Social Connectivity in the Mobile Workplace
Excerpt
- Questions
Guiding the Research
Becker, F. (1995) Hoteling & Non-Territorial
Offices: Social Connectivity in the Mobile Workplace. New
York: Cornell University International Workplace Studies Program
(IWSP)
The following questions guided the research of
the Digital Equipment Corporation, Newmarket UK workplace strategy.
- What was the effect on face-to-face interactions?
- What happened to the informal office community?
- How did employees cope with the loss of social
contact?
- How was organizational learning and sharing
conducted?
- What was the effect on employees' feeling of
organizational connectivity and commitment?
- Were there differences in employees' reactions
based upon differences in demographics or job function?
Traditionally, the workplace has been an important
source of both social contact and informal on-the-job training.
With mobile work, these opportunities decline in the office.
It may be that the community takes on an expanded role as
mobile workers seek other nonwork locations for information and
contact.
It is possible, for instance, that workers may
seek more contact with local businesses for expertise they need
(i.e., office-related services such as copying, mailing, videoconferencing).
"Smart" communities may even begin to plan for these
formal and informal services, providing everything from computer
support to professional support groups. Thus the move toward mobile
work may revitalize some communities and spur them to develop
new businesses and services designed to support mobile workers.
Potential evolution of business
and personal communication.
Adaptations mobile workers make to cope for reduced
social opportunities at the office may work in the same direction.
While respondents did not use electronic technologies to cope
with the reduction of social opportunities at work, they did actively
explore alternatives that included taking up new hobbies and sports
that brought them into contact with a different circle of people
in their general residential area.
Places used for socializing
greatly increased.
