From cubicles to open space: An analysis of gendered meanings of workspace

Abstract

<jats:p> This article analyses office spaces and their gendered meanings, specifically concentrating on informal spaces such as coffee rooms, corridors and so-called chill-out areas. The analysis draws on feminist research on space and Henri Lefebvre’s theory of social space, which focuses on how lived space in the workplace is signified and contested. The ethnographic material was gathered in office environments during the 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. The analysis shows that opening up the office space invites new sorts of management of work tasks, social relations and embodiment. The authors suggest that the aim of fostering and capitalizing on informal encounters and spaces – which were typical for women workers in industrial offices – may paradoxically decrease direct meetings and communication in the post-industrial office. </jats:p>

Are workspaces gender neutral? A literature review and a research agenda

“…Traditionally, single offices show high status and power since these have been assigned to workers appointed to top hierarchical positions, usually men (Peteri et al, 2020). Conversely, the remainder of the "staff" -composed mainly of women -was relegated to open-plan offices, whose workstations' size and amenities were also related to hierarchy and status (Kaufmann-buhler, 2016;Panayiotou, 2014;Halford & Leonard, 2003).…”

“…Recent literature is interested in support spaces beyond analyzing office types and layouts. Only four studies focus explicitly on support spaces defined, in general, as informal spaces ancillary to office spaces for small and spontaneous meetings or booked meetings (Peteri et al, 2020;Bodin Danielsson & Theorell, 2019) and for shared services (e.g., canteen, coffee corners or event spaces, Weijs-Perrée et al, 2019a).…”

“…The availability of support spaces in offices comes across as a mixed blessing. On the one hand, these spaces enhance opportunities for unplanned and planned interactions, which according to Peteri et al (2020), promise to emancipate women. Women who can access areas for informal meetings or spontaneous serendipitous interactions may increase their productivity (Haynes et al, 2017).…”

“…Finally, the materials and furniture of support spaces are relevant for gender equality. The critical feminist lens adopted by Peteri et al (2020) observes that materials and furniture in modern-designed support spaces and relaxation areas primarily target "youthful bodies with playful states of mind" (p.…”

‘I like the “buzz”, but I also suffer from it’: Mitigating interaction and distraction in collective workplaces

“…Studies on open-plan offices indeed demonstrate that the increasing ‘openness’ of office spaces hampers rather than facilitates interactions – not in the least because it is harder to judge the (mental) availability of proximate colleagues (Peteri et al, 2021). Other recent empirical research shows that the expectations attached to buildings designed to foster collaborations by means of chance encounters often fail to materialize.…”