The relationship between workplace design, hybrid working choices and cohesion, identification and productivity

New experiences with working from home (WfH) during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a global shift towards hybrid working. This option to incorporate flexibility in when and where to work seems to have become preferred by many employees and employers. Hybrid working can offer benefits such as reduced commuting time and improved work-life balance, however challenges like communication difficulties remain. Also, this shift to remote and hybrid work presents a significant change in employees' work patterns. Understanding the impact of hybrid working choices and both office and home workplace design on employees and organizations is crucial. Concerns include potential declines in organizational outcomes, such as individual and team productivity, workplace cohesion, and organizational identification. This study therefore explores the relationships between individual, job, and workplace characteristics and hybrid working modes with these organizational outcomes.

The data for the statistical analyses stem from the employees of two Dutch office-based organisations that participated in the "Work in Transition (WiT)" research project, a collaboration between the Center for People & Buildings, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Delft University of Technology. Through an online survey, 6,414 office workers of these two (semi-)public organisations answered questions about their job, workplace at home and the office, personal characteristics, hybrid working choices and their perception of the mentioned organizational outcomes. Their answers were analysed with bivariate analyses. In addition, effect sizes were determined to identify the most meaningful relationships.

Results show that particularly self-management skills, having shared workplaces at the corporate office, satisfaction with the home office, and workplace autonomy had the largest effects on the organizational outcomes. The findings emphasize the shift in office use towards collaborative tasks in the office and concentrated work at home. Recommendations include restructuring offices and providing support plans for home office setup and self-management skills.