Office design and organizational change: The influence of communication and organizational culture

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare different employee perceptions of the success of one change: a move to new offices and an open-plan design.

Design/methodology/approach

In sum, 25 interviews were carried out in a New Zealand law firm that six months earlier had moved to new premises.

Findings

Contrary to academic and practitioner reports that open-plan offices are disliked, participants appreciated the new office space. A well-planned and highly participative program of change management led to positive perceptions of aesthetic design, open communication, collegiality, egalitarianism and inclusiveness.

Research limitations/implications

Given the small sample used in one organization, the study highlights the need for more research into the processes and outcomes of office space changes.

Originality/value

The roles of communication and culture, in particular, collegiality and egalitarianism, were salient factors in a complex web of causes and consequences in this context of change.

Citation

Smollan, R.K. and Morrison, R.L. (2019), "Office design and organizational change: The influence of communication and organizational culture", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 426-440. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-03-2018-0076