Activity Based Pros and Cons - FMLink (2023)

von Iris de Been, Marion Beijer, Dorieke den Hollander —Originally posted on FMWorld on Sep 21, 2015—New developments in office environments are generally based on the expectation that the environment will be more efficient and productivity will increase.

Another goal frequently mentioned by Dutch employers is the desire to be an attractive proposition for future employees. Organizations fear that, without a popular and competitive work environment, they may lose the “War on Talent” (Rieck & Kelter, 2005). Furthermore, research shows that offices affect job satisfaction and productivity (Carlopio, 1996; Veitch et al., 2003).

Many European organizations have already adopted ideas for flexible and dynamic offices: the Netherlands has seen many so-called 'activity-based' office concepts (also known as flexible or mixed offices).

A key principle of activity-based offices is that users can choose the type of workspace that best fits their activity. Therefore, activity-based offices typically offer a wide variety of types of open, semi-open and closed workspaces, along with spaces intended for informal and formal meetings.

In this sense, the activities office is similar to the open office: both offer openness and transparency. Unlike the open office, however, the activity-based office is characterized by offering open and closed workplaces and by omitting permanent workplaces: all available workplaces are shared by all employees.

Activity-based office managers often employ a clean desk policy to ensure that sufficient workspaces are available at all times. Employees are expected to clear their desks if they plan to be away for more than a few hours.

The purpose of this survey was to find out what users found good and bad about activity-based offices and to identify actions that FMs can take to solve problems in existing or future activity-based offices.

the positive

The most cited positive aspects were the architecture and interior design, and the majority liked how these elements contribute to create a warm and comfortable environment. The work environment was also perceived as cleaner and more organized compared to more traditional work environments. People also appreciated the great amount of light, the use of transparent materials and the overall open design of the building.

People also experienced more communication and knowledge sharing in general. Casual encounters with colleagues and greater interaction between different departments were also mentioned.

The openness of the work environment was specifically mentioned as a positive, and people found it easier to see and meet new employees. This, according to some employees, creates a more dynamic atmosphere.

Furniture is another factor regularly cited as a differentiator. The furniture design was particularly appreciated, and employees also appreciated the use of acoustic materials in the work environment to reduce noise.

die negative

Several significant negative aspects emerged from the group interviews with employees. From this it was clear that the main disadvantage of the activity-based office environment was the lack of opportunities to focus. Some of the respondents expressly criticized the acoustics. Some felt that the more open workspaces were uncomfortably crowded; others reported being distracted by noise and other people moving around.

Another perceived drawback was the lack of privacy. Many participants disliked confidential conversations or phone calls in an open space because they were often afraid of disturbing others. Lack of privacy protection was also an issue for some employees. This is especially true for smaller meeting rooms where confidential conversations must take place.

The climate in the room turned out to be a big drawback: most people complained about the temperature or the unpleasant air flow. In some cases, concerns have also been raised about poor indoor climate in closed rooms. This was related to the lack of personal control over the indoor climate, as people had to share space.

The necessary combination of jobs was mentioned as a positive, but also more often as a negative. One of the main reasons for the many complaints is that some types of workplaces are very popular. Those who are late for the office often do not have the opportunity to choose the most suitable workplace for their work. Less popular areas are barely used, so people think this is a waste of valuable space.

In more than half of the survey cases, support facilities were considered a disadvantage (15 cases, 32 interviews) and cumbersome and inflexible IT systems reduced staff flexibility. Transporting personal belongings and files from one location to another was also considered time-consuming.

Respondents also said that not everyone changes jobs during the day or even during the week, despite the "flexible" intent of the activity-based idea. This problem was also reflected in comments about undesirable "complaining behavior" by executives. Annoying behavior among colleagues was considered difficult to deal with and there were complaints about having to actively look for a job; for these people it is simply not practical to have some functions work flexibly.

Lack of social interaction with peers was cited as a major problem; Many said they couldn't have face-to-face conversations with colleagues because of the candor. People also complained about less knowledge sharing and less social ties with colleagues.

Storage and archiving options were also identified as shortcomings. The transition to a digital archive has not always been smooth, and in some organizations difficulties persist even after the move to the activity-based office.

But despite these issues, the more time people spend in an activity-based office, the more fun they have.

conclusions

Workers generally enjoy the generally cool, bright, and colorful environments created by activity-based offices.

But the general increase in knowledge sharing and social interaction, evidence consistent with other literature in the field, could perhaps be seen as a double-edged sword. People also report a decrease in communication with their direct colleagues, as well as difficulties in discussing private matters in an open space. The social bond with peers also seems to suffer.

One explanation is that the openness of the work environment makes it more difficult to share thoughts, feelings, and values ​​(Oldham & Brass, 1979). Thus, the solution of these problems may depend on mutual agreements on the availability and "location" of workers in the office and on the introduction of team building measures.

Unsurprisingly, there were low satisfaction scores when it came to jobs that required concentration and privacy. Distractions mostly come in the form of phone calls and conversations in open spaces. Phone call-only locked rooms help solve this common problem, and the same goes for ad hoc meetings, which need to be held in special meeting areas or locked rooms nearby. Confidential meetings should be held in breakout rooms and enclosed spaces with acoustic and visual privacy. Behavior also plays an important role; Once the appropriate spaces have been provided, employees should be encouraged to use those specific spaces in the correct way (eg no phone calls in open spaces).

And while workers will undoubtedly appreciate the different types of workspaces an activity-based office provides, the right space isn't always available to those who want it, when they want it. Because some jobs tend to be more popular than others, they get crowded (or because people don't clean their desks).

These issues require a more thorough initial review before configuring workspace types to ensure that a variety of workspaces are provided according to the work performed by employees.

All these advantages and disadvantages are influenced by the behavior of building users. When people use activity-based workspaces properly, they tend to benefit from all of its different elements. The role model function of managers plays a central role in this. Clear rules for using the work environment can help people deal with behavioral issues among co-workers.

And while these interviews mostly confirmed much of the existing knowledge, the results took us a step further, explaining both the positives and negatives that arise in work-based offices.

methodology

• In this study, the results of 20 follow-up evaluations were analyzed.
• The case studies consisted of an online assessment after one or more group interviews.
• The SOPs were conducted using the Work Environment Diagnostic Tool (WODI) developed by the Center for People and Buildings to obtain information on perceived strengths and weaknesses.
• Assessments were carried out in 20 work-related workplaces in four semi-public organizations in the Netherlands.
• Steps have been taken to collect generic data on the experience of the office environment and provide guidance to organizations on how to optimize the office layout.
• The working population in these cases ranged from 31 to 806 employees and had an average of 256.
• Of the 5,128 building occupants in the 20 cases invited to participate, 2,377 responded.
• To obtain information about aspects of the questionnaire results, qualitative data were collected in semi-structured group interviews.
• 57 group interviews were conducted with 271 workers to explain the results of the corresponding post-occupation assessment using the WODI questionnaire.

About the authorsIris de Been, Marion Beijer and Dorieke den Hollander are researchers at the Center for People and Buildings at Delft University of Technology. This research was first presented at the 2015 EFMC conference in Glasgow.
- Lower:http://www.fm-world.co.uk/features/feature-articles/activity-based-pros-and-cons/#sthash.h2yPaJkQ.dpuf

About the authorsIris de Been, Marion Beijer and Dorieke den Hollander are researchers at the Center for People and Buildings at Delft University of Technology. This research was first presented at the 2015 EFMC conference in Glasgow.
- Lower:http://www.fm-world.co.uk/features/feature-articles/activity-based-pros-and-cons/#sthash.h2yPaJkQ.dpuf