameters of the tractor workplace configuration were determined by using anthropometric dimensions of male tractor operators of Gujarat region. The locations of different tractor seat and control locations were calculated considering the biomechanical and anthropometric measurements. Studies on evaluation of the design location of controls resulted in steering column angle of 65⁰ with horizontal, foot pedals distance of 875 mm from SRP and the draft control lever distance of 286 mm from SRP. Compatibility analysis was done with five Indian tractors. It was found that the workplace dimensions of selected tractors varied widely with the design values.

Anthropometric and Ergonomic Compatibility of Tractor Workplace Design

Objective: The compatibility of human capabilities and limitations, in conjunction with operations and work environment, with the ways of designing machines is dealt within ergonomics. The placement of controls is a complex task for the designer who must take into account the anthropometric characteristics of his target population. The efficiency and comfort of the operator is improved with properly designed tractor workplace. Design: Study was conducted in which the tractor operator workplace configurations of 5 different tractor models were measured using different measuring scales. The location of different tractor seat and control locations were calculated considering the biomechanical and anthropometric measurements. These values were given as design values for tractor operator’s workplace design. The ergonomic evaluation of workplaces of 5 different tractor models was carried out in laboratory as well as in the field. Results: Studies on evaluation of the most efficient location of controls resulted in steering column angle of 65° with horizontal, foot pedals (clutch and brake) distance of 87.50 cm and the draft control lever distance of 28.68 cm from Seat Reference Point (SRP). Conclusion: It was concluded that the values obtained from the different tractor workplace configurations under study should be nearer to design values so that the operator can operate it with efficiently and comfortably.

Maximizing the Benefits of Internationalization: The Moderating Role of Labour Flexibility

Using the large-scale Korean Workplace Panel Survey, this study examines the interplay between international diversification, labour flexibility, and workplace-level performance in the context of advanced emerging markets. Filling the gap in the literature on the international diversification-performance (IDP) relationship, which focuses primarily on firm-level characteristics and overlooks the role of labour factors as contingent variables, we draw attention to the workplace level dynamics by exploring how the two types of labour flexibility—functional and numerical flexibility—moderate the impact of international diversification on performance. The results show that when workplaces invest in training for job enlargement and employee involvement programs that lead to the enhancement of functional flexibility, the link between international diversification and performance can be strengthened. This finding supports the assertion in the international HRM literature that, in the ever-globalized business environment, investment in human capital is a better strategy for improving financial performance in the long run. Furthermore, we find that numerical flexibility, as measured by in-house subcontracting arrangements, has a negative impact on the IDP relationship. Overall, our study suggests that the quality of human resources and a well-designed workplace configuration may still help improve performance in the context of international diversification, whereas excessive dependence on employment externalization for cost reduction is likely to hurt not only financial performance but also long-term sustainability. We also believe that our findings on the advanced emerging market economy complement insights from previous studies, which are largely based on Western developed economies, thus enriching current theories on labour flexibility.

Identifying correlates of breaks in occupational sitting: a cross-sectional study

Office workers are commonly targeted in interventions to modify their sitting behaviour, yet there is limited evidence of the correlates of breaks in sitting to inform intervention development. This study identifies the individual, workplace and spatial configuration correlates of the frequency of breaks in sitting (number/hour) in office workers (n = 5531) stratified by office type (private-enclosed, shared, open plan). All behaviours and potential correlates were measured via self-report using an online cross-sectional survey. Regression analyses revealed age was the only socio-demographic characteristic associated with frequency of breaks in sitting in all office types. Greater job autonomy and local connectivity were positively associated with frequency of breaks in sitting in shared and open-plan offices. In open-plan offices co-worker proximity was negatively associated with frequency of breaks in sitting. Co-worker visibility was positively associated with frequency of breaks in sitting in all office types. This study demonstrates that individual, workplace and spatial configuration factors are all associated with the frequency of breaks in sitting and that these relationships differ by office type. These observations extend prior studies that have only examined correlates at a single level (e.g. the individual). This evidence could be useful to guide future interventions in the design of workplaces to increase breaks in sitting and workers’ physical activity.

A Perfect Storm? Reimagining Work in the Era of the End of the Job

Trends of independent workers, an economy of increasingly automated processes and an ethos of the peer‐to‐peer “sharing economy” are all coming together to transform work and employment as we know them. Emerging forms of “open” and “crowd” work are particularly keen sites for investigating how the structures and experiences of work, employment and organizations are changing. Drawing on research and design of work in organizational contexts, this paper explores how experiences with open and crowd work systems serve as sites of workplace cultural re‐imagining. A marketplace, a crowdwork system and a crowdfunding experiment, all implemented within IBM, are examined as instances of new workplace configurations.

Commuting trade-offs and distance reduction in two-worker households

Two-worker households have received a great deal of attention in the academic literature pertaining to transportation and land use planning. Two-worker households are likely to play an increasingly important role in determining future transportation demand but their expected impact has been subject to debate. This research uses a novel approach to quantify the degree to which partner commute distance affects individual commute distance. It quantifies the degree to which partners adjust their behavior to reduce total commute distance. It also provides empirical evidence that two-worker households do indeed adjust their residence workplace configuration to reduce commute distance. It does so through the use of an adaptation of common approaches to analyzing commute distance (modeling total as well as individual commute distances) with innovative variables inspired by the literature on household location and tenure. Findings from this study reconfirm the empirical research suggesting that members of two-worker households travel the same or less than one-worker households. They also confirm that partner commute distance has a positive impact on individual commute distance, suggesting partner commute distance is complementary. At the same time, it is shown that this does not imply that partner’s do not trade-off commute distance, rather two-worker households apply strategies to decrease their total commuting distance. This research could help policy makers in better understanding the commuting patterns of two-worker households to help in adapting land use and transportation policies that can address the needs of this growing population group.

Proximity and collaboration: measuring workplace configuration

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe how to measure workplace configuration, show its application in, and the results of, a field experiment aimed at improving collaborative knowledge work and identify and discuss larger problems involved with research on workplace configuration.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews recent thought on density, proximity and problems with evaluating configuration. It then describes a method of spatial network analysis used in a field experiment involving the reconfiguration of a workplace. This is followed with a discussion of recent research on knowledge work from economic geography.FindingsIt was found that, instead of increasing it, the reconfigured workplace decreased collaborative activity. The spatial network analysis shows how this occurred.Research limitations/implicationsThis method of spatial network analysis, when used carefully, is a robust technique for analyzing and comparing spatial configuration. Further research needs to address the links between spatial proximity and information and communications technologies as well as the relation of types of knowledge bases and associated forms of proximity that can stimulate collaboration.Practical implicationsWhile spatial network analysis methods are not do‐it‐yourself tools, corporate real estate managers should employ them, especially in larger‐scale projects, before committing to final workplace designs. They can also use them to identify and map best spatial patterns (like best practices) to identify strategic spatial patterns.Originality/valueThis appears to be the first rigorous application of spatial network methods in a field experiment involving a real workplace. The paper shows the method can clearly extract and discriminate spatial network patterns underlying configurations and relate them both quantitatively and graphically to employee evaluations of collaborative performance. It introduces concepts of comparative knowledge bases that need to be understood in determining the types of collaboration needed in a workplace.

Comparison of two speech privacy measurements, articulation index (AI) and speech privacy noise isolation class (NIC′), in open workplaces

Lack of speech privacy has been reported to be the main dissatisfaction among occupants in open workplaces, according to workplace surveys. Two speech privacy measurements, Articulation Index (AI), standardized by the American National Standards Institute in 1969, and Speech Privacy Noise Isolation Class (NIC′, Noise Isolation Class Prime), adapted from Noise Isolation Class (NIC) by U. S. General Services Administration (GSA) in 1979, have been claimed as objective tools to measure speech privacy in open offices. To evaluate which of them, normal privacy for AI or satisfied privacy for NIC′, is a better tool in terms of speech privacy in a dynamic open office environment, measurements were taken in the field. AIs and NIC’s in the different partition heights and workplace configurations have been measured following ASTM E1130 (Standard Test Method for Objective Measurement of Speech Privacy in Open Offices Using Articulation Index) and GSA test PBS-C.1 (Method for the Direct Measurement of Speech-Privacy Potential (SPP) Based on Subjective Judgments) and PBS-C.2 (Public Building Service Standard Method of Test Method for the Sufficient Verification of Speech-Privacy Potential (SPP) Based on Objective Measurements Including Methods for the Rating of Functional Interzone Attenuation and NC-Background), respectively.

Evaluation of human postures with computer aids and virtual workplace designs

Traditional workplace design and redesign, based on the results of ergonomics evaluations, are time-consuming and often unfeasible in industry. Computeraided workplace design simplifies the analysis of postures and allows a far greater level of detail to be incorporated into the analysis. Several such techniques have been developed including computer-aided video analysis and a postural analysis software tool for use with a man-model. The benefits and limitations of the techniques, and four applications are presented. The techniques provide a high level of postural and temporal detail. Postural analysis can be related to the joint range of motion (ROM) of the operator or to the population ROM. The time required to perform ergonomics analyses of workplaces is shortened using these techniques and it is possible to consider more workplace configurations and design changes while the workplace is still in the virtual design stage, thus reducing the risk of ergonomics problems occurring later on. It forms a necessary part of an integrated process needed for a concurrent engineering approach to work system design.

Speech privacy comparison using Articulation Index (AI) and Speech Privacy Noise Isolation Class (NIC) in an open office

Two speech privacy measurements, Articulation Index (AI) standardized by the American National Standard Institute in 1969 and Speech Privacy Noise Isolation Class (NIC, Noise Isolation Class Prime) adapted from the Noise Isolation Class (NIC) by U. S. General Services Administration (GSA) in 1979, have been claimed as objective tools to measure speech privacy in open offices. To evaluate which of them is a better tool in terms of speech privacy in a dynamic open office environment, the measurements were taken in the field. AIs and NICs in the current workplace settings as well as in the modifications of partition heights and workplace configurations have been measured following ASTM E1130 (Standard Test Method for Objective Measurement of Speech Privacy in Open Offices Using Articulation Index) and GSA test PBS-C.2, respectively.