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A new hope: A holistic framework for understanding workplace experience
Corporate Real Estate Journal,
11
(4),
334-346
(2022)
Abstract
This paper introduces a novel conceptual framework to holistically consider workplace and its intrinsic organisational value. The framework recognises ‘workplace’ as a polyseme, a single word that has multiple associated meanings, and embraces (rather than refutes) its plural spatial, technological and cultural interpretations, alongside interrelated business impacts. To substantiate the framework, this paper reprises and synthesises seminal workplace-related models, including Trist and Bamforth’s ‘sociotechnical systems’ and Becker and Steele’s ‘workplace ecosystem’, among others. Consequently, this paper explores how the framework provides a new opportunity to consider ‘workplace experience’, and offers an ontology to substantively understand, evaluate and potentially even benchmark workplace experience holistically, for diverse and distributed organisational workplaces, making its utility both work location and sector agnostic. The framework therefore not only broadens the scope for workplace insights and decision making, but it also offers a basis from which to critique other assertions or claims of truth about workplace and workplace experience. While the immediate audience for this paper — readers of this journal — will most likely be invested in physical workplace elements first and foremost, the framework promotes collaborative opportunities through wider appreciation and understanding of different workplace perspectives, as well as their interconnectedness and interdependencies. The paper concludes with suggested opportunities and further areas for research and development.
Keywords: workplace; experience; ontology; framework; polysemy; sociotechnical; culture; workspace; technology
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Ian Ellison co-founded 3edges to help people think differently about the organisational value of workplace. With 20 years’ experience spanning workplace and facilities management practice and education, Ian has developed a reputation as an engaging facilitator and provocative speaker. He is passionate about the power of workplace to enable better business outcomes. Ian is co-founder and host of the Workplace Matters podcast and was also a key contributor to the Stoddart Review. Particularly interested in change leadership and workplace challenges within organisations, Ian has been involved in a range of commissions to help facilitate organisational performance improvement. Ian has published journal articles, papers and book chapters on a range of FM and workplace topics.
James Pinder is a consultant, researcher and educator with a longstanding interest in workplaces and the impact that they have on people and organisations. He is a skilled and experienced researcher and evaluator and has delivered workplace consultancy for a range of clients. James is very experienced at designing and undertaking complex research evaluations involving both qualitative and quantitative datasets. He has published widely, in both academic and practitioner-focused publications, and is particularly adept at providing clients with new insights and communicating those insights to people in ways that are engaging and easy to understand.
Chris Moriarty is director of insight at the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). Previously he was managing director at Leesman, the world’s leading assessor of workplace effectiveness, where he was responsible for the creative and strategic development of the Leesman brand in the UK and internationally. Chris has extensive professional body experience as well as a track record in delivering industry-wide thought leadership and policy campaigns on top of strategic marketing and sales experience. Prior to his first spell at BIFM as head of insight and corporate affairs, where he worked to establish the Institute as the voice of the sector, he was head of corporate affairs at the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
