Workplace Design as a Strategic Resource—a Qualitative Study

Abstract

In these times of increasing global competition among firms and advancing technological innovation at work, firm resources have become more important than ever before. Workplace design is affected greatly by these new technologies. In this paper I draw upon the research in the management literature specifically the Resource-Based View to discuss the prerequisites of workplace design that can be leveraged for a sustainable competitive advantage.Based on a qualitative approach with data from four cases, I develop a framework describing six interrelated characteristics of workplace design to enable sustainable competitive advantage: Value, Overlap with Firm Strategy, Inimitability, Complementarity, Versatility, and Expression.To align the complex resource bundle of workplace design with firm strategy and to ensure its potential benefits, management should consider these characteristics during planning and implementation of workplaces. Further research is needed to understand the relevance and individual impact of these characteristics in different industries or cultures and over time.

New work: New motivation? A comprehensive literature review on the impact of workplace technologies

“…On the one hand, the "technical tools [are] needed to get work done, such as workstations, computers, or mobile devices." (Schmid 2020) On the other hand, technologies incorporated in workplace design are a necessary situational aspect to support value creation, such as office design, room layout, or furniture. Accordingly, we define workplace technologies as the technologies that surround the employee and are needed to get the job done.…”

“…Regardless of the individual perspective on the topic, when implementing a new workplace technology or rethinking workplace design, management should consider the effects on employee motivation. These can even be addressed strategically (Kim 2014;Mitchell 1997;Schmid 2020). The literature shows that by choosing suitable technology, Job Characteristics, ergonomics, and needs satisfaction can be facilitated to motivate employees and thereby increase productivity, output quality, or achieve other strategically relevant outcomes.…”

“…Adopting new technologies and designing workplaces requires high investments and educated managerial decisions to integrate them into the companies' strategies (Chan et al 2007;Kampschroer and Heerwagen 2005;Schmid 2020;Vischer 2007). Meanwhile, labor shortages and other challenges in recruiting and retention management are affecting human resources (HR) and strategic management processes (Cascio and Montealegre 2016).…”