What Is Activity-Based Working ?
In simple terms, activity-based working or ABW, refers to providing employees with a location choice. This means that employees get to choose a location that is most suitable for them to work from. They do not have a designated workstation, but the workplace has several areas where they can do specific tasks like focusing, socialising, collaborating and learning.
Today’s workplace has been transformed by technologies like laptops and mobile phones. These have made workers more productive by freeing them from their desks. People can work from anywhere due to their ability to access information easily from the cloud.
Business models as we used to know them are also being disrupted today and new approaches geared towards making employees more flexible and productive are needed. Activity-based working is one of these business models that provide workers with options tailored to their needs.
The driving principle behind the activity-based workplace design is that offices should be flexible enough to adapt to the diverse tasks performed by employees. Traditionally, employees were assigned a single workstation. In the activity-based workplace, employees can move around depending on the task at hand. The flexibility is built into the company’s physical office through its culture, spaceplan, workspaces and furniture.
For example, an employee can start her morning with a brainstorming session at the coffee bar, then move to a conference room for a client meeting and then move to a more private workstation to make calls and work tasks that require extra focus.
ABW @ MRI Software in Newcastle
In this case, she has no fixed desk and can move around freely to the area that provides the best environment for the activity she is handling. All she needs is her mobile phone, a laptop, and a company network.
What exactly does activity-based working bring to the table for both the company and the employees? Let’s see!
6 Undeniable Benefits of Activity-Based Working
Improves Collaboration and Communication
In an ABW environment, employees from different departments can easily collaborate on tasks and projects. This increases productivity and output since they are no longer tied to a desk all day.
Team members can seamlessly move around the workspace. In turn, this leads to better communication, easy sharing of ideas and more. This is the perfect setting for innovative ideas to be born.
Attracts and Retains Good Talent
Adopting a dynamic workplace helps engage staff, stakeholders, and visitors. You can attract the best talent by providing them with something that others don’t – unparalleled flexibility and freedom. Existing employees are also likely to stay if their workspace meets all their needs both personally and professionally.
Boosts Concentration
An activity-based office has workspaces designed for specific tasks. These can include focus group areas, collaborative zones, and quiet places.
Such spaces allow employees to be alone when they need to and to sit comfortably with their colleagues when team work matters the most. Everyone works differently. Some thrive in large crowds, others need to be alone to get their best work done. This is what activity-based working is all about.
Increases Productivity
Traditional offices have been designed for desk work and meetings only. But an activity-based workspace will allow employees to choose how they work, when and where. This recognition of the difference that makes every employee important empowers them to be responsible for their work and decide where they want to work from and when.
Builds Trust
Employees get a sense of ownership, which makes them build trust in the organisation and vice versa. This ultimately leads to company and brand loyalty.
Boosts Flexibility and Sustainability
Letting your employees choose where and when they work can help them balance their personal and work lives, which, in turn, can improve the overall employee wellbeing.
Activity-based working is the sustainable way to grow. Since it’s better at using office space than the working styles, it will help you save a lot of money on real estate. Plus, it reduces the company’s carbon footprint through cutting down on energy and supplies in the office.
Activity-based working also gives you the flexibility to incorporate custom office furniture. Get an interior design expert to recommend the right furniture to support your new working environment.
Activity based workplace design at MRI Software Newcastle
Before you dismiss it as “a new trend that will never catch on”, let us tell you that activity-based working has been around for some time now. And it’s not going anywhere.
A lot of research has been done on this topic. It all proves that it has unlimited benefits for employers and employees alike.
Of course, activity-based working is not without its challenges. They have also been exhaustively researched and documented. Read on to find out how to overcome them.
But first, let’s take a look at some of the most prominent studies.
Research on Activity-Based Working
In a survey of 400 multinational companies, two-thirds of them were open to implementing the shared desk workplace by the year 2020.
Before jumping to it, a lot of companies wanted to learn their employees’ take on the matter.
A recently published study found that 53% of employees sit in unassigned seating in 2025, up from 30% in 2019. Some of the challenges highlighted by the surveyed employees include distractions, increased distrust, negative relationships, uncooperative behavior, and a perceived distrust of supervisors in terms of support.
Another report on hot desking, which shares the activity-based workspace principle, identified challenges like indifference, marginalisation of employees, loss of identity, decreased commitment from organisations, and inattention to co-workers.
However, let’s take a look at the broader picture.
The activity-based workspace design provides different work settings for various activities like private work, meetings, collaborations, creativity, and concentration. The employees are, therefore, expected to make switches between the settings when necessary.
When asked how they feel about a new concept, most people shy away at first. This is why it’s important to test out an office setting before committing to it. Or, better yet, to make the change gradually.
Companies like Facebook and Google are at the forefront of innovation in this field. They adopted activity-based working “before it was cool” and never looked back.
Why?
Well, the reasons are numerous.
To begin with, in hot desking, employees share desks or find one when they need it. This caters well especially to employees who work outside the office often. Another plus side of using hot desking is that there are hot-desking apps available to help in the booking of space before arriving at the office.
In today's smart offices, hot desking applications such as the app marketed by iOt Space now enables employees to choose and book their desks in advance. This app helps avoid the confusion that could arise in case two people want to sit at the same desk. The apps help one find an available desk and they also navigate you to the desk with no delay, especially if you are visiting the office from out of town.
Office layout showing workspace occupancy
This way, some of the challenges that the studies above found are simply non-existent.
Positive research, however, has shown that employees who have self-contained work processes and who view themselves as independent and mobile thrive in activity-based work environments. They can therefore easily choose a workstation based on their preferences or needs. Another positive is that they can avoid social interaction when they need a quiet space to work from.
Its supporters say that the main reason companies implement activity-based working environments is to attract and retain talent. They also wish to take care of their employees’ sustainability and wellbeing while increasing innovation and collaboration.
Based on the various research findings discussed above, we can conclude that there is no one size fits all solution. ABW and hot desking will increase collaboration, efficiency, and communication but it will come with its own challenges.
Of course, any challenge can be surmounted. Since every company is unique and has unique needs, you shouldn’t necessarily base your decision on research done on other companies.
You can use such reports as a way to get started. Afterwards, you should consider your own circumstances.
Factors You Should Consider Before Implement Activity Based Working
Think about it this way: the way people work changes throughout their life. It’s only natural that they can accommodate (and even expect) an evolution of their working environment.
During the school years, everyone knew a certain space was dedicated for a certain activity. There was no in-between. For example, the music room for music, the gym for sports and the laboratory for science.
When they got into a university, they had the choice to either get the group work done under a tree, at the café, or in the library. A traditional workspace may therefore not work for them. Organisations have no choice but to embrace these new ways of working if they want to retain and attract new talent.
Before making the change, however, employers have to consider some important factors including:
What Are the Reasons for the Change?
Why do you want to implement activity-based working? Are you doing it because everyone else is? Do you feel like your peeps could benefit from more interaction?
Activity-based working encourages collaboration and therefore your business can easily pull a team from different departments in your organization to work on a project if everyone is mobile. Employees are different, and this difference is what makes activity-based working a good model.
Those who require isolation can work at their own stations while those who thrive in a noisy work environment can also do their thing. It encourages responsibility. More importantly, employees are treated as adults who can choose an environment that makes them productive.
Before making the decision, consider your employees. Ask them how they feel about it.
Make Sure Your C-Suite Supports the Move
If they do, then they will offer you support and advocate for the chance by leading by example. Otherwise, everything may be doomed from the start.
If your employees see that C-level execs never step foot in the common workspace, they will feel discriminated and treated as less important.
Of course, we all know that C-level execs need privacy. But they also need to be among their team every once in a while, don’t they?
Choose the Best Model for Your Team
As previously mentioned, there is no one size fits all when it comes to designing your office. Do a thorough research on the different models available and then choose one that suits your organisation’s needs. Obiously you can ask the workplace consultants here at Amos Beech for help.
Take Change Management Seriously
As you invest in this move, make sure your employees are educated on why the move is necessary, the benefits of the move, what will be changing, and why this particular model has been chosen. Use an effective communication plan that will involve different mediums and engage employees at all the levels of the organisation.
Test Drive before Purchasing
Test whether the change will be effective using a pilot workspace. This is an effective change tool because, from it, you can tell whether the move will benefit the company or not.
The pilot will also be a learning phase that will help you tailor a suitable working model as per your needs. Plus, it will help the employees warm up to the new way of doing things and how it will eventually affect them.
Don’t Be Discouraged by Negativity
Change is hard and some of your employees will not be thrilled by it. Learn from them but do not let them bring you down.
Recruit the Right People and Rid the Company of Paper
Activity-based working can enable you to manage all your records electronically. This will reduce your carbon footprint and turn you into a more desirable employer and business partner for your clients.
Also, make sure you recruit leaders with skills and expertise in activity-based working so they can help other employees easily adapt to the new move. Safeguard your investment by choosing the right people to handle it.
Final Thoughts
According to a case study by UK’s HR Magazine on Atlas Copco’s introduction of activity-based working at their UK office, the exercise proved to be successful.
The company implemented a cockpit for individuals needing privacy, a larger cabin that allowed for small groups to work together, and an open space furnished with multiple desks. This gave them a digital workspace that can be reconfigured whenever the needs of an employee change. The employees are now more connected and engaged since their working conditions have changed for the better.
Activity-based working benefits may not be felt immediately, but they are broader and long-term. And if they are properly executed, they can foster the wellness of the employees by improving their mental, physical, and social wellbeing.
Got 4 minutes?
Go and watch a really great video! Veldhoen + Company have created a great animation about what Activity Based Working is and what it isn't:
Most important takeaway:
"Whats really needed is a workplace tailored to the actual needs of people.”
A great working from home solution!
An ergonomic sit-stand desk hidden in a small cupboard in the colour of your interior! That’s HomeFit©.
Working from home is probably here to stay. When the vaccine is fully rolled out and things can return to normal, many businesses and organisations will have come to the conclusion that working from home has it’s advantages. Just think about the saving on expensive office space, commuting time, environmental impact, etc.
Working from home and ergonomics
However, it is possible that the home office environment may have a negative impact on the home office worker from an ergonomic point of view.
“Working at a desk is the new smoking” we wrote earlier and that was about professionally furnished offices!
At home as well as in the office, it is important to work in alternating sitting and standing postures. Most kitchen tables don’t allow this to happen.
If you have the luxury of a separate study or spacious home office, you would probably choose an adjustable desk and a decent office chair. However, not everyone has the space for such a home office.
That is why Amos Beech in Scotland, introduces the HomeFit© working from home solution!
With a width of only 105 cm and a depth of 30 cm, HomeFit© is no bigger than a shoe cupboard or a large suitcase. The unique design and many colour options will guarantee that HomeFit© blends seamlessly into any living room.
HomeFit© is the professional workstation for the home; fully electrically adjustable in height from 68-118 cm, so that you can work at the correct height both sitting down and standing up. Thanks to its compact size, there is always a place in the living room where HomeFit© is at its best.
“Scroll down for price and order form button”
Click on the image above to play the video
The transformation from an easily overlooked piece of home furniture, into a fully functional office workstation, can be done quickly and easily by opening the doors and raising the worktop. The worktop also contains the controls for height the adjustment. The handy storage tray in the cupboard provides space for work related items such as laptop, mouse or work folder.
Specifications
electric sit-stand desk, adjustable in height between 68 and 118 cm
black powder coated metal frame with aluminium door handles
safe-stop height adjustment; height adjustment stops automatically if counter pressure is detected
door lock in open position; the right door locks automatically when opened up to prevent the desk from tipping over. The lock can be released with a simple foot control.)
doors fitted with castors for easy opening and stability when opened
convenient metal storage tray for laptop and other office accessories
HomeFit® is delivered fully assembled in a cardboard box
W x D x H: 1050 x 298 x 680
sit-stand heigth: 680 - 1180
Complies to:
NEN-NPR 1813: guideline for office furniture and their application
NEN-EN 527-1: European standard for work tables and desks
ISO standards: 9001 quality, ISO 14001 environment and ISO 26000
CSR guidelines
ILO - labour and social standards
Colours and lead-times
Approx 15 working days for the following standard colours:
Natural Oak 57
white E0-00
Black 720
4-6 weeks for other colours
available from November 2020
for other finishes, click here (pdf file).
For more information contact the office:
Offices as a Service? The Changing Nature of Commercial Property in 2021
There’s no doubt that the coronavirus has been something of a game-changer for various industries and marketplaces, with some entities having fared considerably better than others since March 2020.
The commercial property market offers a relevant case in point, with the construction of new offices in central London having declined by 50% in the six months to September 2020.
The UK capital is something of a trail-blazer in the world of commercial property, so it should come as no surprise that investment volumes in Scotland also fell to £1.3 billion in 2020 (down from £2.1 billion during the previous year).
This decline has been triggered by various factors, of course, from the rise in business closures to the increased focus on home and remote working in the UK. While this trend is set to continue, however, there’s also a growing demand for the development of tailored, collegial and safe workplaces that allow for face-to-face contact between employees and clients alike.
Re-imagining the Office Space in the Wake of Covid-19
While a number of global corporations (including Amazon and American Express) have committed to extended remote working opportunities indefinitely, the majority of small businesses are keen on getting their staff members back in the office as lockdown measures are eased across the globe.
As we’ve already touched on, however, both employers and employees want to re-imagine workplaces in a post-Covid world, enabling colleagues to work safely and productively without encountering the social and cultural disconnect associated with operating remotely over an extended period of time.
The rigidity and inability of modern workplaces
In this respect, the coronavirus has been something of a revelation, raising the question of why something as challenging and complex as remote or hybrid working remains such a desirable option for employees even outside the confines of a global pandemic?
The answer clearly lies in the nature of ‘modern’ workplaces, their rigidity and inability to allow for either social distancing protocols or the individual needs of specific business-owners.
Fortunately this office has undergone a bit of a face lift 🙂, you can check it out here!
How Will Workplaces Change Post-Coronavirus?
Clearly, the trend set in London will become most prevalent in similarly competitive and crowded marketplaces, with Edinburgh offering a relevant case in point.
There’s undoubtedly a growing pressure on square footage in the Scottish capital, as geographical restrictions and increased demand continues to place constraints on the ability of developers to build and expand new commercial properties.
This trend is also prevalent in Glasgow, of course, where development rates have continued to stall over time and the total vacancy rate for Grade A office spaces declined to an all-time low of 9.9% in 2018.
The commercial property market needs a increasingly flexible and comprehensive approach from landlords.
This, combined with need for increased social distancing, demands an increasingly flexible and comprehensive approach from landlords and developers alike, who must commit to collaborating with clients when fitting out spaces and focus on providing bespoke workplaces for tenants.
This type of focused and bespoke approach will definitely benefit businesses that want to create a safe and manageable workspace as the Covid restrictions ease, while potentially optimising occupancy rates for clients across a broad range of industries.
This collaborative way of thinking certainly inspired the office refurbishment in Fugro’s new location at the Hariot Watt Research Park, as we worked closely with the landlord (and client) to create a CAT A fit-out that tailored everything from ceiling heights and partition placement to mechanical and electrical installations to suit the exact needs of the client.
If we extend this example to a post-Covid world, we begin to imagine how office spaces can be structured and refurbished to optimise space, drive efficiency and help specific clients to maximise their commercial property budgets.
What Does This Mean for the Commercial Property Market?
If we look at this trend in its wider context, it’s apparent that it has its origins in the type of serviced office space that has become prevalent in major UK cities like London, Leeds and Manchester.
Serviced office space essentially refers to furnished and fully-equipped and pay-as-you-use locations, which are usually managed by independent operators. They will rent out single serviced offices or whole floors on rolling contracts to clients, affording them access to ready-to-utilise and viable locations in double-quick time.
However, these spaces are targeted at types of business rather than individual clients, while their largely generic workplace design offers little in the way of flexibility and social distancing capacity.
By evolving the concept to create bespoke spaces for specific clients, however, we’re now seeing a scenario where offices are being marketed as a service (in the same way that Saas has grown into a comprehensive licensing and delivery model for software).
This is a huge opportunity for stakeholders like landlords and developers to shape the future landscape of the commercial property market, as it evolves to meet the changing needs of clients and adapt to variable market conditions.
Read more about how we can help:
Date of first publication: December 12th, 2021