What is Activity-Based Working?
A workplace strategy where employees choose different spaces for different tasks instead of one fixed desk.
Definition
Activity-based working, often shortened to ABW, is a workplace strategy that provides a variety of settings designed for different types of work. Instead of spending the whole day at one assigned desk, employees move between spaces: a quiet zone for focused work, a phone booth for calls, a project room for collaboration and a lounge for informal conversations.
ABW is built on the idea that work is not one activity but many, and that each benefits from a different environment. It usually goes hand in hand with unassigned desks, good mobile technology and a culture of trust that lets people decide how and where they work best.
Example
An insurance company redesigns a floor for 150 employees. Instead of 150 identical desks, it creates a quiet library zone with 30 desks, an open collaboration area with 50 desks and large tables, eight phone booths, six project rooms and a cafe-style social space. An employee might start the morning in the library writing a report, take a call in a booth, join a workshop in a project room and finish the day in the open area with her team.
To help people learn the new layout, the company publishes an interactive office map with each zone colour-coded by activity type.
How it relates to an office map
In the Office Map Editor you can draw and colour separate zones for focus, collaboration, calls and social areas, label them clearly and show the map on screens. Routes help employees find the right setting quickly, which is essential when people no longer sit in the same place every day.
Benefits of activity-based working
ABW can improve productivity by matching the environment to the task. It reduces noise complaints because loud and quiet activities are separated. It often uses space more efficiently than rows of assigned desks, and it can make the office more attractive, encouraging people to come in.
Typical settings
An ABW office mixes several types of space. The exact mix depends on the organisation's work patterns, which should be studied before design begins.
- Quiet focus zones with strict noise rules
- Open collaboration areas
- Phone booths and small video call rooms
- Bookable project and meeting rooms
- Social spaces such as kitchens and lounges
- Lockers for personal storage
Challenges
ABW requires a change in habits. Some people resist giving up a personal desk or keep returning to the same spot, which defeats the purpose. Others find it hard to locate colleagues who move around during the day. Without clear rules, quiet zones become noisy and collaboration spaces become informal desks.
How to implement ABW well
Start by studying how people actually work: how much time they spend on focused tasks, calls and meetings. Design the mix of spaces from that data. Involve employees early, explain the reasoning and pilot the layout before rolling it out. Provide clear maps and signs so people can find each setting, and appoint champions who model the new behaviour.
Review usage after a few months and adjust: convert underused settings and expand popular ones.
Measuring success
Combine utilization data for each type of setting with employee surveys about productivity and satisfaction. Look for balanced use across zones and fewer complaints about noise and lack of rooms. If people consistently avoid certain settings, find out why and redesign them.