Mahrukh Farooq

How Activity-Based Working is Helping Employees Get More Done Activity-based working (ABW) is the latest workspace revolution to do the rounds in the business world. This trend aims to allot designed spaces for specific activities i.e. a space for phone calls, a space for team collaboration and so on. A number of organizations have even adopted ABW in the hopes that it will help enhance worker productivity. ABW bases its simple, yet effective solution on the challenges of multitasking faced by employees on a regular basis. For example, on any given work day, workers perform up to 10 or more different tasks as part of their job. All activities are carried out at the employee’s desk, that too amid numerous distractions and with a complete lack of supporting materials or tools. By providing designated spaces for specific activities, ABW’s goal is to cater to employees’ needs more effectively, thereby allowing them to become more productive. A study conducted by IFMA Sweden and Leesman sheds more light on the benefits of ABW. In it, nearly 70,000 employees from 575 workplaces were interviewed about the new work practice. According to the study, the best ABW environments – where employees engaged and adapted to their surroundings and used them to their fullest potential – showed the best results in terms of employee satisfaction and productivity. Below are some of the advantages of ABW that have been highlighted by the study: Creative Thinking: ABW environments were considered to be much more conducive to creative thinking as compared to traditional work environments. This is because, as research suggests, people are much more likely to be more creative in an informal setting, such as sitting on the sofa or sipping on a cup of coffee in the café, as compared to a formal setting where they may feel pressured to perform. Minimized Distractions: ABW has also enabled employees to better concentrate on their tasks by minimizing possible distractions, most notably noise. A variety of spaces allows employees to choose a quiet, designated environment to perform their task, whether it is a phone call or a particular project, without the fear of any kind of distraction or noise. Easy Collaboration: In the study, ABW work spaces were able to score higher than traditional work environments when it came to supporting informal or confidential meetings. This is because being away from their desk (which may consist of numerous distractions including phone calls and interactions with colleagues) can help improve employee participation and focus. To fully be able to benefit from an ABW workspace, however, you must be willing to analyze the various environments in which your workforce is able to perform better. Once you have determined that, you will be able to provide them with the spaces and tools that they need to become more efficient.