Training in 21st Century Working Life Skills: How to Support Productivity and Well-Being in Multi-Locational Knowledge Work

Abstract

Along with the rapid development of digital technology and the increasing proportion of knowledge work, work is becoming decreasingly defined by time and place, and more diverse in terms of both. As digital tools and multi-locational spaces become focal parts of human performance, the optimal use of these resources requires not only the ability to mechanically use them, but also the ability to develop useful behavioral strategies and practices related to them. In fact, modern work requires new kinds of skills from both employees and employers, and useful work practices need to be developed at both the individual and organizational level. This study presents a training program that aims to support well-being and productivity at multi-locational knowledge work by developing the participants' awareness skills and behavioral strategies related to knowledge work, digital tools and physical spaces as well as by facilitating the development process in the participating organizations. Fifteen trainees from eight organizations attended the program and a larger sample of employees (n = 189) responded to the questionnaires. The approach of the study was design research, and we applied mixed methodology: ANOVAs and qualitative content analysis. This study shows the organizations' and individuals' diverse needs regarding using multi-locational spaces and digital tools. It concludes that individuals and organizations can benefit from training in the use of modern spaces and tools in ways that support productivity and well-being. From the theoretical and practical perspective, the study contributes to the current understanding of how to utilize multi-locational spaces and digital tools in ways that support the productivity and well-being of employees. Creative Education training program developed to respond to these specific challenges; and third, we present the empirical results of the first round of training.

Impact of activity-based work environments on knowledge work performance – quasi-experimental study in governmental workplaces

“…The results of this study showing no statistically significant differences in the changes regarding many of the dimensions of self-management and self-experimentation with work methods, well-being at work and productivity underlines the importance of these skills and practice both in traditional and ABW work environments. Self-management and self-regulation skills are central 21st century workplace skills important in all modern work environments (Sjöblom, 2020; Sjöblom et al , 2019).…”

Predictors of job crafting in SMEs working in an ICT-based mobile and multilocational manner

“…While it is possible to benefit from increasing job complexity, it simultaneously enlarges job demands and thus, increases workload and may create negative consequences. As such, particularly with employees working in an ICT-based multilocational manner, it is essential to pay attention to the competences of individual employees in regulating their own behaviour in these complex environments (Kubicek et al, 2021; Sjöblom, 2020) when they increase challenging job demands. Perhaps that is why our results demonstrate that competence, along with intrinsic motivation as a personal resource, predicted the tendency to increase challenging job demands.…”

Young adults' online shopping addiction: The role of self‐regulation and smartphone use

“…General self‐regulatory processes are due to an individual's effort to focus on reaching their original goals regardless of distractions (Inzlicht et al, 2021). Self‐regulation also includes managing and utilizing tools, such as digital technologies, in meaningful, deliberate ways (Sjöblom et al, 2020). Among students, self‐regulated learning is related to reflection and deep‐level learning, whereas lack of self‐regulation is related to surface processing (Heikkilä & Lonka, 2006), which may lead to deficits in decision‐making and rational reasoning.…”