Implementing an activity-based work environment: A longitudinal view of the effects on privacy and psychological ownership

Halldorsson, Freyr; Kristinsson, Kári; Guðmundsdóttir, Svala; Hardardottir, Lilja

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101707

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…We considered that six months after the actual workplace change was enough time for individual work behaviors to change, as shown by previous studies (Brennan et al , 2002; Wall and Clegg, 1981). For example, a recent study by Halldorsson et al (2021) discovered that the move to an ABW affected privacy and psychological ownership four months and eight months after the move. Limiting the time frame to six months helped reduce the risk of other organizational variables (e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, women feel discomfort because of high noise levels in open work environments (Di Blasio et al, 2019), whereas men tend to feel restricted in their work by desk sharing (Bodin Danielsson, 2016). Halldorsson et al (2021) further revealed that positive individual attitudes toward the new work environment have a positive impact on perceived privacy in ABWs.…”

Section: Theoretical Background 21 Role Of Privacy and Communication ...mentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Another critical issue for longitudinal studies is the determination of measurement points and periods. To analyze change, we decided to measure the new ABW’s effects on employees’ privacy and communication perceptions six months after the move because relevant research has shown similar workplace-change-related effects after similar time periods (Brennan et al , 2002; Halldorsson et al , 2021). However, a recent study by Babapour (2019) pointed out the novelty effects of ABW introduction, showing that employee behavior changes after moving to ABWs may be limited, especially when support and opportunities for participation and improvements are scarce.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Balancing privacy and communication in activity-based workspaces: a longitudinal study

Rücker

Eismann

Meinel

et al. 2022

JCRE

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Purpose The aim of this study is to investigate whether activity-based workspaces (ABWs) are able to solve the privacy-communication trade-off known from fixed-desk offices. In fixed-desk offices, employees work in private or open-plan offices (or in combi-offices) with fixed workstations, which support either privacy or communication, respectively. However, both dimensions are essential to effective employee performance, which creates the dilemma known as the privacy-communication trade-off. In activity-based workspaces, flexible workstations and the availability of different spaces may solve this dilemma, but clear empirical evidence on the matter is unavailable. Design/methodology/approach To address this knowledge gap, the authors surveyed knowledge workers (N = 363) at a medium-sized German company at three time points (T1–T3) over a one-year period during the company’s move from a fixed-desk combi-office (a combination of private and open-plan offices with fixed workplaces) to an ABW. Using a quantitative survey, the authors evaluated the employees’ perceived privacy and perceived communication in the old (T1) and the new work environments (T2 and T3). Findings The longitudinal study revealed a significant increase in employees’ perceived privacy and perceived communication in the ABW. These increases remained stable in the long term, which implies that ABWs have a lasting positive impact on employees. Originality/value As the privacy and communication dimensions were previously considered mutually exclusive in a single workplace, the results confirm that ABWs can balance privacy and communication, providing optimal conditions for enhanced employee performance.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Theoretical Background 21 Role Of Privacy and Communication ...mentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Balancing privacy and communication in activity-based workspaces: a longitudinal study

Rücker

Eismann

Meinel

et al. 2022

JCRE

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“…partners, suppliers, researchers, customers) can help increase productivity, efficiency and creativity (Johns and Gratton, 2013). Overall, the desired outcomes of coworking can be summarized as access to a community, fulfilling social needs, learning and collaboration, increasing creativity and controlling expenses of real estate and FF&E. It also reflects a strong trend in the past decade of transforming offices from individual cubicles and enclosed offices to open plans with shared/unassigned workstations or activity-based work environments (Halldorsson et al , 2021).…”

Section: Unknowns About Coworking For Organizationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of coworking spaces in the changing landscape of future workplace agility: linking boundary organization theory and organizational development models

Yang

Sanborn²,

Zhou³

2022

JCRE

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Purpose This study aims to illustrate the potential of coworking spaces as one way to achieve optimal workplace arrangements and corporate real estate (CRE) agility, especially for large organizations. The authors suggest understanding coworking spaces from the boundary organization theory and organizational growth model. Design/methodology/approach This study takes a threefold theoretical approach: conducting a literature review and identifying the gaps in coworking studies for large organizations, applying the organizational boundary theory in tandem with organizational growth models in the context of coworking spaces as a part of the workplace ecology and identifying future research agendas for coworking studies. Findings This study proposes a conceptual framework of how coworking spaces can be viewed and used as a boundary object throughout the organizational growth phases. Besides, four major future research areas are proposed: case studies and/or empirical evidence of coworking spaces as CRE buffer zones and boundary objects for organizations, coworking space design and different formats of boundary object-infused collaboration, coworking space design and management for its own agility and flexibility and how coworking affects employees’ performance, health and well-being and professional training/mentoring. Practical implications For large organizations, there is a clear pressure to rethink CRE to increase workplace agility, flexibility and resilience, much accelerated with the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the effective use of coworking spaces as a part of CRE portfolios will help enhance corporates’ state and ability to reassess, realign and replan their CRE portfolios. Originality/value Many existing studies about coworking spaces are based on observations and self-reported justification at an individual level. Whether and how coworking can benefit companies at an organizational level is largely unstudied and worth more attention. This study illustrates a new theoretical understanding of how coworking spaces can be a part of CRE portfolios and bring potential benefits of inter and intraorganizational collaboration throughout the phases of organizational growth.

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“… Using a longitudinal field survey, we collected data on how implementing an activity-based work environment impacts employees across time [1] . The sample consisted of 100 employees in a government organization implementing an activity-based working environment, with each employee surveyed on three time-points.…”

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confidence: 99%

Longitudinal data on implementing an activity-based work environment

et al. 2022

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Implementing an activity-based work environment: A longitudinal view of the effects on privacy and psychological ownership

Cited by 10 publications

References 47 publications

Balancing privacy and communication in activity-based workspaces: a longitudinal study

Balancing privacy and communication in activity-based workspaces: a longitudinal study

The role of coworking spaces in the changing landscape of future workplace agility: linking boundary organization theory and organizational development models

Longitudinal data on implementing an activity-based work environment

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