The University’s research cited in The Wall Street Journal

Research from University of Gävle on Health-promoting work is once again highlighted in a leading American newspaper, this time in The Wall Street Journal.

The article in The Wall Street Journal focuses on activity-based offices, which have nearly doubled in the United States compared to before the pandemic, from 10 percent in 2020 to 19 percent in 2022. Many companies needed to adapt to the increase in remote work in a rush. For this reason, activity-based offices were often implemented without the necessary preparations and considerations.

23 scientific articles on activity-based offices, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, showed that many employees had faced serious issues. Difficulties in co-operation, feeling less connected to their colleagues, and being stressed by constant concerns about finding a suitable workspace were commonly reported concerns.

The good news

The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way, writes The Wall Street Journal, and quotes Eva Bergsten, PhD of environmental and occupational medicine and researcher at University of Gävle. She emphasizes the importance of preparing employees for a completely different way of working and having leaders who are positive catalysts for this transformation.

In her study of companies that had transitioned to activity-based offices, Eva Bergsten found similar problems, but also discovered that employees who had participated in activities explaining the change process beforehand experienced much greater satisfaction.

To make emplopyees feel enthusiastic about the new office, companies must first prioritise listening to their employees’ needs and then create workspaces that cater to these, according to Eva Bergsten in the article.