AUTHOR
Esther Roelofs,
Managing Partner / Workplace Consultant,
WorkWire
The world of work has changed dramatically in recent years. Where Activity Based Working (ABW) was once seen as the standard for flexibility and efficiency, we are now increasingly seeing the limitations of this workplace concept.
WorkWire has experienced this transition up close with its clients and projects. It is time for a new approach, a way of working that is not only focused on activities and personas, but creates space for individual differences and preferences: Experience Based Working (EBW).
Why Activity Based Working is no longer sufficient
The core of Activity Based Working is simple: employees choose their workplace based on the activity they have to perform at that moment. The concept seems attractive – flexibility, freedom of choice and efficiency. But in practice, employees feel limited by this approach. “Flexibility is great, but not if it comes at the expense of job satisfaction and the feeling of connection with colleagues and the organization,” says Esther Roelofs. “Activity Based Working is focused on the activities of employees, but not on who they are and what they individually need to be able to work optimally.”
WorkWire sees every day how an activity-based workplace leads to problems. For example, employees have difficulty feeling at home somewhere. “An office is more than a collection of desks and chairs. It should be a place where people want to be, not have to be alone. We have to recognize that working in the office is less and less about tasks, and more and more about connection, experience, belonging. We notice this now more than ever with Hybrid Working. Many companies have added functionalities to the ABW concept after corona, but have not looked at a better individual experience and how we can use the work environment to support these needs.”
The power of diversity in the work environment
Attention to diversity plays an increasingly important role in the development and design of office environments. Due to the ongoing battle for talent and the decreased connection that employees experience with their organization, the focus on experience will only continue to grow. “There is still insufficient attention for diversity within teams. Every employee is different, with different personalities, preferences and working styles. What works for one employee can be a source of frustration for another.” WorkWire recently launched a large-scale study into DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) in the physical work environment. This not only looks at factors such as gender, ethnicity or physical ability, but also at the impact of life phase, neurodiversity and the physical and mental condition of employees. “We are already seeing that this condition is really a daily course for some groups. Because what you need on a working day also depends on your night, your morning, your journey to work, how you feel. That changes per day for, for example, parents with young children, someone who is reintegrating or a woman in menopause. But these are also predominantly silent issues, they are not easily discussed and the needs are not known to the Housing & FM department.” WorkWire will use the results of this study to show how existing workplace typologies and the office can be adapted to make them more suitable for different working styles.
Esther continues: “Diversity is not just about who you hire, but also about how you support them in the workplace. The work environment must be able to respond to different preferences and needs; a one-size-fits-all solution no longer works.” The interim results of the DEIB study show that sensitivity to auditory, visual and social stimuli has a significant impact on how the work environment is experienced. “Going to the office is a real dilemma for stimulus-sensitive employees. They want to meet their colleagues and belong to a group, but not if the work environment is too overwhelming to be productive.
The new way of working: Experience Based Working
WorkWire introduces Experience Based Working (EBW) – a new way of working that goes beyond just facilitating activities. EBW adds the experience and well-being of the employee, with diversity and freedom of choice at its core. “Work should be a fulfilling experience, not just a series of activities to be ticked off. With Experience Based Working, we combine the best of Activity Based Working with the power of diversity,” says Esther. “The right space for the right person, at the right time. By making better use of the environment we have. A great challenge, we are happy to show how this can be done.”