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MODERN OFFICE<br />
Commercial Furniture Specialists<br />
What is Activity Based Working?<br />
“Activity Based Working is all about sustainability. The<br />
way we work is changing. Work is becoming a process,<br />
not a place,” says Trish Stockman from Modern Office<br />
Hamilton.<br />
Studies find that most commercial office buildings have<br />
occupancy levels below 50%, as people increasingly<br />
adopt flexible working. Reducing the cost of real estate,<br />
demographics, globalisation and management culture<br />
add to the mix, but it is technology innovation that is<br />
really triggering the change.<br />
As we begin to understand the impact of new trends<br />
such as cloud computing, unified communications, and new devices that will always be<br />
on and always connected to the internet, the approach of Activity Based Working has<br />
emerged and has already been adopted by businesses all over the world.<br />
“Giving everyone a desk or office that lies empty for the majority of the working day<br />
is no longer sustainable. We are seeing the fast disappearance the desk phone and the<br />
slower but evidential disappearance of the individual desk. The notion that people need<br />
a piece of ‘wood’ to call their own in an era of fast communications is becoming fiction<br />
for most companies”, says Trish.<br />
Activity Based Working (ABW) is an approach to work that does not require a traditional<br />
office, but a hybrid environment that provides a place for people with shared amenities<br />
and spaces. ABW space will be used on a need basis, acting as a home for a population,<br />
providing resources and specialised facilities, as and when they are demanded.<br />
ABW gives employees a choice about how, when and where they work. In the office,<br />
that means a choice of work settings, each designed for different types of tasks. Outside<br />
the office it enables staff to work anywhere, from home to an airport lounge. Reducing<br />
the number of fixed workstations can have a real impact on a company’s bottom line.<br />
- Smaller property footprint<br />
- Lower energy bills<br />
- Reduced churn costs<br />
- Reduced business rates<br />
- Reduced maintenance costs<br />
- Lower travel costs for staff<br />
- Less internal cabling, wired IT provisioning<br />
- Fewer printers and a reduction in paper<br />
“And for employees, more flexibility means a better work / life balance, job satisfaction<br />
and reduced sick time. You create a working environment that’s flexible and efficient and<br />
where staff can flourish. It builds spaces around collaboration, socialising and learning.<br />
It has been proven to increase productivity,” says Trish.<br />
There’s never a bad time to implement ABW, but sometimes an upcoming event or<br />
change can present a great opportunity. Which catalyst applies to your business?<br />
- A lease event, such as a break or end of term<br />
- A strategy change<br />
- Merger or acquisition<br />
- Divestiture<br />
- Change in leadership<br />
- New product launches / teams<br />
- Culture change<br />
- Portfolio rationalisation<br />
Trish Stockman from Modern Office has over 25 years’ experience in commercial<br />
furniture sales and is an expert in ABW. Offering free consultations, an extensive<br />
collection of ergonomic products, height adjustable desks, and office equipment to suit<br />
any budget, Trish can offer you the best possible solution for your office space. Contact<br />
Trish today on 07 838 308 or email trish@modernoffice.co.nz.<br />
Waikato Showroom 103 Tristram Street, Phone 07 838 3081, www.modernoffice.co.nz