Perception of Work Environment and Well-being in Activity-based Office – Three-wave Longitudinal Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18291/njwls.135181Keywords:
Health, Working Environment & Wellbeing, Organization & ManagementAbstract
Activity-based offices (ABOs) have become increasingly common. Yet, longitudinal studies investigating the effects of change are rare. This three-wave longitudinal study compared perceptions of privacy and office support, satisfaction with the work environment, and well-being in an organization that renovated private offices into an ABO (maintaining assigned desks). Questionnaires were administered four months before and eight and 21 months after the change. Data on 34 employees from the first and 21 from the second follow-up were analyzed. Privacy, perceived office support for work tasks, and work engagement decreased at both follow-ups. No effects were found on perceived office support for interaction or job satisfaction. Satisfaction with the work environment decreased at the eight-month follow-up. This study’s long follow-up demonstrated the negative effects of office redesign on the perception of privacy, support for work tasks, satisfaction with the work environment, and well-being.
References
Appel-Meulenbroek, R., Groenen, P., and Janssen, I. (2011). An end-user’s perspective on activity-based office concepts, Journal of Corporate Real Estate 13 (2): 122–135. https:// doi.org/10.1108/14630011111136830
Babapour, M., Karlsson, M., and Osvalder, A.-L. (2018). Appropriation of an Activity- based Flexible Office in daily work, Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies 8 (S3). https://doi.org/10.18291/NJWLS.V8IS3.105277
Bergsten, E. L., Haapakangas, A., Larsson, J., Jahncke, H., and Hallman, D. (2021). Effects of relocation to activity-based workplaces on perceived productivity: importance of change-oriented leadership, Applied Ergonomics (93): 103348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. apergo.2020.103348
Berthelsen, H., Muhonen., T., and Toivanen, S. (2018). What happens to the physical and psycho- social work environment when activity-based offices are introduced into academia?, Journal of Corporate Real Estate 20 (4): 230–243. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRE-06-2017-0017
Bodin Danielsson, C., and Theorell, T. (2018). Office Employees’ Perception of Workspace Contribution: A Gender and Office Design Perspective, Environment and Behaviour 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139165187591
Bodin Danielsson, C., Bodin, L., Wulff, C., and Theorell, T. (2015). The relation between office type and workplace conflict: A gender and noise perspective, Journal of Environmental Psychology (42): 161–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.04.004
Bodin Danielsson, C., and Bodin, L. (2008). Office Type in Relation to Health, Well-Being, and Job Satisfaction Among Employees, Environment and Behavior 40 (5): 636–668. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916507307459
Bodin Danielsson, C., and Bodin, L. (2009). Difference in satisfaction with office environ- ment among employees in different office types, Journal of Architectural and Planning Research 26 (3): 241–257. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43030872
De Been, I., and Beijer, M. (2014). The influence of office type on satisfaction and perceived productivity support, Journal of Facilities Management 12 (2): 142–157. https://doi. org/10.1108/JFM-02-2013-0011
De Croon, E., Sluiter, J., Kuijer, P., and Frings-Dresen, M. (2005). The effects of office concepts on worker health and performance: a systematic review of the literature, Ergonomics 48
(2): 119–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140130512331319409
Engelen, L., Chau, J., Young, S., Mackey, M., Jeyapalan, D., and Bauman, A. (2019). Is activity- based working impacting health, work performance and perceptions? A systematic
review, Building Research & Information 47 (4): 468–479. https://doi.org/10.1080/096
2018.1440958
Gerdenitsch, C., Korunka, C., and Hertel, G. (2018). Need-Supply Fit in an Activity-based Flexible Office: A Longitudinal Study during Relocation, Environment and Behavior 59 (3): 273–297. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916517697766
Haapakangas, A., Hongisto, V., Varjo, J., and Lahtinen, M. (2018). Benefits of quiet workspaces in open-plan offices – Evidence from two office relocations, Journal of Environmental Psychology 56: 63–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JENVP.2018.03.003
Haapakangas, A., Sirola, P., and Ruohomäki, V. (2022). Understanding user Behaviour in activity- based offices, Ergonomics. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2022.2092654
Haapakangas, A., Hallman, D., Mathiassen, S. E., and Jahncke, H. (2019). “The effects of mov- ing into an activity-based office on communication, social relations and work demands – A controlled intervention with repeated follow-up”, Journal of Environmental Psychology 66: 101–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.101341
Hongisto, V., Haapakangas, A., Varjo, J., Helenius, R., and Koskela, H. (2016). Refurbishment of an open-plan office–Environmental and job satisfaction, Journal of Environmental Psychology 45: 176–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JENVP.2015.12.004
Herbig, B., Schneider, A., and Nowak, D. (2016). Does office space occupation matter? The role of the number of persons per enclosed office space, psychosocial work character- istics, and environmental satisfaction in the physical and mental health of employees, Indoor Air 26 (5): 755–767. https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12263
Hoendervanger, J. G. (2021). On workers’ fit with activity-based work environments.
University of Groningen. https://doi.org/10.33612/diss.159997877
Hoendervanger, J. G., De Been, I., Van Yperen, N. W., Mobach, M. P., and Albers, C. J. (2016). Flexibility in use: Switching behaviour and satisfaction in activity-based work environments, Journal of Corporate Real Estate 18 (1): 48–62. https://doi.org/10.1108/ JCRE-10-2015-0033
Kaarlela-Tuomaala, A., Helenius, R., Keskinen, R., and Hongisto, V. (2009). Effects of acous- tic environment on work in private office rooms and open-plan offices-longitudinal study during relocation, Ergonomics 52 (11), 1423–1444. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140130903154579
Kim, J., Candido, C., Thomas, L., and de Dear, R. (2016). Desk ownership in the workplace: The effect of non-territorial working on employee workplace satisfaction, perceived productivity and health, Building and Environment 103: 203–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. buildenv.2016.04.015
Lahtinen, M., Ruohomäki, V., Haapakangas, A., and Reijula, K. (2015). Developmental needs of workplace design practices, Intelligent Buildings International 7 (4): 198–214, https:// doi.org/10.1080/17508975.2014.1001315
Meijer, E. M., Frings-Dresen, M. H., and Sluiter, J. K. (2009). Effects of office innovation on office workers’ health and performance, Ergonomics 52 (9): 1027–1038. https://doi. org/10.1080/00140130902842752
Morrison, R. L., and Stahlmann-Brown, P. (2020). Perceptions and performance of knowl- edge workers. Transitioning from single-cell offices to shared workspaces: evidence from panel data, Journal of Managerial Psychology 36 (4): 366–381. https://doi.org/10.1108/ JMP-09-2019-0531
Nielsen, M. B., and Knardahl, S. (2020). The impact of office design on medically certified sickness absence, Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health 46 (3): 330–334.
Pejtersen, J., Allermann, L., Kristensen, T. S., and Poulsen, O. M. (2006). Indoor climate, psychosocial work environment and symptoms in open-plan offices, Indoor Air 16 (5): 392–401. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2006.00444.x
Robertson, M. M., Huang, Y. H., Oneill, M. J., and Schleifer, L. M. (2008). Flexible work- space design and ergonomics training: Impacts on the psychosocial work environment, musculoskeletal health, and work effectiveness among knowledge workers, Applied Ergonomics 39 (4): 482–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2008.02.022
Rosenthal, R. (1994). Parametric measures of effect size. In H. Cooper & L. V. Hedges (Eds.), The handbook of research synthesis. (pp. 231–244). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Ruohomäki, V., Lahtinen, M. & Reijula, K. (2015) Salutogenic and user-centred approach for workplace design, Intelligent Buildings International 7 (4): 184–197. https://doi.org/10.1
/17508975.2015.1007911
Ruohomäki, V. and Lahtinen, M. (2013). Osallistuva suunnittelu tilamuutoksessa – prosessi ja menetelmät (Participatory Design when Renovating Premises – Process and Methods). In: Proceedings of the Indoor Environment Seminar, Report 31: 147–152, Helsinki: Indoor Air Association and Aalto University.).
Schaufeli, W. B., and Bakker, A. B. (2003). UWES-Utrecht Work Engagement Scale: test manual. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Psychology, Utrectht University. https:// doi.org/10.1037/t07164-000
Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., Gonzalez-Roma, V., and Bakker, A. B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytical approach, Journal of Happiness Studies 3 (1): 71–92. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015630930326
Seddigh, A., Berntson, E., Bodin Danielson, C., and Westerlund, H. (2014). Concentration requirements modify the effect of office type on indicators of health and performance, Journal of Environmental Psychology 38: 167–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JENVP.2014.01.009
Seppälä, P., Mauno, S., Feldt, T., Hakanen, J., Kinnunen, U., Tolvanen, A., and Schaufeli, W. (2009). The Construct Validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement: Scale: Multisample and Longitudinal Evidence, Journal of Happiness Studies 10: 459–481. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10902-008-9100-y
Sirola, P., Haapakangas, A., Lahtinen, M., and Ruohomäki, V. (2021). Workplace change pro- cess and satisfaction with activity-based office, Facilities, Vol. ahead-of-print. https://doi. org/10.1108/F-12-2020-0127
TENK (2019). The ethical principles of research with human participants and ethical review in the human sciences in Finland. Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK guide- lines 2019. Publications of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK, 3: https://tenk.fi/sites/default/files/2021-01/Ethical_review_in_human_sciences_2020.pdf
Van der Voordt, T. J. M. (2004). Productivity and Employee Satisfaction in Flexible Workplaces, Journal of Corporate Real Estate 6 (2): 133–148. https://doi.org/10.1108/ 14630010410812306
Wijk, K., Bergsten, E. L., and Hallman, D. M. (2020). Sense of Coherence, Health, Well- Being, and Work Satisfaction before and after Implementing Activity-Based Workplaces, Environmental Research and Public Health17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145250
Wohlers, C., and Hertel, G. (2017). Choosing where to work at work–towards a theoretical model of benefits and risks of activity-based flexible offices, Ergonomics 60 (4): 467–486. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2016.1188220
Wohlers, C., Hartner-Tiefenthaler, M., and Hertel, G. (2019). The Relation Between Activity- Based Work Environments and Office Workers’ Job Attitudes and Vitality, Environment and Behavior 51 (2): 167–198. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916517738078
Öhrn, M., Wahlström, V., Harder, M. S., Nordin, M., Pettersson-Strömbäck, A., Bodin Danielsson, C., Olsson, D., Andersson, M, and Slunga Järvholm, L. (2021). Productivity, Satisfaction, Work Environment and Health after Relocation to an Activity-Based Flex Office—The Active Office Design Study, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (14): 7640. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147640
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Author and Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The Copyright Holder of this Journal is the authors and the Journal. Normally the journal use the CC-BY NC-ND 4.0 licence.
Exceptions to the license terms may be granted
If you want to use content in the Journal in another way then described by this license, you must contact the licensor and ask for permission. Contact Bo Carstens at bo.carstens@gmail.com. Exceptions are always given for specific purposes and specific content only.
Sherpa/Romeo
The Journal is listed as a blue journal in Sherpa/Romeo, meaning that the author can archive post-print ((ie final draft post-refereeing) and author can archive publisher's version/PDF.
Copyright of others
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission from copyright holders for reproducing any illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere.
Archives policy
All published material is archived at Roskilde University Library, Denmark, and transmitted to the Danish Royal Library in conformity with the Danish rules of legal deposit.
Plagiarism screening
We do not screen articles for plagiarism. It is the responsibility of the authors to make sure they do not plagiate.