Development of Activity-Based Workplaces and Working from Home : An investigation of how the COVID-19 experience have impacted employees’ attitude towards activity-based workplaces post-pandemic

Abstract: Activity-Based Working and Working from home are two ways of working that have been implemented by many organizations during the past years. However, the strike of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused firms to work from home until restriction of the ongoing pandemic have alleviated. Previous research has investigated the impact on employees when working activity-based respectively working from home during the pandemic with both positive and negative outcomes regarding communication and effectivity among other aspects. The purpose of the thesis is to investigate how the COVID-19 experience have impacted employee’s attitudes toward activity-based workspace post-pandemic. The study was following a qualitative research approach by conducting a case study. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed to identify themes to gain a more in-depth knowledge of the findings. The findings confirms that the post-pandemic way of working is a mixture of activity-based working and increased desire of working from home. This depends on the matter of task and individual’s needs, much like the activity-based theory. What has changed is the perception of working from home that has showed employees benefits of increased focus and effectivity. The activity-based office will also provide effectivity, but with the link to socializing and physical communication advantages that working from home cannot offer. Organisations can use these findings to be better prepared when implementing activity-based workplaces and/or adapting to the challenges that the “new” working way may cause in the post-pandemic era.