Workplace Intelligence Unit: The Work-Based Theory Of Activity Based Working
THE NUMBER ONE OFFICE DESIGN TREND- ACTIVITY BASED WORKING
You may have heard about activity based working, but what does this terminology really mean? According to the Workplace Intelligence Unit (WIU), activity based working (ABW) has become more than a working practice as it has evolved to become a workplace ‘philosophy’ that encourages employees to work where and how they want to, in order to be productive throughout the day.
Today, efficiency and productivity experts agree that getting the best work out of employees requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses engagement, company culture, health, collaboration, and focus. In addition to improving management strategy and updating technological solutions, innovative office design may …show more content…
The core principle remains the same: having the right space for the right task. However, you also need to take into account individual preference and the role each employee has within the organisation. One reason why the open plan office tends to fail is that they present a single work solution, which does not always work well for everyone. Activity-based working includes many of the benefits (increased interaction, collaboration and flow of information) of the open office concept without their significant disadvantages (noise and distractions, lack of …show more content…
By providing multiple work environments, ABW seeks to support individual choice of how and where to work. However; in order for ABW to be successful, the workplace culture and organisational behaviours need to be taken into consideration before implementing this way of working. So how does a company start designing the right working environment for their employees and their bottom line?
The Importance of Change Management for Activity Based Working
Human nature dictates that we tend to fear the unknown. A new job, a new home, a new exercise class, and indeed, a new way of working. In the words of authors James Belasco and Ralph Stayer, we tend to hold on so tightly to what we have -a corner office or cubicle with a colossal cherry oak desk - that we neglect to think about what we may gain by giving that up – increased collaboration, great spaces to complete each work task, increased mobility and so forth.
It is for this reason that Change Management* should form an essential part of the introduction and implementation of a new way of working. Particularly to an Activity Based Working (ABW) set-up where the rules of work change so significantly - requiring the employee to take full responsibility for how, where and when he/she
You may have heard about activity based working, but what does this terminology really mean? According to the Workplace Intelligence Unit (WIU), activity based working (ABW) has become more than a working practice as it has evolved to become a workplace ‘philosophy’ that encourages employees to work where and how they want to, in order to be productive throughout the day.
Today, efficiency and productivity experts agree that getting the best work out of employees requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses engagement, company culture, health, collaboration, and focus. In addition to improving management strategy and updating technological solutions, innovative office design may …show more content…
The core principle remains the same: having the right space for the right task. However, you also need to take into account individual preference and the role each employee has within the organisation. One reason why the open plan office tends to fail is that they present a single work solution, which does not always work well for everyone. Activity-based working includes many of the benefits (increased interaction, collaboration and flow of information) of the open office concept without their significant disadvantages (noise and distractions, lack of …show more content…
By providing multiple work environments, ABW seeks to support individual choice of how and where to work. However; in order for ABW to be successful, the workplace culture and organisational behaviours need to be taken into consideration before implementing this way of working. So how does a company start designing the right working environment for their employees and their bottom line?
The Importance of Change Management for Activity Based Working
Human nature dictates that we tend to fear the unknown. A new job, a new home, a new exercise class, and indeed, a new way of working. In the words of authors James Belasco and Ralph Stayer, we tend to hold on so tightly to what we have -a corner office or cubicle with a colossal cherry oak desk - that we neglect to think about what we may gain by giving that up – increased collaboration, great spaces to complete each work task, increased mobility and so forth.
It is for this reason that Change Management* should form an essential part of the introduction and implementation of a new way of working. Particularly to an Activity Based Working (ABW) set-up where the rules of work change so significantly - requiring the employee to take full responsibility for how, where and when he/she