Activity based work environments is a new working model that is challenging the way that business has always been conducted in an office. There are many old assumptions that have been challenged by the new way of going about business, and the old rules are changing as businesses seek to deal with the demands of the modern world.
Activity based work environments are not like hot desks, as employees are present in the office most of the time. However, the activity based work environments does not assign workers a desk or place to work. Instead, workers choose a workspace based on the activity they are working on at that moment. As such, the person might opt for a quite and isolated work station if the task requires it, or may choose an open workstation when they need to work as part of a team or to discuss an issue with a group of other people.
There are many reasons and real world issues that have led companies to look in to and adopt activity based work environments, and this article is going to cover many of these issues. Here are the issues and factors and the explanations behind them:
Information - the sheer amount of information that a company has to deal with has led to the adoption of activity based work environments. Due to the quantity of information, there is much more need for collaboration throughout the structure of the organization, and this can be more easily done via a modern version of working environment.
Less hierarchical - activity based work environments are much less hierarchical than the traditional business models. The new way of working is much more collaborative and allows for greater flexibility in terms of communication and problem solving. This model also gives the chance for greater accountability amongst the workers of a company, as people know what to expect from others. No longer can employees hide behind a title or position they have gained.
Collaboration as primary - as noted above, the idea of the isolated worker is coming to a close. No longer do companies need workers to stay in an isolated cubicle for eight hours each day. Their time is much more productive when they are collaborating with others. This has led to the break down of the traditional cubicle working space. Now we see open space areas in order to build teamwork and foster rapport among employees.
The need to be mobile - another important factor in the growth of activity based work environments is the need to be more mobile in the modern world. With a more mobile workforce, a more flexible approach and a team oriented manner, people can be reassigned from one task to another without any interruption. The old model (where one one group worked on one task only) did not allow for the flexibility as the knowledge was confined to one group.
The breakdown of the walls between groups, means that groups can now work side by side. This allows remote workers to also take part in the discussion if they are in the office for a day or two.
The need for small meeting spaces - conference rooms are no longer required with activity based work environments, as small meeting spaces are all that are needed. This allows for quick, short meetings where a group of people can organize an impromptu meeting to cover a certain topic, before getting back to business.
Activity based work environments are great for small businesses - the idea of the activity based work environments is perfect for start up businesses, as they do not need the overall structure of a large company. The open working culture fits in well with a company that is expanding and growing at a quick pace. It allows for fast paced delivery of information as well as instant meetings (as noted above).
The open concept - the open concept of the business has found its way in to the business world, as the traditional notions have been changed. This means that as the business grows in terms of employees, more office space is not necessarily needed. We can see this concept in action when we look to silicon valley and the new start ups that have grown very quickly. The open space is not defined in a draconian manner, and everything is more loose in nature.
Home based workers - with more people working from home, the activity based work environments is a perfect fit for the business. It saves space and resources in the office. When an employee goes in to the office, they can choose from a number of locations to work from. They may need to use a meeting space or a workstation, which can then be used by someone else the very next day.
Change in work done - as more work is now done in the knowledge information sector, the activity based work environments is a perfect match for such personality types. These days, workers are required to know and complete a range of various activities, so they need to have an flexible approach to their work. The new working environment is therefore suited to industries where this type of work is common, and where a set working space is not the best option.
Increasing productivity - the new model of activity based work environments has been shown to increase the productivity of the workers involved. As such, it makes sense that more companies would adopt what is working to boost profits.
Summary - the days of the traditional nine to five job are quickly disappearing, especially as people used to be cramped in to a small cubicle, and isolated from the rest of the organization. Now, with activity based work environments, companies are moving toward the ethos of collaboration, and they are finding ways to support their employees. This has led to a redesign of the traditional office space. This leads to higher productivity and a reduction in costs.
Read more about Activity Based Work Environmentsat http://pepworldwide.com.au/our-services/activity-based-working-environments and http://pepworldwide.co.nz/our-services/activity-based-working-environments