Occupants’ satisfaction and perceived productivity in open-plan offices designed to support activity-based working: findings from different industry sectors

Candido, C; Gocer, O; Marzban, S; Gocer, K; Thomas, L; Zhang, F; Gou, Z; Mackey, M; Engelen, L; Tjondronegoro, D

Occupants’ satisfaction and perceived productivity in open-plan offices designed to support activity-based working: findings from different industry sectors

Candido, C Gocer, O Marzban, S Gocer, K Thomas, L

Zhang, F Gou, Z Mackey, M Engelen, L Tjondronegoro, D

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Publisher:: Emerald
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 2021, 23, (2), pp. 106-129
Issue Date:: 2021-04-07

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Candido, C
dc.contributor.author	Gocer, O
dc.contributor.author	Marzban, S
dc.contributor.author	Gocer, K
dc.contributor.author	Thomas, L https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0707-9260
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, F
dc.contributor.author	Gou, Z
dc.contributor.author	Mackey, M
dc.contributor.author	Engelen, L
dc.contributor.author	Tjondronegoro, D
dc.date.accessioned	2021-12-02T21:29:40Z
dc.date.available	2021-12-02T21:29:40Z
dc.date.issued	2021-04-07
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 2021, 23, (2), pp. 106-129
dc.identifier.issn	1463-001X
dc.identifier.issn	1479-1048
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/152041
dc.description.abstract	Purpose: In the rise of offices designed to support activity-based working (ABW), parts of industry have fully transitioned to open-plan environments and then later to unassigned seating, whereas other parts, such as tertiary education, are still in the process of moving away from individual offices. There are a few relevant studies to understand how occupants from industry sectors with different levels of adoption of ABW perceived environments designed to support this way of working. This paper aims to contribute to the knowledge gap by providing insight into workers’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction from open-plan offices designed to support ABW along with the key predictors of perceived productivity. Design/methodology/approach: A data set of 2,090 post-occupancy evaluation surveys conducted in five sectors – tertiary education, finance, construction, property/asset management and design/engineering – was analyzed. ANOVA and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted for the survey questionnaires. First, ANOVA tests were conducted for the whole sample with perceived productivity as the dependent variable. A seven-point Likert scale with five theoretical factors was generated with all survey questionnaires. CFA was performed to show the factor loadings. In addition, regression analyses were carried out for each of factor item taken as the independent variable, where perceived productivity was the dependent variable. Key sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction per sector were analyzed and differences between occupants reporting a negative or positive impact on their productivity were also investigated. Finally, open-ended comments were analyzed to show the key sources of dissatisfaction based on open-ended comments. Findings: Workers from construction were the most satisfied, followed by finance and tertiary education. Occupants from all industry sectors consistently rated their workspaces highly on biophilic and interior design. Distraction and privacy received the lowest scores from all sectors. Open-ended comments showed mismatches between spatial and behavioral dimensions of ABW both for satisfaction and perceived productivity. Interior design was the strongest predictor for perceived productivity for all sectors. Findings dispel the notion that ABW implementation may not be suitable for certain industries, as long as the three key pillars of ABW are fully implemented, including design, behavior and technology. Originality/value: This paper provides insight into workers’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction from open-plan offices designed to support ABW in different industry sectors along with the key predictors of perceived productivity.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Emerald
dc.relation	Donald Cant Watts Corke (VIC) Pty Ltd
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Corporate Real Estate
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1108/JCRE-06-2020-0027
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1503 Business and Management, 1504 Commercial Services
dc.title	Occupants’ satisfaction and perceived productivity in open-plan offices designed to support activity-based working: findings from different industry sectors
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	23
utslib.for	1503 Business and Management
utslib.for	1504 Commercial Services
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Architecture
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-12-02T21:29:37Z
pubs.issue	2
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	23
utslib.citation.issue	2

Abstract:

Purpose: In the rise of offices designed to support activity-based working (ABW), parts of industry have fully transitioned to open-plan environments and then later to unassigned seating, whereas other parts, such as tertiary education, are still in the process of moving away from individual offices. There are a few relevant studies to understand how occupants from industry sectors with different levels of adoption of ABW perceived environments designed to support this way of working. This paper aims to contribute to the knowledge gap by providing insight into workers’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction from open-plan offices designed to support ABW along with the key predictors of perceived productivity. Design/methodology/approach: A data set of 2,090 post-occupancy evaluation surveys conducted in five sectors – tertiary education, finance, construction, property/asset management and design/engineering – was analyzed. ANOVA and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted for the survey questionnaires. First, ANOVA tests were conducted for the whole sample with perceived productivity as the dependent variable. A seven-point Likert scale with five theoretical factors was generated with all survey questionnaires. CFA was performed to show the factor loadings. In addition, regression analyses were carried out for each of factor item taken as the independent variable, where perceived productivity was the dependent variable. Key sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction per sector were analyzed and differences between occupants reporting a negative or positive impact on their productivity were also investigated. Finally, open-ended comments were analyzed to show the key sources of dissatisfaction based on open-ended comments. Findings: Workers from construction were the most satisfied, followed by finance and tertiary education. Occupants from all industry sectors consistently rated their workspaces highly on biophilic and interior design. Distraction and privacy received the lowest scores from all sectors. Open-ended comments showed mismatches between spatial and behavioral dimensions of ABW both for satisfaction and perceived productivity. Interior design was the strongest predictor for perceived productivity for all sectors. Findings dispel the notion that ABW implementation may not be suitable for certain industries, as long as the three key pillars of ABW are fully implemented, including design, behavior and technology. Originality/value: This paper provides insight into workers’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction from open-plan offices designed to support ABW in different industry sectors along with the key predictors of perceived productivity.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/152041