Development and Validation of a Multi-Dimensional Measure of Activity-Based Working Behaviors

Gisela Bäcklander; Rebecca Fältén; Christina Bodin Danielsson; Susanna Toivanen; Anne Richter

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655881

Development and Validation of a Multi-Dimensional Measure of Activity-Based Working Behaviors

Front Psychol. 2021 Oct 20:12:655881. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655881. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Gisela Bäcklander^{1

2}, Rebecca Fältén³, Christina Bodin Danielsson⁴, Susanna Toivanen⁵, Anne Richter^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden.
² Medical Management Centre, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden.
³ Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁴ School of Architecture, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁵ School of Health, Care, and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden.

Abstract

Most work on activity-based working centers on the physical environment and digital technologies enabling flexible working. While important, we believe the key components for implementing activity-based working are employee and manager behaviors. To measure the degree of enactment of activity-based work, based on workshops with experienced practitioners as well as previous literature, we have developed and validated a behavior-focused measure of activity-based working behaviors. In our initial sample (Sample 1, N = 234), three subscales were identified: task - environment crafting, workday planning, and social needs prioritization. In the replication sample (Sample 2, N = 434), this model also showed adequate fit. Moreover, task - environment crafting was related to general health and lower stress in sample 1 (multi-organization sample), but not in the single-organization sample (sample 2). Workday planning was associated with higher concentration in both samples and in the second sample with general health and work engagement; the latter was also related to social needs prioritization.

Keywords: activity-based flexible office; activity-based working (ABW); crafting behaviors; flex office; office types; proactive work behaviors; scale development and validation; task-environment-fit.