Activity Based Working (ABW) is currently gaining popularity in Japan from the perspectives of maximizing workers' abilities, improving labor productivity, utilizing human resources, activating collaboration, and realizing workers well-being. It is attracting attention.
What is ABW?
The origins of ABW date back to the 1990s, when Veldhoen + Company, the founders of ABW, supported the introduction of ABW to companies in the Netherlands. It then spread across Australia in the late 2000s and to Japan in the late 2010s.
ABW is a comprehensive work style strategy that maximizes self-discretion and allows workers to autonomously design their own working style. It is a way of working in which workers can choose the place, time, and people they can work with to be the most productive, according to their activities.
ABW is often confused with hot desking because it allows employees to "choose freely" how they work, but in reality there are three differences regarding "what you can choose":
- The range of freely selectable items is different
With hot desking, you can freely choose where you work, but with ABW, you can freely choose where, when, and with whom you work. - The range of places where you work varies
With hot desking employees can work freely within the office, but with ABW, employees are expected to work dynamically, making use of the office, their homes, outside the office, satellite offices, and more. - The criteria for choosing a location are different.
In hot desking system, employees do not have assigned seats in the office and can freely perform any task at any location. In ABW, The most suitable location for workers activities Select and work.
Approach to realizing the vision
The introduction of ABW requires an approach based on three areas: space, IT, and behavior. If even one of these is missing, there is a very high possibility that the ABW way of working will fail.
"space"
This mainly refers to the building, interior, furniture, and other aspects of the office, such as the layout, design, and functionality of the furniture.
"IT"
IT devices and systems for editing and sharing information, including not only devices such as PCs, smartphones, and monitors, but also applications and storage systems for information sharing and communication.
"Action"
Organizational rules, customs, corporate culture, and management style
Some people may wonder why the "action" area is important. In implementing ABW, workers can work "anytime, anywhere, with anyone," so it is important to build trusting relationships with others and develop new communication styles. "Action" refers to providing training on management methods and communication methods for managers, and involving workers in creating and spreading easy-to-work rules.
And before starting on these three areas, it is important to build a vision (what you want to be). When working on ABW, if you are not clear about the vision you should aim for, that is, "Why are we introducing ABW?", over time you may lose track of where you should go in the three areas.
Towards concrete practice
So far, we have explained the basic concept of ABW. When introducing ABW, there are many different steps that need to be taken, including building a vision and planning the three areas of space, IT, and behavior, so it is very important to take the appropriate steps to introduce it.
ITOKI has partnered with Veldhoen + Company since 2019 to provide ABW consulting services.
The service is characterized by workers focusing on an individual's "activities" and providing support in the three areas of space, IT, and behavior appropriate to all of those activities to change the way they work more effectively.
We are implementing a four-phase approach to change specific behaviors:
Phase 1
Formulating a vision for the future and collecting and analyzing data on current working patterns
Phase 2
Requirement definition that integrates the three areas of space, IT, and behavior with employee participation
Phase 3
Integrated program management and organizational transformation to realize new ways of working
Phase 4
Evaluating and developing the degree of transition to new ways of working
There is no set plan or formula that can be applied to all customers. We will support you by carefully creating three areas according to the actual situation of your activities, the direction you are aiming for, and your goals. If you are considering introducing ABW, please feel free to contact us.
