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The impact of workplaces and self-management practices on the productivity of knowledge workers
Abstract and Figures
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the impact of workplaces, which support concentration and communication, and self-management practices on individual and team productivity. The underlying hypothesis is that the impact of these variables on the two levels of productivity (individual and team) and the two dimensions of productivity (quantity and quality) may be different.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on survey data from 998 Finnish knowledge workers. Factor analysis was used to test the dimensions of the conceptual model. Insights into the impact of workplaces for concentration and communications and self-management practices on productivity were obtained by multiple-regression analyses.
Findings
The findings show that self-management practices have a larger impact on the quality and quantity of individual output and the quantity of team output than workplaces for communication and concentration. Improving self-management skills is key to increase all productivity dimensions and in particular the quality of the output.
Practical implications
This paper contributes to a better understanding of the impact of workplace characteristics and self-management practices on different levels and dimensions of productivity. It offers valuable lessons for managers, as they are able to recognize how productivity can be approached from several perspectives. Different dimensions can be enhanced using different workplace settings. For example, the quantitative output of employees can be increased by adding more space for concentration, while quantitative team productivity can be increased by providing appropriate space for collaboration. An important means to enhance a higher quality of the output is to improve self-management skills. The findings also suggest that collaboration between different disciplines – corporate management, corporate real estate management, human resource management and IT – is needed to optimize individual and team productivity.
Originality/value
This paper explores work environment experiences of Finnish office workers and connects both workplace appraisal and work practices to perceived productivity support, on individual level and team level. It also adds insights into the different impacts on quantity and quality.
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... They include the promotion of a healthy and safe workplace environment (Chadburn et al., 2017), which entails access to comfortable lighting level, control of indoor temperature, provision of clean air, provision of active noise reduction measures and ergonomic furniture (Clements-Croome, 2015). These characteristics of the workplace would eventually result in improving employees' comfort, health and well-being, which leads to increased job satisfaction (Palvalin et al., 2017). Sustainable workplace practices also support the workplace ability to encourage social interaction, knowledge exchange among employees and development of creative business solutions. ...
... These attributes include employees' indoor environmental comfort, proximity to various amenities, effective support for information technology and workplace layout. Palvalin et al. (2017) investigated the impact of several attributes that are deemed necessary for enhancing workplace productivity. These include the provision of spaces that permit working alone without distractions, communication and social interaction. ...
... Provision of easy access to facilities where meetings could be conducted is a sign of an effective workplace (Joy and Haynes, 2011), which would positively affect the workplace productivity (Chadburn et al., 2017). In addition, the availability of designated rooms for teamwork would support employees' satisfaction and enhance collaboration among co-workers (Palvalin et al., 2017). ...
Purpose
This paper aims to review and assess the sustainable design and management considerations affecting workplaces’ productivity in Saudi Arabia.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a mixed approach, commencing with literature review, development and pilot-testing of a structured questionnaire instrument to assess design and management considerations towards productively sustainable workplaces (PSWs). In total, 31 considerations affecting sustainable workplaces’ productivity were identified and clustered under five main directions. A collective group of stakeholders, including architects/engineers (A/E), workplace users and facilities managers, were approached to correlate and compare their individual assessment of the identified PSWs. The relative importance index (RII) for each of the PSW considerations is correlated and discussed.
Findings
A high level of agreement is recognized among the three stakeholder groups for PSWs considerations’ assessed rankings. The provision of sufficient ventilation and illumination levels, availability of occupational health, security and safety, availability of ergonomically oriented technological infrastructure, availability of formal and informal meeting spaces, efficient space utilization and ergonomic workstations are all ranked highest in importance as design considerations towards PSWs.
Originality/value
The study stems from the need to understand how the PSWs’ design and management considerations are perceived by all streams of stakeholders. The findings identify the considerations’ importance for prioritization on PSWs’ investments.
... In a company, the completeness of facilities is one of the essential factors in determining the quality of employee work. Palvalin, van der Voordt, and Jylha (2017) stated that facilities substantially impact the employees' work quality or the productivity of an organization. Musriha (2011) also highli, a ghted that a complete of company facilities is essential, affecting the company's development. ...
... Providing complete facilities is helpful so that it can motivate employees to work better and not be lazy. Moreover, Palvalin et al. (2017) mentioned that the characteristics of work facilities to support employees' work included having a comfortable place to rest and well-designed furniture. These tools can support employees in completing their work efficiently. ...
Viewed in this world, humans were the most important aspect of a company, and humans had an important role in advancing and improving the company. Therefore, it was necessary to see how much comfort and facilities factors can affect the employees’ work quality. This study was conducted to see whether or not there was an influence of work comfort and completeness of company facilities on employees’ work quality, with work motivation as the intervening variable. This research used quantitative research, which involved 148 respondents. Data processing in this study used SmartPLS. From the results of data processing from respondents' answers, it concluded that (1) Work comfort had a significant positive effect on work motivation, (2) Work comfort had no significant effect on employees’ work quality, (3) Company facilities completeness had a positive significant effect on work motivation, (4) Completeness of company facilities had no significant effect on employees’ work quality (5) Work motivation had a significant positive effect on employees’ work quality, (6) Work motivation did not mediate significantly the relationship between work comfort on work quality, and (7) Work motivation did not mediate significantly the relationship between completeness of company facilities on work quality. In order to enhance the employees’ work quality, the company management should consider using something other than the work comfort and the completeness of working facilities to increase employees' work motivation as the Two Factors Motivation Theory of Frederick Herzberg. Keywords— Work Comfort; Completeness of Company Facilities; Employees’ Work Quality; Work Motivation
... The ability to communicate and focus on work has a favorable and significant impact on productivity gains in all aspects, according to an empirical study conducted in Finland with 998 knowledge workers [15]. Another empirical study employing WODI data, which included comments from 25,947 respondents from 191 firms in the Netherlands, demonstrated that employee contentment with facilities is the best predictor of productivity. ...
From a micro and macroeconomic perspective, work-from-home (WFH) productivity becomes a strategic matter. The purpose of this study is to elucidate how digital resources, such as the availability of digital support at home, and related working skills such as digital skills, digital cooperation, and digital leadership affect WFH productivity. A cross-sectional survey was carried out by Yayasan Pendidikan Telkom (YPT), an Indonesian higher education institution, with the participation of 2.082 academics, educational managers, and administrative staff. WFH novices make up the bulk of replies. The gathered data was assessed using SmartPLS version 3 as a variance-based structural equation modeling statistical tool. The result showed that WFH productivity was impacted by digital resources and technology support. Digital leadership of managers and/or supervisors doesn't directly affect them.
... Dengan demikian, self-management tidak hanya merupakan keterampilan yang penting dalam dirinya sendiri, tetapi juga merupakan fondasi untuk kesuksesan dalam berbagai aspek kehidupan dan karir. Dengan mengembangkan self-management maka dapat meningkatkan seluruh kunci produktivitas sehingga akan berpengaruh pada kualitas hasil akhir (Palvalin et al., 2017). Di samping itu, skor paling rendah didapatkan pada ES8 yaitu kemampuan berwirausaha, yaitu mampu mentransformasikan ide menjadi peluang bisnis. ...
Penelitian mengangkat masalah tingkat pengangguran per Agustus 2023, sekolah menengah kejuruan masih berada pada posisi tertinggi 9,31% diakibatkan kesiapan kerja siswa yang kurang optimal, pengimplementasian program WBL yang belum sesuai dengan bidang yang ditekuni, dan employability skills siswa yang belum sesuai dengan kebutuhan dunia kerja. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengamnalisis bagaimana kesiapan kerja, WBL, dan employability skills mampu menuntun siswa sukses dengan karir yang dipilihnya. Penelitian ini termasuk dalam penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif dengan subjek siswa kelas XII OTKP SMKN 10 Surabaya yang berjumlah 138 siswa dengan melibatkan 103 sampel. Analisis data menggunakan analisis deskriptif dengan berbantuan software SPSS 29. Temuan penelitian ini mengindikasi bahwa dalam kesiapan kerja, siswa cenderung memiliki kemampuan berorganisasi yaitu mampu bertanggung jawab dengan keputusan yang diambil dilihat dari nilai mean sebesar 4,44. Temuan lainnya dalam WBL, siswa lebih unggul dalam work-process dilihat dari nilai mean sebesar 4,56, dimana bimbingan mentor sangat diperlukan dalam kesuksesan karir. Dalam penguasaan employability skills siswa, kemampuan tertinggi ada pada kemampuan self-management dengan nilai mean sebesar 4,43 yang berarti siswa dapat mengelola waktu dengan baik saat pelaksanaan WBL. Dengan meningkatkan kesiapan kerja siswa melalui implementasi WBL yang optimal dan mengembangkan employability skills, siswa akan mencapai kesuks eskan karir yang dipilihnya.
... For example, it was unclear whether the employees refrained from switching because they did not need to, because they did not want to or because switching was impossible, as Hoendervanger et al. (2018) pointed out, due to personal preferences. Palvalin et al. (2017) highlighted that self-management also played a significant role when using the facilities correctly, such as through switching. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to extend the current knowledge on the impacts of activity-based workplaces (ABWs) on productivity in knowledge work. It offers more background information that is needed to properly evaluate ABWs’ suitability for different organisations. In the results section, ABWs are compared to the cellular and open-plan office types.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted using a survey method with 5,841 respondents. The data were collected between 2015 and 2019 from 32 public-sector organisations.
Findings
The findings of this paper reveal that ABWs offer clear advantages over the other office types but requires careful design and well-implemented solutions. The superiority between ABWs and cellular offices also depends on workers’ profiles and needs and is not for everyone.
Practical implications
For practitioners, this paper offers valuable information to compare the three office types: ABW, cellular and open-plan. It also highlights the importance of careful planning and good implementation, which are both essential to making the ABW environment productive for employees. Finally, this paper clearly provides evidence that ABWs and open-plan offices differ in their facilities and productivity.
Originality/value
This paper included a unique and large sample with open variables, which are fairly rare in ABW-related papers. It also provides evidence that ABWs, when implemented correctly, seem to be an excellent option for some work profiles.
... According to Rolfö, Eklund, and Jahncke (2018), a lack of territoriality and personalization in the workplace negatively affects employees' privacy, which decreases creativity. Moreover, in open workspaces, knowledge workers are exposed to constant visual stimuli, conversations and noise, which leads to regular distractions, higher stress levels and consequently, impaired creativity (Palvalin, van der Voordt, & Jylhä, 2017). Nevertheless, the increasing prevalence of activity-based workspaces in business and research (Gerdenitsch, Korunka, & Hertel, 2018 2.2 | Perceived psychological freedom as a mediating factor for individual creativity Employees who experience a high level of perceived psychological freedom in the workplace are more motivated, satisfied and productive (Chang, Huang, & Choi, 2012;Langfred & Moye, 2004;Sia & Appu, 2015). ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how we work. Even after the pandemic, many companies offer their employees the option of working from home. Although working from home may offer several benefits, our understanding of whether employees are more creative when working from home or in an office is limited. To address this research gap, we conducted an experimental study with a German company whose employees usually work in an activity-based workspace consisting of open, closed and informal spaces that can be used by employees depending on the task at hand. Employees self-assessed their creative performance for different creative tasks (individual vs. team) and in different work environments (office vs. home office). Our findings reveal that for individual creative tasks (e.g. creating a presentation), employees are more creative when working from home (vs. in the office) because they experience higher levels of perceived psychological freedom (mediating effect). By contrast, for team creative tasks (e.g. developing ideas for a new product), employees reported being more creative when working in the office (vs. from home) due to higher levels of perceived psychological safety (mediating effect). Taken together, these findings enhance our understanding of when and how working from home (vs. in the office) may be beneficial for employees' creativity.
Full paper download here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/AWIAZFSIDJGNIUACYE8X?target=10.1111/caim.12601
Based on a symbolic–interpretive and social–constructivist research approach, this longitudinal study explores how employees perceive workspace changes. Rich empirical processual data that were continuously collected during the change process were used to analyze workspace changes as a new type of organizational change, thereby contributing to sensemaking research. Three types of change recipients from employees’ responses to a workspace change based on differences in their underlying cognitive, behavioral, and affective patterns throughout the sensemaking process were identified: those with positive attitudes and perceptions, those with negative attitudes and perceptions, and those exhibiting a change toward positive attitudes and perceptions. As a practical contribution, change agents and leaders can gain insights and guidance for managing different employees by considering the individual patterns that trigger changes in employees’ perceptions throughout the change process. These insights about sensemaking also contribute to organizational development and change management research.
Purpose
We explore the benefits and challenges for organisations using hybrid working practices post-pandemic. We focus upon the non-profit English social housing sector; however, this research is relevant to any organisation adopting hybrid working practices. The implications for productivity and performance management of hybrid practices are currently not well understood.
Design/methodology/approach
Within this Reflective Practice work, we apply a dual-theoretic lens to a new Ways of Working tool and adopt a mixed methods approach. First scoping interviews were conducted with senior managers possessing strategic knowledge of their organisations’ approaches to hybrid working. Secondly, a large-scale survey was administered to evaluate employees’ perceptions of hybrid working, including their concerns for future impacts.
Findings
Our data identify several benefits and challenges associated with hybrid working. Reclaimed commuting time was deemed a positive benefit, alongside greater personal time, work-life balance and (for the majority) less-interrupted workspace. Challenges were identified regarding the transparency of staff reward and recognition, the potential for masked burnout and purposeful team communication.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the unique context of the pandemic and widespread, but sudden adoption of home- and hybrid working, this study can be taken as a snapshot in time as organisations recalibrate the consequences of new ways of working.
Originality/value
Despite hybrid working having been possible for decades, many articles describe typical benefits (e.g. less commuting time) and challenges (e.g. organisational culture) without fully understanding productivity and performance implications. To explore this, we extend Palvalin et al .’s (2015) Tool by establishing a theoretical foundation through the conservation of resources theory and practice theory.
To be successful, institutions need motivated employees to achieve their goals, especially in contexts of economic crisis. As such, an effective leader is fundamental to mobilize and influence people. Executive leadership is an essential component of social institutions (SIs)’ success. This study is based on a systematic literature review, with the main objective of analyzing how leadership styles affect intellectual capital (IC) in SIs. To this end, 80 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) were analyzed using the VOSviewer software. The main results allow the identification of four clusters, namely: effect of IC dimensions on productivity, better leadership policies through social and intellectual capital, factors that contribute to leadership in Sis, and the role of social and intellectual capital in the recognition of opportunities. The results also show how leadership styles and intellectual capital affect SIs and characteristics and factors inherent in this theme. Additionally, suggestions for future research have been identified.
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to answer the question of whether Facility Management
(FM) is solely a cost factor or whether it has the potential to be a value driver in the core
business; in other words, whether a company that invests less than one Euro into Facility
Management services can increase its productivity by more than one Euro. If this is the case, we
call it multiplier effect. Additionally, an insight into the demand-gap in FM will be given.
Design/methodology/approach: Part of the potential demand gap in FM was analysed using a
quantitative national online survey with a total of more than 7500 participants of graduates of
universities of applied sciences. In a second step, the “use value” was measured by the potential
of enhanced working productivity. In a third step, the potential of the enhanced working
productivity was compared with the potential enhanced FM resources (exchange value) to
deliver the best quality of FM service.
Findings: A model for measuring the productivity enhancement through FM services is
developed and the dimensions of a demand gap and a supply gap in FM are defined. One part of
the potential demand gap in FM is quantified. Initial results indicate a huge potential demand gap
in FM. Also, if the benefits of FM can be tapped, FM should be seen as a driver of productivity
rather than a cost factor.
Originality/value: A great deal of research has been published about the need for FM to be more
strategic and escape the commodity trap. However, it seems to be difficult to quantify the value
of the actual impact FM might have for primary activities. An even more difficult task,
apparently, is quantifying the productivity gains caused by FM. The present study responds to
these research challenges by presenting an approach for how to identify a demand-gap in FM and
demonstrate the measurements of potential productivity gains.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore which factors may explain the high or low percentages of satisfied employees in offices with shared activity-based workplaces.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper compares data on employee satisfaction from two cases with remarkably high satisfaction scores and two cases with significantly lower satisfaction scores (total N = 930), all of the same organisation. These cases were selected from a database with employee responses to a standardised questionnaire in 52 flexible work environments. In the four case studies, also group interviews were conducted.
Findings
Overall, there are large differences in employee satisfaction between cases with, at first sight, a similar activity-based office concept. The main differences between the best and worst cases regard employee satisfaction with the interior design, level of openness, subdivision of space, number and diversity of work places and accessibility of the building. Employee satisfaction shows to be influenced by many physical characteristics of the work environment and by the implementation process. Satisfaction with the organisation may have an impact as well.
Research limitations/implications
Almost all cases regard Dutch organisations. Due to the lack of quantitative scales to define the physical characteristics of the work environment, the study is mainly descriptive and explorative and does not include advanced multivariate statistical analyses.
Practical implications
The data revealed clear critical success factors including a supportive spatial layout to facilitate communication and concentration, attractive architectural design, ergonomic furniture, appropriate storage facilities and coping with psychological and physical needs, such as privacy, thermal comfort, daylight and view. Critical process factors are the commitment of managers, a balance between a top-down and a bottom-up approach and clear instructions on how to use activity-based workplaces.
Originality/value
The study connects descriptive research with inductive reasoning to explore why employees may be satisfied or dissatisfied with flex offices. It is based on a combination of quantitative survey data from 52 cases and a closer look at two best cases and two worst cases based on qualitative data from interviews and personal observations. The study has high practical value due to the integral approach that incorporates many items of the physical environment and context factors like the implementation process.
Purpose
Measuring productivity in changing environment is a challenging task for most of the organizations. However, it is very important for managers to measure how the changes in work environment impact on knowledge work productivity. SmartWoW is proving to be a useful tool for this type of productivity measurement, and organizations are using it to make changes in the work environment. As organizations become more interested in its uses, studies with more accurate results are needed. The purpose of this paper is to validate and improve the use of the SmartWoW tool.
Design/methodology/approach
The SmartWoW tool was used in nine organizations, which formulates the research data. Convergent validity, divergent validity and reliability are tested with SPSS and AMOS. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are applied.
Findings
The SmartWoW tool structure was found to be valid. It follows the structure described in previous literature, with slight changes in two dimensions. Four variables were added to increase tool consistency, and their wording was harmonized.
Practical implications
SmartWoW is useful for evaluating an organization’s current work environment and practices, as well as for measuring the effects of work environment changes. This study’s results also suggest SmartWoW would be useful for research by, for example, evaluating how dimensions affect each other.
Originality/value
This study provides a better understanding of the unique features and uses of SmartWoW. The findings not only validate through statistical analysis the tool’s structure but also improve it and offer a broader scope of its uses.
Purpose
This paper aims to address the management of people and their working behaviour successfully during workplace change – from a traditional way of working towards new ways of working. The study was based on the observation that during workplace change, organisations often fail to see the importance of managing (working) behaviour during the process of workplace change. The focus is mostly on the design of the new working environment and the information technology in it. However, these do not seem to be the determining aspects of the success of workplace change, merely necessary boundary conditions. This paper will elucidate how internal communication can make the greatest impact on shifting people’s working behaviour and attitudes and thus manage it effectively.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature study has been conducted to investigate the relation between the topics of new ways of working, workplace change and internal communication. This study surfaced the importance of the aspect of (working) behaviour within workplace change. Subsequently, a field study was performed, during which several interviews were held with the project team of the R&D department of a chemical multinational, who is on the brink of implementing a new workplace concept. Also, focus group interviews were held with their employees to research personal views on expected working behaviour.
Findings
The outcomes of the research, literature review and field study clarify the critical success factors for internal communication to manage the workplace change, so it lives up to the expectations. These are: face-to-face communication, assigning the manager the role of workplace change leader and use internal communication to inform employees and inspire them.
Originality/value
In this paper, the behavioural aspect has been identified as a key determinant of perceived success of a new workplace concept. Managing workplace change successfully should therefore merely focus on managing the working behaviour of the people involved, instead of managing the building and interior design or the technology in it. Internal communication was identified as a pivotal tool to reach this success.
Companies delivering services must broaden their examination of productivity from the conventional company-oriented perspective to a dual company-customer perspective. This broadened approach can help reconcile conflicts – the leverage synergies – between improving service quality and boosting service productivity. This article proposed a conceptual framework for understanding the inter-linkages among service quality and the various components of the company-customer perspective of productivity, and discusses the implications of the framework for service executives and researchers.
Open-plan layouts have evolved significantly over the last decades with innovative concepts such as Activity-Based Working (ABW) becoming the norm in workspace layout. ABW by definition requires the creation of a variety of spaces for the occupants to select from, depending on requirements of the task at hand. While much research has been done in documenting the impacts of conventional open-plan layouts. Given the hyperbole around ABW coming from the industry, it is surprising that so little empirical research conducted in ABW has been performed to date. This paper aims to contribute to this knowledge gap by examining the impact of different workspace layouts on occupants' overall satisfaction on key IEQ dimensions, perceived productivity and perceived health. Post-occupancy evaluation results from 5,171 building occupants in 30 buildings from the Building Occupant Survey System Australia – BOSSA – database were used for this analysis. Floor plans were analysed and classified into three broad categories: Hive, ABW and Cell. Results indicated that occupants in ABW layouts were generally more satisfied with IEQ issues, such as space for breaks, interaction with colleagues, space to collaborate, air quality and building aesthetics, compared to those in Hive or Cell layouts. ABW was also in association with higher occupant satisfaction than the other two spatial configurations in terms of overall work area comfort and the overall building satisfaction. Not surprisingly, Cell layouts were more successful in producing higher satisfaction scores on sound privacy and visual privacy.