Search results
1 – 10 of over 2000Ingrid Nappi, Gisele de Campos Ribeiro and Nicolas Cochard
The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the relationship between employees’ workspace satisfaction and their respective perceptions of workspace support to labour…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the relationship between employees’ workspace satisfaction and their respective perceptions of workspace support to labour productivity interacts with two emotional experiences as follows: workspace attachment and job stress.
Design/methodology/approach
Web-based surveys conducted before and after a company’s short-distance relocation. Study 1 concerned 66 employees and was conducted a few weeks before the relocation. Study 2 concerned 84 employees and was conducted six months after the relocation. Ordinary least squares regression, moderation and mediation analysis were performed.
Findings
After the relocation, the employees experienced greater job stress, less workspace satisfaction, and they felt less attached to their workspaces. However, the evaluations of workspace support to labour productivity did not change. Contrary to expectations, employees’ workspace satisfaction is not related to their evaluation of this workspace as supporting labour productivity. Instead, this relationship is moderated by job stress. The hypothesis that workspace attachment mediates the relationship between workspace satisfaction and respective evaluation of this workspace as supporting labour productivity was not verified.
Practical implications
Corporate real estate managers and any manager leading short-distance relocation projects should consider incorporating change management in the projects to maintain employees’ positive attitudes and emotional bonds with their workspace.
Originality/value
This research improves the knowledge of how employees perceive the workspace as supporting their work duties.
Details
Keywords
Many corporates in India are constantly adapting real estate benchmarks to reduce the workspace maintenance cost. However, anecdotally benchmarking the experience of clients while…
Abstract
Purpose
Many corporates in India are constantly adapting real estate benchmarks to reduce the workspace maintenance cost. However, anecdotally benchmarking the experience of clients while designing the workspace maintenance policies is not adequately taken into consideration in India. The focus of this study is on benchmarking workspace usage based on client usability.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is descriptive in nature. A structured questionnaire was sent to Information Technology (IT) companies in India to collect data through SurveyMonkey. Stratified sampling was used to collect a sample of 697 respondents which was also verified using G* software. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics and partial least square–structured equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to investigate the mediating effect of benchmarking the workspace usage on portfolio optimization and client satisfaction.
Findings
The structural model results obtained through the bootstrapping technique show that benchmarking workspace usage for real estate management positively impacts client satisfaction in the Indian IT workspace. The findings of this study support the full mediation effect (97%) and indicate that benchmarking practices are necessary for developing strategies for optimal portfolio asset utilization and are essential to survive in the current competitive business environment.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study were influenced by the feedback from the top 100 IT clients in India. The research findings vary according to the cost-benefit analysis of adopting benchmarking measures in small and medium-sized IT companies which still benchmark the workspace usage based on cost-saving measures. Also, very sparse research has been conducted in the workspace management domain of IT firms, so the results of this study can further be used as a reference to explore this area.
Practical implications
The study provides useful insights into how benchmarking in the workspace management domain of the CRE industry can be applied to address portfolio-related challenges, divergent client needs and improve workspace usability following energy-efficient policies. Practitioners can use this study as a guide to develop more effective workspace management policies.
Social implications
This study may guide other firms to benchmark their current workspace usage and evaluate the impact of their workspace management policies based on the theoretical framework of value-added balanced benchmarking criteria.
Originality/value
This research adds value to the limited literature available on the impact of technology-enabled portfolio optimization techniques through benchmarking which can reduce workspace usage and enhance the usability of the workspace.
Details
Keywords
Mark O'Donnell, Lisa A. Ruth-Sahd and Clifton O. Mayfield
The purpose of this paper is to test whether supportive workspace design, cultivation of high-quality leader–member relationships and vision alignment explain incremental variance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test whether supportive workspace design, cultivation of high-quality leader–member relationships and vision alignment explain incremental variance in job satisfaction, work engagement and overall life satisfaction beyond antecedents identified in an earlier model of healthy workplace practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports the results of a survey study with a diverse sample of 214 employees.
Findings
In a series of regression analyses, the findings revealed that supportive workspace design, cultivation of high-quality leader–member relationships and vision alignment each explain incremental variance in one or more outcome variables (job satisfaction, work engagement and overall life satisfaction) beyond that of antecedents identified in an earlier model of healthy workplace practices.
Research limitations/implications
The present study identifies additional important variables to consider when conducting future research on healthy workplace practices. Future research could use longitudinal or experimental designs to further investigate the causal direction of the relationships identified in the present paper.
Practical implications
Managers can implement the practices identified in this paper to improve employees’ work engagement, job satisfaction and overall life satisfaction.
Social implications
This paper offers insights about how to improve employees’ lives, and thus, the potential impact is far-reaching and meaningful.
Originality/value
This paper empirically assesses workplace variables that were not included in tests of the prior healthy workplace practices model.
Details
Keywords
Christhina Candido, Samin Marzban, Shamila Haddad, Martin Mackey and Angela Loder
From poor indoor environmental quality conditions to musculoskeletal discomfort, the interior design of workspaces has the potential to negatively affect human health. One of the…
Abstract
Purpose
From poor indoor environmental quality conditions to musculoskeletal discomfort, the interior design of workspaces has the potential to negatively affect human health. One of the key responses from industry has been the rise of health-related guidelines, certification and rating tools. Despite the rapid adoption of such tools by the Australian high-end corporate real estate, there is a scarcity of empirical evidence arising from such premises. This study aims to compare results from certified premises against other open-plan offices to understand differences arising from occupants’ satisfaction, perceived productivity and health.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 1,121 post-occupancy evaluation (POE) surveys conducted in 9 offices were analyzed. All these premises hold a certification from the Green Building Council of Australia and two achieved a WELL rating. The analysis is performed in three parts: comparing WELL-certified (2 cases) and non-WELL certified (7 cases) offices along with comparison with a benchmark of 9,794 POE surveys from the BOSSA database, comparing activity-based working (ABW) (5 cases) and traditional (4 cases) offices along with comparison with BOSSA database and qualitative study of the similar design features in all 9 offices accompanied with an in-depth analysis of the health-related issues that might have occurred because of poor ergonomic design. For the first two parts, several t-tests are performed.
Findings
Highest scores for overall satisfaction, workability, perceived productivity and health were reported on WELL-rated premises. Offices incorporating active design principles outperformed others on workability, satisfaction with work area, collaboration, unwanted interruptions, perceived productivity and health. ABW environments outperformed the traditional offices on spatial comfort, thermal comfort, noise and privacy, personal control, comfort of furnishing, adjustability of the work area and space to collaborate. People using sit–stand workstations reported spending significantly less time seated and female workers were more prone to reporting pain over the past 12 months. The best-performing offices implemented active and biophilic design, prioritized overall ergonomics and different spaces designed to support a variety of work-related activities.
Originality/value
This research conducts a comparison between certified premises against other offices in terms of occupants’ satisfaction, perceived productivity and health. A qualitative analysis is also conducted to investigate personal and physical environmental aspects. The way of working (ABW or traditional), implementation of active design features, self-reported musculoskeletal discomfort and physical activity were also investigated. The study has taken a holistic approach to investigate many health-related physical, environmental and emotional aspects in certified workspaces.
Details
Keywords
Craig Langston, Yu Song and Brian Purdey
Research into office design and its effect on employee satisfaction and performance has attracted considerable contemporary research interest. However, most studies have tended to…
Abstract
Purpose
Research into office design and its effect on employee satisfaction and performance has attracted considerable contemporary research interest. However, most studies have tended to concentrate on the impact of the built environment on human performance, ignoring the actual needs of employees working in different organizational settings. This paper hence aims to investigate the nature and extent of occupant satisfaction with the built environment in different organizational settings in Australia for a range of climates.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted in Australia from 2004‐2005, comprising 41 buildings, including six government buildings, 14 educational buildings and 21 commercial buildings. The Kruskal‐Wallis H test was used to explore whether there are differences in the mean ranking of office environment satisfaction amongst the three organizational settings, and the Mann‐Whitney U test was employed to further test whether there are differences in the mean ranking of office environment satisfaction between any two groups.
Findings
Significant differences were found in aspects of air, temperature, space suitability, flexibility, usability and controllability. Employees in commercial settings seem to be more satisfied with their physical work environment than employees in other organization types. Employees in educational settings showed the highest satisfaction with most variables in the workspace design and management category. Government employees showed a lower level of satisfaction with their physical work environment and workspace design and management.
Originality/value
Moreover, the government and educational groups showed more similarity with each other, while the commercial group displayed significant difference.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review of the home offices of teleworkers employed by organizations in an attempt to understand the relationships between the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review of the home offices of teleworkers employed by organizations in an attempt to understand the relationships between the design and physical conditions of home offices and teleworkers' work behaviours and to identify new areas of research around home offices.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive review of the research literature in home working, teleworking, and conventional office settings from multiple disciplines was carried out.
Findings
This review has located no recent studies that focus on the design and conditions of home‐offices of teleworkers employed by organizations. The research on home working and on conventional offices suggests that teleworkers desire qualities in their home offices similar to those of conventional offices. Little is known about how the physical conditions of dwellings and family variables affect the effectiveness of home offices as a workplace.
Research limitations/implications
Little empirical research focused on home offices is available, so much more research is needed.
Practical implications
The design of home workspace must meet the needs of teleworkers and their families' home environment. The cost savings in corporate facilities must be balanced against the workplace needs of their employees.
Originality/value
The paper fills a gap in research about teleworking in home offices by integrating research from two related areas: homeworking and conventional office environment.
Details
Keywords
Deepak Bangwal and Prakash Tiwari
The hotel industry suffers from retaining its employees, and to retain their employees is a big challenge to the hotel industry. So, the purpose of this study is to examine the…
Abstract
Purpose
The hotel industry suffers from retaining its employees, and to retain their employees is a big challenge to the hotel industry. So, the purpose of this study is to examine the causal relationship between workplace design features of hospitality industry with employee job satisfaction and their intent to stay through empirical validation.
Design/methodology/approach
As per the objective of the study, three hypotheses were proposed based on a comprehensive literature review on workplace design features of the hospitality industry. The proposed relationships were examined by using structural equation modeling approach with AMOS 18 as prescribed by Hair et al. (1998).
Findings
Significant evidence was found in favor of proposed hypotheses. The result of hypothesis testing showed workplace design features of hospitality industry to positively influence employee’s intent to stay through job satisfaction.
Originality/value
While the employee satisfaction and commitment has been a significant research topic for more than decades, barely any research has been conducted that focuses specifically on workplace design features of a hospitality industry. This study tries to make a link between workplace design with the employee intent to stay through employee satisfaction. These links are rare from an Indian perspective.
Details
Keywords
Pia Sirola, Annu Haapakangas, Marjaana Lahtinen and Virpi Ruohomäki
The purpose of this case study is to investigate how the personnel in an organization experienced the process of change when moving from private offices to an activity-based…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this case study is to investigate how the personnel in an organization experienced the process of change when moving from private offices to an activity-based office (ABO) and how their perceptions of change were associated with changes in their satisfaction with the work environment a year after relocation.
Design/methodology/approach
A comparative pre-post study design and mixed methods were used. Survey data was obtained from 154 employees before the relocation and 146 after the relocation. The data on the 105 employees who responded to both surveys were statistically analyzed. Representatives of different units were interviewed (n = 17) and documentary material was analyzed as complementary material.
Findings
The personnel’s criticisms concerned the reasons for the change, their opportunities to influence the office design and the extent to which their views were taken into account. Environmental satisfaction decreased after moving to the ABO. The personnel’s ratings of the workplace change process before the relocation were associated with the later change in environmental satisfaction. Based on logistic regression, the degree of agreement with management’s reasons for the change was the strongest predictor of the change in environmental satisfaction.
Practical implications
Organizations that move from private offices to an ABO should invest in high-quality change management and simultaneously develop both work and facilities. Special attention should be paid to clarifying the rationale for the change to the employees and to providing them with opportunities to influence during the change. Organizations should continue to monitor user experiences and evaluate the effects of the change after the office redesign and should take corrective action as needed.
Originality/value
This empirical case study is unique as it combined qualitative and quantitative methods and investigated the process of relocation and its outcomes in a one-year follow-up. This approach captured the importance of managing change and assessing the long-term effects of office redesign when moving from private offices to an ABO.
Details
Keywords
Kemal Yildirim, Aysen Ozkan, Elif Gunes and Ahmet Mestan
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of window proximity on perceptions of employees in the call center offices.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of window proximity on perceptions of employees in the call center offices.
Design/methodology/approach
A semantic differential scale composed of nine bipolar adjectives, four of which dealt with “planning,” three of “privacy,” while the rest measured “lighting” was applied for evaluation. In total, 92 employees at the TEPE Call Center in the Bilkent District, Ankara, Turkey participated in the research.
Findings
The results showed that window proximity directly affected the call center employees’ perceptions. In addition, a positive approach was even less affected when the location of the workstation was more at the inner part of the workspace. On the contrary, workstations in front of the window were evaluated more positively, presumably because the employees were happy at feeling roomy and by giving them a higher level of privacy, while also minimizing distractions and interruptions. It was also found that call center employees with secondary education responded more positively than higher educated employees.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited to examining the effects of window proximity in a call center on employees’ perceptions of an open-plan office. The study supports the results of planning, privacy and lighting, as well as the study on physical environmental factors, such as design, ambient and social, which are thought to be realized in the future.
Originality/value
This study presents suggestions that would be useful for increasing the working and solution-focused perceptual performance values in call center environments from the new generation of work areas. They should be appropriate for the psychological and physical needs of employees in twenty-first-century communication environments, especially in spatial environments and for the suitability of the technological equipment used.
Details
Keywords
Per Anker Jensen and Theo van der Voordt
This paper aims to investigate how facilities management (FM) and corporate real estate management (CREM) can add value to organisations by contributing to improved productivity…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how facilities management (FM) and corporate real estate management (CREM) can add value to organisations by contributing to improved productivity of knowledge workers, and to explore interrelationships between productivity, employee satisfaction and other value parameters.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a literature research of possible contributions of FM and CREM to improved labour productivity in relation to five activity areas of FM/CREM (portfolio management, project management, space and workplace management, property management and service management) and a first exploration of interrelationships between productivity and other value parameters.
Findings
The findings indicate that FM and CREM most directly can contribute to productivity by space and workplace management that supports different types of work and organisational activities. Portfolio and project management can mostly contribute by providing appropriate locations, adjacency relations between different parts of the organisation and supporting process flow and logistics. Property management can contribute to productivity by ensuring business continuity and comfortable indoor climate. Service management can contribute by relieving staff from trivial tasks by efficient services and by providing exiting experiences. Productivity shows to be mainly positively related to satisfaction; insights into interrelationships with other value parameters are still limited.
Practical implications
The results can be used to obtain a deeper understanding of how FM and CREM can add value to organisations by contributing to improved labour productivity. Practitioners can find inspiration on how to contribute to labour productivity and additional benefits within specific activity areas of FM and CREM. The exploration of interrelationships between productivity and other values can be used as input to a future research agenda.
Originality/value
The paper adds new insights to the growing body of knowledge about how FM/CREM can contribute to increased labour productivity and how other value parameters may be interrelated with productivity.
Details