| 1. |
- Babapour Chafi, Maral, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Policies in Activity-based Flexible Offices -‘I am sloppy with clean-desking. We don’t really know the rules.’
- 2019
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Ingår i: Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0014-0139 .- 1366-5847. ; 62:1, s. 1-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Activity-based Flexible Offices (A-FOs) are offices with unassigned desks that provide a variety of workspaces. This paper presents desk-sharing and speech rules identified in A-FOs in four Swedish organisations, the emergence of and compliance with these rules, and their consequences for work conditions. Data collection involved 105 semi-structured interviews, document analyses, and observations. The identified rules were: (1) to remove belongings, (2) temporal restrictions on using the same workstations, (3) temporal restrictions on using scarce zones, (4) restrictions on verbal interactions, and (5) restrictions on phone conversations. The cases with extensive user involvement in their planning process had explicit unambiguous rules. A better compliance with rules occurred when (i) the employees were well-prepared and had a unified understanding regarding how and why to follow the rules, (ii) the rules were explicitly communicated and were regarded as easy to follow, and (iii) following the rules facilitated work and improved work conditions.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Rolfö, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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A proposed methods framework and a pilot intervention for workplace design
- 2019
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Ingår i: 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, IEA 2018. - Cham : Springer. - 9783319960708 ; , s. 356-365
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The workspace design process offers opportunities for significant improvements of work environments at low costs. However, work environment experts and Occupational Health Services (OHS) personnel are not seen as natural partners, inhibiting their chances of getting experience. This paper reports results from a national pilot intervention project comprised of a methods framework and a course. The aim of the intervention was to teach these professionals reliable, cost-effective and feasible methods for conducting workplace design projects. The intervention also aimed to increase employee participation in workplace design processes and thereby achieve better impact in these cases. Methods were taught to 56 work environment experts, also creating incentives for them to practice this knowledge. These experts were given incentives to contact and offer their client organizations services for planning new work environments. In the long term, the competence within the field of workplace design on a national level hopefully will be improved.
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| 4. |
- Rolfö, Linda
(författare)
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Activity-based Flexible Office work environments : Design and implementation processes and outcomes
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: In recent years, there has been a reported increase in organizations relocating to Activity-based Flexible Offices (A-FOs) worldwide. The idea of A-FOs is to offer work conditions suitable for the workforce’s tasks and individual preferences. Benefits of the A-FO include employee autonomy, privacy and inter- and intra-team communication. However, there are reports within Swedish media on reduced performance, increased dissatisfaction, injustice, and workplace avoidance amongst employees occupying A-FOs. Added to which empirical research supporting A-FOs claimed benefits are scarce with inconsistent results.Aim: The aim of this thesis is to explore and investigate perceptions of workspace, work conditions, work environment satisfaction, and perceived performance in A-FOs (aim of Studies I-V). Additionally, the sub-aims are to explore and investigate associations with underlying factors such as design and implementation process factors including methods suggestions (aims of Studies II, IV & VI), physical workspace factors (aim of Study III), desk-sharing and speech policies (aim of Study IV), and organizational preconditions (aim of Study V). This thesis aims at integrating the contributions of each paper and making the whole greater than the sum of its parts.Method: A problem centered, pragmatic approach guided the methodological choices. Two in-depth longitudinal case (n=66 & 46) and two cross-sectional (n=202 & 105) studies were conducted at five single floor A-FOs. A mixed method approach was adopted comprising of six questionnaires, 105 individual interviews, documentation of plan layouts, photographs, planning documents and observations. A third cross-sectional study with 7 additional cases was conducted on 473-715 questionnaire responses.Results & discussion: The results showed that work environment satisfaction and perceived performance can increase after relocation to A-FOs. Reported contributing design and implementation process factors included meaningful objectives for the employees, allocation of time and financial resources, having an organizational focus, employee empowerment, and a methodological approach. A methods framework divided into A-FO design stages is presented that can facilitate the design process of A-FOs. Reported contributing workspace design factors included ample desk-sharing ratios and workspace diversity. Desk-sharing and speech rules were identified: when to remove belongings, allowance to occupy the same workstation in open-plan and enclosed areas on consecutive days, and allocations of areas where speaking on the phone, and verbal interaction with colleagues and interruptions are allowed or forbidden. Organizational preconditions, such as innovative work tasks and an open-plan office type prior to relocation were associated with preference for the A-FO.Conclusion: Design and implementation factors, workspace factors, application of rules and organizational preconditions are possible predictors of work conditions, work environment satisfaction, and perceived performance. A-FOs can be perceived as noisy workplaces that create extra work, decrease interaction as well as increase uncertainty on how to act within the office. However, A-FOs can also be preferred above other office types and be perceived with high work environment satisfaction and perceived performance. This thesis has stressed the importance of a holistic sociotechnical perspective during A-FO implementations, and the importance of employee involvement and empowerment, workspace diversity and desk-sharing policies.
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| 5. |
- Rolfö, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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An activity-based flex office : Planning processes and outcomes
- 2017
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Ingår i: 48th Annual Conference of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists. - Banff, Alberta, Canada. ; , s. 330-338
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This longitudinal case study addresses activities used in the planning process of a new activity based flex office (A-FO), and addresses results after the relocation. The results show that several activities were used to involve employees in the planning process. Employee satisfaction and perceived performance were rated in more positive terms after the relocation than before. The company’s process can be considered as a good example of planning and design processes.
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| 6. |
- Rolfö, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Examining Office Type Preference
- 2015
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Ingår i: Creating Sustainable Work-environments. - Lysaker. - 9788299574754 ; , s. A1-10-A1-14
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Office types and their environmental features influence performance and job satisfaction. Yet employees’ opinions are seldom considered when choosing office type. This paper suggests a method that investigates employees’ office type preferences and motives behind the preferences. The method proved to be quick and simple and provided a flow of current to preferred office type. A majority preferred the quiet cell office for its privacy while the open office was considered having a noisy and distracting environment and lack of privacy. These factors should be prioritized when planning work environments.
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| 7. |
- Rolfö, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Perceptions of performance and satisfaction after relocation to an activity-based office
- 2018
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Ingår i: Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0014-0139 .- 1366-5847. ; 61:5, s. 644-657
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many companies move from open-plan offices (OPO) to activity-based workplaces (ABWs). However, few studies examine the benefits and drawbacks following such a change. The aim of this study was to explore how physical conditions, office use, communication, privacy, territoriality, satisfaction and perceived performance change following a company's relocation from an OPO to an ABW. A mixed methods approach included pre- and post-relocation questionnaires and post-relocation focus groups, individual interviews and observations. The questionnaires enabled comparisons over time (n = 34) and broader analyses based on retrospective ratings of perceived change (n = 66). Results showed that satisfaction with auditory privacy, background noise, air quality, outdoor view and aesthetics increased significantly after relocation. Negative outcomes, such as lack of communication within teams, were perceived as being due to the high people-to-workstation ratio and lack of rules. Overall satisfaction with the physical work environment increased in the ABW compared to the OPO. Perceived performance did not change significantly. Practitioner Summary: Activity-based workplaces (ABWs) are commonly implemented although their effects on performance and well-being are unclear. This case study gives advice to stakeholders involved in office planning. Despite shortcomings with the people-to-workstation ratio and rules, employees showed improved satisfaction with auditory privacy and aesthetics in the ABW compared with the previous open-plan office.
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| 8. |
- Rolfö, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Plan layout, space ratios and interior design in activity-based flexible offices
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Activity-based flexible offices (A-FOs) are implemented worldwide and comprise open-plan areas and additional enclosed back-up spaces. A-FOs vary in number of acoustic settings, individual enclosed back-up rooms, workstation arrangement and amount of space per workstation and employee. Comparative studies of A-FOs are scarce and do not specify or describe details about architectural features, perceptions of these features and related working conditions. This study compares four A-FO cases’ workspaces (i.e. plan layouts), acoustic settings, space ratios and interior designs, as well as employee perceptions of these settings and perceived performance and workspace satisfaction. Evaluation of four plan layouts, on-site observations and Kruskal-Wallis pairwise comparisons on 202 questionnaire responses showed that employees in offices with (1) most ample ratios (e.g. 0.9 workstations/employee), (2) variations in acoustic environments (from strictly quiet to interactive areas), (3) lowest number of workstations in a row, and (4) corridors separated from workstations, were significantly more satisfied with the space configuration parameters, acoustics, mental working conditions and privacy, as well as work environment satisfaction and perceived performance. The office environment can explain variations in workspace satisfaction and perceived performance in A-FOs.
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| 9. |
- Rolfö, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Policies for sharing workspaces in activity-based flex offices
- 2017
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Ingår i: 48th Annual Conference of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists. - Banff, Alberta, Canada. ; , s. 339-344
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This longitudinal case study addresses activities used in the planning process of a new activity based flex office (A-FO), and addresses results after the relocation. The results show that several activities were used to involve employees in the planning process. Employee satisfaction and perceived performance were rated in more positive terms after the relocation than before. The company’s process can be considered as a good example of planning and design processes.
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| 10. |
- Rolfö, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Policies for sharing workspaces in activity-based flex offices
- 2017
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Ingår i: Organizing for High Performance. ; , s. 339-244
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Policies for maintaining non-territoriality (desk-sharing and clean desk policies) and for maintaining zones with different sound levels vary between activity-based flex offices. Five policies were identified as crucial for making the activity-based office concept work. In cases without explicitly expressed policies employees reported uncertainties and interpretations of how to act in the office.
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