Friday, August 19, 2011
Future Workplaces:
Workplaces of the Future – How are they Studied?
A Literature Study of Foresight and Delphi Methods
❚❚ Susanna Toivanen
PhD, Centre for Health Equity Studies, Stockholm University/Karolinska Institute, Sweden
"Working life conditions have changed dramatically during the last few decades
with a comprehensive impact on how daily work is organised in the workplace
(Marklund & Härenstam, 2010; Lundberg & Cooper, 2011). This development
highlights the question whether future challenges that influence workplaces could be
met more efficiently by using futures studies methodology in working life research. A workplace, in general terms, may be defined as a place or physical location of work or employment where work is done, depending on the sector and the industry, and the nature of the core business activity. A broader definition captures aspects of modern working life such as knowledge workers, telework, flexible work arrangements and global networks. Therefore, a more suitable definition would be that a workplace is an environment that enables work to be done (de Kerchove & Pollack, 2010). Thus, a modern workplace may be defined in terms of its physical, social and virtual aspects.
Based on two recent research reports, the aim of this paper is to exemplify how
workplaces of the future are studied in contemporary literature (Håkansta et al., 2009; Regus & JB Associates, 2009). The aim is also to determine the main challenges for workplaces of the future caused by changing working life, and to compare whether the conclusions drawn in the two reports differ. The first report is a Foresight study performed by European working life researchers in a project financed by the European Commission with the aim of establishing cooperation channels for research in the area of work-related innovations (Håkansta et al., 2009). The report summarises findings from a two-day Foresight seminar about future workplaces. The second report focuses on business leaders’ opinions about workplaces of the future. The study uses the Delphi method of interviewing experts and was conducted by Regus, a leading provider of workplace solutions, in collaboration with research consultants JB Associates (Regus & JB Associates, 2009). The present paper starts with a short introduction into futures research. Thereafter the two reports on workplaces of the future are reviewed and discussed.
..."
Workplaces of the Future – How are they Studied?
A Literature Study of Foresight and Delphi Methods
❚❚ Susanna Toivanen
PhD, Centre for Health Equity Studies, Stockholm University/Karolinska Institute, Sweden
"Working life conditions have changed dramatically during the last few decades
with a comprehensive impact on how daily work is organised in the workplace
(Marklund & Härenstam, 2010; Lundberg & Cooper, 2011). This development
highlights the question whether future challenges that influence workplaces could be
met more efficiently by using futures studies methodology in working life research. A workplace, in general terms, may be defined as a place or physical location of work or employment where work is done, depending on the sector and the industry, and the nature of the core business activity. A broader definition captures aspects of modern working life such as knowledge workers, telework, flexible work arrangements and global networks. Therefore, a more suitable definition would be that a workplace is an environment that enables work to be done (de Kerchove & Pollack, 2010). Thus, a modern workplace may be defined in terms of its physical, social and virtual aspects.
Based on two recent research reports, the aim of this paper is to exemplify how
workplaces of the future are studied in contemporary literature (Håkansta et al., 2009; Regus & JB Associates, 2009). The aim is also to determine the main challenges for workplaces of the future caused by changing working life, and to compare whether the conclusions drawn in the two reports differ. The first report is a Foresight study performed by European working life researchers in a project financed by the European Commission with the aim of establishing cooperation channels for research in the area of work-related innovations (Håkansta et al., 2009). The report summarises findings from a two-day Foresight seminar about future workplaces. The second report focuses on business leaders’ opinions about workplaces of the future. The study uses the Delphi method of interviewing experts and was conducted by Regus, a leading provider of workplace solutions, in collaboration with research consultants JB Associates (Regus & JB Associates, 2009). The present paper starts with a short introduction into futures research. Thereafter the two reports on workplaces of the future are reviewed and discussed.
..."
