Conceptualizing social well-being in activity-based offices

Conceptualizing social well-being in activity-based offices

Colenberg, S.E. (TU Delft Design Conceptualization and Communication)
Appel-Meulenbroek, Rianne (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Romero Herrera, N.A. (TU Delft Design Conceptualization and Communication)
Keyson, D.V. (TU Delft Design Conceptualization and Communication)

2020

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to aid conceptualization of social well-being at work by identifying its components in a contemporary office context, so adequate measures can be developed to monitor social well-being and to assess the impact of interventions in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach: This study used existing interview data from recent post-occupancy evaluations of two large activity-based flexible offices in the Dutch public sector. Data-driven concept mapping of 182 different employees' statements on social aspects of well-being was used to find communalities in their perceptions. Findings: From the data 14 key concepts emerged referring to employees' social needs, reactions to (anti-)social behaviour of others and perceived social affordances of the work environment. Contrary to established theory, social well-being appeared to be a context-bound phenomenon, including components of both short-term hedonic and long-term eudaimonic well-being. Research limitations/implications: The findings serve as an inductive source for the further development of adequate measures of social well-being at work. Limitations concern the specific (cultural) setting of the cases and the use of existing data. Practical implications: Preliminary suggestions for fostering social well-being include change management, participatory design, being alert of the identified risks of activity-based offices and supporting privacy regulation, identity marking and a sense of community, as well as a diversity of informal face-to-face interactions balanced with quiet spaces. Originality/value: This article contributes to the conceptualization of social well-being in contemporary offices by discussing established social well-being theory and analysing real-world data, using a method novel to management research.

Activity-based working
Concept mapping
Office
Social interaction
Social well-being

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c04b2d86-ffaa-4b23-bbf6-34c4e16322f6

https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-09-2019-0529

0268-3946

Journal of Managerial Psychology, 36 (4), 327-343

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2020 S.E. Colenberg, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, N.A. Romero Herrera, D.V. Keyson