EFFECT OF ACTIVITY-BASED WORKSPACES ON EMPLOYEE BELONGINGNESS IN THE FINANCIAL SERVICE INDUSTRY

Abstract

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, belonging is a fundamental need. As Activity-Based Workplaces (ABWs) increase in popularity, a common concern is whether the removal of one’s personal desk to a shared workspace reduces the level of belonging one feels to the space. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the ABW on employee belonging. The Place Attachment Theory is used as a proxy to understand and measure the belongingness of an employee to the physical workplace. A case study on a bank’s newly retrofitted ABW office is conducted. A mix of survey and interviews are used to understand employee belongingness in context of the case study. Surveys are conducted with (n = 100) employees from the bank who experienced the transition from the conventional Open Plan Office with designated seats to an ABW to understand and compare the change in employee belonging after the transition, by studying the level of belonging achieved in the pre and post space. Interviews were conducted with corporate real estate professionals in the bank to gain insights on long term viability of the ABW in terms of its impact on employee belongingness. Results showed that there was a positive outcome in terms of employee belongingness in the ABWs compared to previous offices. It was also found that the space itself is not able to sustain this effect on belongingness in the ABWs in the long run. Other factors that are necessary include hygiene management, community management, retriggering of employee engagement and leadership commitment.