Skip to main content

Predictors of Preference for the Activity-based Flexible Office

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Human Systems Engineering and Design (IHSED 2018)

Abstract

Activity-based Flexible Offices (A-FOs) are implemented with varying degree of success. Employees relocate from cell or open-plan offices, from different organizational backgrounds, varying design and implementation processes, and have different types of work tasks. This study aims at investigating whether preference for the A-FO correlate with these preconditions. The results from Chi-square tests and Spearman’s non-parametric correlation of post-relocation questionnaires distributed to 11 A-FO sites, showed that a high preference for the A-FO correlated strongest with an A-FO preference prior to relocation, being a former open-plan office occupier and with frequent performance of innovation. Low preference for the A-FO correlated with frequent performance of concentration demanding tasks. Working with tasks with high confidentiality did not predict the preference ratings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Appel-Meulenbroek, R., Groenen, P., Janssen, I.: An end-user’s perspective on activity-based office concepts. J. Corp. Real Estate 13(2), 122–135 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Rolfö, L., Babapour Chafi, M.: Policies for sharing workspaces in activity-based flex offices. In: ACE-ODAM (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Riratanaphong, C., Van Der Voordt, D.: Performance Measurement of Workplace Change: A Comparative Analysis of Data from Thailand, the Netherlands and Finland. The Added Value of Facilities Management: Concepts, Findings and Perspectives. Polyteknisk Forlag, Lyngby, Denmark (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Wohlers, C., Hertel, G.: Choosing where to work at work – towards a theoretical model of benefits and risks of activity-based flexible offices. Ergonomics 60(4), 467–486 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Brunia, S., de Been, I., van der Voordt, T.J.: Accommodating new ways of working: lessons from best practices and worst cases. J. Corp. Real Estate 18(1), 30–47 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Rolfö, L., Eklund, J., Jahncke, H.: Perceptions of performance and satisfaction after relocation to an activity-based office. Ergonomics, 61(5), 644–657 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2017.1398844

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Jacobsen, D.I.: Organisationsförändringar och förändringsledarskap, 2(5), 347 (2013). Studentlitteratur, Lund

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rolfö, L.: Relocation to an activity-based flexible office – design processes and outcomes. Appl. Ergon. 73, 141–150 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2018.05.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Eklund, J., Daniellou, F.: Ergonomics and project management 1: Important aspects in the planning of the project. In: Proceedings of the 11th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, Paris. Designing for everyone (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Antonovsky, A.: The salutogenic model as a theory to guide health promotion. Health Promot. Int. 11(1), 11–18 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Jahncke, H., Halin, N.: Performance, fatigue and stress in open-plan offices: the effects of noise and restoration on hearing impaired and normal hearing individuals. Noise Health 14(60), 260–272 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Brennan, A., Chugh, J.S., Kline, T.: Traditional versus open office design: a longitudinal field study. Environ. Behav. 34(3), 279–299 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. van der Voordt, T.J.: Productivity and employee satisfaction in flexible workplaces. J. Corp. Real Estate 6(2), 133–148 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Nielsen, K., Randall, R.: Opening the black box: presenting a model for evaluating organizational-level interventions. Eur. J. Work Organ. Psychol. 22(5), 601–617 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Babapour, M., Karlsson, M., Osvalder, A.-L.: Appropriation of an activity-based flexible office in daily work. Nordic J. Work. Life Stud. 8(S3), 71–84 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Linda Rolfö .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Rolfö, L., Jahncke, H., Järvholm, L.S., Öhrn, M., Babapour, M. (2019). Predictors of Preference for the Activity-based Flexible Office. In: Ahram, T., Karwowski, W., Taiar, R. (eds) Human Systems Engineering and Design. IHSED 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 876. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02053-8_83

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics