Users no longer have fixed, assigned workspaces.
Organizations are increasingly opting for a dynamic work environment or activity-based work environment where users no longer have fixed, assigned workspaces. We must not lose sight of the fact that a work environment must first and foremost guarantee the comfort and well-being of its users. In the rise of activity-based work environments, this is often overlooked, with the focus solely on cost savings. Moreover, scientific studies show that a flexible work environment is not necessarily the best choice when striving for optimal user comfort.
The perception of losing comfort is a significant cause of resistance within an organization.
Let us consider this from a sociological perspective. We link employee well-being to the realization of active jobs based on Karasek’s model, which works with two variables: decision latitude versus job demands.
- We are all familiar with boring work.
This is the repetitive assembly-line work where we as employees can exercise too little influence. It is a simple job as long as we can keep up, of course. - Simple work gives us too much decision latitude with low job demands.
Be careful, as this can lead to demotivation! Think, for example, of teleworkers with an unclear task package. - Stressful work is something we try to avoid.
Overload with difficult tasks combined with a lack of influence over how the job is carried out leads to exhaustion and burnout. - Challenging work is where we want to go.
Successfully taking on challenging tasks by determining the circumstances in which we carry them out ourselves.
The dynamic work environment gives us choice and therefore actively supports the user’s decision latitude!
If I, as a user, want to read a difficult text in a concentrated way, I choose a quiet room or work at home. I work on projects in a specially equipped project environment. I handle file work together with colleagues at a shared desk.
The dynamic work environment gives me a choice of several workplace alternatives depending on my job demands. If we design the work environment tailored to the organization and properly guide the implementation, the dynamic environment will help us avoid stress and contribute to the well-being of the users.
