Purpose University campuses are complex workplaces where academic and administrative staff experience institutional culture daily. Despite the expansion of sustainability agendas, empirical evidence on how workplace conditions managed through corporate real estate (CRE) and facility management (FM) functions contribute to social sustainability remains limited. This study aims to prioritise workplace experience factors that advance social sustainability and develops a CRE/FM-oriented decision framework for strategic action. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method design was used. A structured literature review identified criteria for physical, institutional and social workplace experiences related to employee well-being and social sustainability. Based on this framework, an AHP (the analytic hierarchy process) model was developed and applied using pairwise comparison data from 87 academic and administrative staff members at a university campus in Turkiye. Aggregated weights were calculated, and demographic segmentation analyses examined variations by position, age and experience. Findings Social factors are the most influential dimension of workplace experience (41%), exceeding physical (38%) and institutional (20%) factors. Non-discrimination ranked highest, followed by occupational health and safety, and accessibility and comfort of work areas. Environmental sustainability received the lowest priority, revealing a gap between institutional narratives and employees’ lived experiences. Demographic differences highlight the need for differentiated FM strategies. The framework translates social sustainability into actionable FM service and investment priorities. Originality/value This study presents one of the first AHP-based frameworks that integrates corporate real estate, facility management, workplace experience and social sustainability in higher education. By translating social sustainability into prioritised, actionable facility-related criteria, it offers a transferable tool for evidence-based campus planning, inclusive workplace governance and strategic CRE/FM decision-making.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to support successful interdisciplinary research in understanding the leverage points between employee experience and the multitude of environmental factors. From a design knowledge perspective, the theoretical content is related to the environmental demands-resources model and Kaplan's attention restoration theory. Gibson's theory of affordances enlightens the latent action possibilities the environment offers individuals. The photo analysis originates from press photograph story analysis by Kedra and is customised to fit handling large quantities of photographs. Design/methodology/approach The increase in hybrid work has strengthened the trend towards using more flexible, space-efficient and non-territorial workplaces and other places not traditionally designed for work. Novel methods fitting interdisciplinary research are needed for analysing visual-spatial characteristics of the built work environment. This paper introduces a photo analysis method to advance understanding of workers' use of indoor and outdoor physical surroundings. Findings The proposed quantified photo-analysis method provides similar structuring and rating for both indoor and outdoor built environments. The three main categories are nature elements (sky, ice or snow, water, greenery), static elements (built environment) and dynamic elements (people, furniture and vehicles) visually present at the same location as the worker or are seen through a window view. Originality/value The proposed photo-analysis provides method to study three-dimensional physical hybrid work environments at organisations' properties and other places, which was not considered in earlier work environment research. The self-reported photos documenting workers' views at their workstations are material for analysing the built environment's affordances visually. Photo-analysis fits to machine vision analysis. The quantified visual data set is considered comparable or mergeable with the other quantified data sets produced by the participating disciplines to search for evidence of health - or well-being-related impacts.
PurposeThis study investigates the collaboration between service design and architectural design in user-centred workplace development projects, aiming to address knowledge management challenges and facilitate effective knowledge transfer. The primary goal is to identify operational environments that encourage interdisciplinary collaboration between service design and architectural design professionals.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses qualitative research based on 26 comprehensive interviews with leading service design practitioners in Finland's Built Environment sector, conducted before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The grounded theory method is used to analyse the data, focusing on strategies for effective knowledge transfer.FindingsThis research identifies substantial challenges in knowledge management that arise from discontinuities in interdisciplinary interactions. The study outlines two primary organisational scenarios in the studied design projects: linear progression and concurrent design phases. It underscores the advantages of concurrent design phases in promoting effective knowledge transfer and collaboration. Key practices recognised for enhancing knowledge transfer include documentation, interaction and mediation.Practical implicationsImplementing the insights from this study can enhance interdisciplinary collaboration in workplace development, resulting in more innovative, efficient and user-centred work environments.Originality/valueThis study provides new insights into integrating service design with architectural design in workplace development, emphasising tailored knowledge transfer practices that enhance interdisciplinary collaboration. It contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of knowledge management in interdisciplinary design projects.
PurposeThis study develops an innovative model for assessing the environmental impact of office buildings during the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) phase, which remains largely overlooked in decarbonisation efforts. Building on the Ecological Footprint methodology, it proposes a Workplace Integrated Ecological Footprint Assessment (WIEFA) model, that links operational data, user actions and spatial occupation to support evidence-based decision-making for corporate real estate managers and other stakeholders. This study aims to capture how people's presence and everyday choices influence environmental performance and to provide a multidimensional tool that aligns corporate asset strategies with sustainability goals.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a three year participatory action research approach involving property companies, investors, workplace and facility managers, HR professionals and office users. Through iterative co-design, testing and refinement, WIEFA conceptualises the office as a semi-closed system encompassing three impact categories (i.e. site, building and users). Across subsequent development phases, the WIEFA model was finally tested across eight office buildings differing in size, typology, certification level, workplace arrangement and accessibility. WIEFA aggregates eight impact sources - built-up, energy consumption, water consumption, material consumption, mobility, food and drink, waste generation and trade-off potential - into a unified metric expressed in global hectares (gha), and allows result reporting in multiple units of measurement (gha/occupant, gha/employee, gha/m & sup2; and "football fields").FindingsResults show that WIEFA can complement existing sustainability assessment protocols by capturing the dynamic relationship between building characteristics, spatial occupation and user behaviour during O&M. Across the case studies, people's choices - especially regarding mobility, food consumption, presence in the office and waste generation - significantly shape total environmental impact, often more than building age, certification or workspace arrangement. Moreover, technological upgrades alone do not guarantee lower impact if occupancy and user practices remain unchanged. The tool enables CREM professionals to identify inefficiencies, compare assets and understand how flexible work models influence environmental performance.Originality/valueThis study advances a people-centred, operationally grounded approach to environmental impact assessment in CREM. WIEFA overcomes the limitations of existing protocols by integrating user presence and actions into environmental accounting, offering a unified and tangible metric and providing flexible outputs suitable for different stakeholders - including office users. The model establishes a foundation for continuous monitoring of environmental performance and supports the alignment of workplace strategies, organisational policies and sustainability objectives in flexible work contexts. It also prepares the ground for future research towards a dynamic tool integrating well-being, comfort, governance and long-term effects of remote versus on-site work.
PurposeMeeting room portfolios are often provisioned using peak-demand assumptions and booking data that overestimate actual use. This study aims to develop and test an evidence-based framework for optimizing meeting room capacity and configuration using minute-level occupancy sensing and analytics.Design/methodology/approachSeat-mounted sensors recorded minute-by-minute occupancy in 17 meeting rooms over 10 working days, yielding 802 detected meetings. Service-level sizing at the 95th percentile (P95) and Full Downward Substitution (FDS) produced an FDS service-level room configuration. K-means clustering identified meeting archetypes, which were used to parameterize a collision-aware Monte Carlo simulation that evaluated 486 candidate configurations over 10,000 iterations.FindingsThe FDS service-level configuration met the aggregate P95 target but still resulted in a 5.71% failure rate, underscoring the importance of temporal overlap. Clustering revealed two dominant archetypes (light and heavy), and the data indicated a material need for single-person focus rooms (28% of meetings). In the studied meeting room portfolio, the selected configuration (1 Focus [F], 4 Small [S], 5 Medium [M], 3 Medium-plus [MP], 1 Large [L] and 1 Extra-large [XL]) reduced the active meeting area by 22.8% while lowering failures to approximately 3%.Practical implicationsMinute-level sensing enables corporate real estate (CRE) teams to set explicit service targets, quantify tradeoffs between space and failure risk and validate redesign decisions under uncertainty. The framework offers an implementable blueprint for meeting room redesign and governance.Originality/valueThe study integrates service-level sizing, substitution-based room-configuration design, clustering and simulation-based validation into a single workflow, providing an actionable link between occupancy analytics and portfolio design. This integrated approach enables CRE teams to move beyond measurement to prescriptive action, addressing a gap left by prior studies that stop at utilization reporting.
PurposeThis paper aims to explore the design, development and implementation of business cases in Dutch Corporate Real Estate (CRE) practice, and how this relates to literature insights and directions for future research.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a literature review, a 1.5-hour roundtable discussion with six experienced CRE-practitioners, and in-depth interviews with 12 other experienced CRE-practitioners, each lasting 60-75 min.FindingsContemporary CRE business cases extend beyond financial considerations and increasingly incorporate less tangible forms of value, such as employee satisfaction, health and well-being, flexibility, and sustainability. In the context of CRE management, business case development is closely intertwined with stakeholder management and decision-making processes. These complexities confront CRE practitioners with distinct challenges that are insufficiently addressed in the current literature.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample consists of 18 experienced Dutch CRE-practioners. As such, the findings are not fully generasible. Fot this reason a repeat study is recommended with a larger sample, also including CRE-practioners from other countries. Other research methods such as Delphi or a survey would be interesting as well.Practical implicationsThe findings offer practical guidance for developing more integrated, value-based business cases, and highlight areas where further actions from practitioners and researchers are needed.Originality/valueIntegrated, value-based business cases for CRE interventions are under-researched. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is among the first to examine how Dutch CRE managers and consultants conduct and implement business cases.
Purpose This research quantifies the economic viability and spatial efficiency of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled adaptive furniture systems (IoT-hybrid adaptive and full robotic) in corporate real estate contexts. This study aims to address the persistent misalignment between static workplace configurations and dynamic occupancy patterns, which results in 62.2% average vacancy rates despite substantial real estate investments. Design/methodology/approach This study used a sequential mixed-methods design comprising four integrated phases: (1) empirical analysis of 12.4 billion occupancy data points collected from 130 organizations over a 36-month observation period; (2) development and testing of a functional prototype incorporating Arduino-based sensor networks with multiple control mechanisms governing three actuation systems; (3) computational spatial analysis using digital twin modeling; and (4) economic evaluation using net present value and internal rate of return calculations across diverse market contexts. Findings Adaptive systems achieved 60% space reduction in time-weighted analysis (65–70 square feet per person versus 92 square feet conventional), while fully robotic configurations achieved 46.2 square feet per person with 77% improvement in spatial efficiency. The spatial case study demonstrated capacity improvements from 19 workstations (conventional) to 28 (adaptive) to 40 (fully robotic) within identical 2,179-square-foot floor area. Economic analysis identified market-dependent viability thresholds: full robotic systems require annual rental rates exceeding $75 per square foot (5%–8% market coverage), hybrid adaptive systems prove viable above $48 per square foot (42% market coverage), while IoT-informed reallocation strategies achieve positive returns at just $21 per square foot (95% market coverage). Practical implications Corporate real estate executives could consider implementing tiered automation strategies based on local market conditions: IoT-based reallocation for markets below $48 per square foot, hybrid adaptive systems for $48–75 per square foot markets and full robotic automation only in premium markets exceeding $75 per square foot. The framework provides specific decision criteria and phased implementation guidance. Originality/value This study presents a novel integration of empirical validation, prototype testing, spatial case study analysis and market-specific economic modeling to establish adoption thresholds for adaptive workplace technologies adoption in corporate real estate.
PurposeUniversity campus is a place for formal and informal learning, encounters in face to face, hybrid and digital modes. The goal of this paper is to identify, how the new needs of students' effect to the design of the study places and learning environments in the university library and campus.Design/methodology/approachThe campus and learning environment research are summarised in theory reflecting especially to the changing needs of the students in the University of Helsinki. The case study research is based on mixed methods. The data has been gathered by tracking, workshops, observations and questionnaires. In addition, explorative pilots were conducted. Analysis was conducted by using the categories of physical, digital and social environments as well as identified work modes of students: working alone, group working and working side-by-side.FindingsThe variety of alternative learning places is essential. The diversity of social interactions among students on campus and online has increased. The group consistency sets requirements to the size, technology and location of the group working facilities. Both user and remote user centric approaches are important in design of study areas. The results can be implicated in the redesign and renovation project of the Learning Centre at the University of Helsinki, Finland.Practical implicationsThe research provides design principles for the university libraries and informal learning environments on campus for the design experts, education designers and campus developers.Originality/valueThe case study is a unique opportunity to develop post-Covid-19 study places in the university.
PurposeThis study aims to understand the shared use of academic workspaces from the staff's perspective. The paper first examines the factors and readiness for shared use of academic workspaces. Second, it illustrates nine possible work modes and users' preferences. Thereby, the paper discusses the access-based consumption of academic workspaces.Design/methodology/approachThe study focuses on a Finnish case university, where both qualitative and quantitative data were collected in 2022 during the campus development process. The qualitative findings use an inductive analysis of 18 semi-structured and 10 focus group interviews. The interviewees represent two faculties and all levels of academia. The quantitative results use descriptive statistical analyses of university-wide workplace preference survey data (n = 1,507 respondents).FindingsThe findings illustrate that the shared use of academic workspaces depends on: the sharing partner level, the time and length of use and the access options and spaces. The respondents were more ready to share workspaces with a closer community. The nine work modes present possible shared use options for workspaces. Half of the respondents chose the typical non-sharing mode and the other half chose less typical solutions. The results indicate a move towards preferences for more varied work modes.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is one of the first to examine the spectrum of shared use of academic workspaces on campus, which typically are not viewed as shared and are also under-researched. It systematically maps the factors to benefit the user-oriented campus development processes.
PurposeThis study aims to provide insights into using corporate real estate (CRE) to enhance employer branding success. Therefore, different employee groups are identified according to their social, economic and ecological perception and assessment of CRE as well as their workplace-related needs.Design/methodology/approachPrincipal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and analysis of variance are applied using cross-sectional data from n = 937 German office workers.FindingsThe clustering results reveal a cluster differentiation according to the social, economic and ecological CRE dimensions. Furthermore, examining workplace-related needs reveals high importance of productivity-enhancing attributes for the social cluster, status-related attributes for the economic cluster and attributes related to biophilic design for the ecological cluster. Aligning employees' needs with workplace attributes offered can strengthen the employer branding success.Originality/valueThe study adds an interdisciplinary approach to previous research on the relationship between CRE and employer branding, incorporating both corporate real estate management (CREM) and human resource management (HRM). Insights from this study can support CREM in creating a fit between (potential) employees and the workplace-related needs to contribute to employer branding success.
PurposeThis study aims to explore experiences, preferences and challenges of workers aged 50 and older in hybrid work settings, with a focus on their adaptation to workplace dynamics, mentorship roles and responses to technology resistance stereotypes.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study used semi-structured interviews and surveys with 19 US-based older workers in hybrid roles across various industries. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo to identify key themes.FindingsFive themes emerged from the analysis: (1) inclusivity highlighted the need for tailored technology support and flexibility, especially among mid-level managers; (2) workplace dynamics revealed mentorship and connection challenges due to career-long in-person experience; (3) work-life balance benefited from flexibility for caregiving and fatigue reduction, though blurred boundaries persisted; (4) productivity improved with fewer commutes and distractions; and (5) personalization reflected varied remote work preferences and self-management demands tied to physical needs.Practical implicationsOrganizations should offer targeted IT training, outcome-based performance management, flexible schedules and ergonomic workspace environments to enhance older workers' well-being and productivity.Originality/valueThis study enriches hybrid work research with age-specific insights, challenging technophobia stereotypes and highlighting caregiving, physical and mentorship needs for inclusive workplace policies.
PurposeThis study aims to analyze and compare three dimensions of coworking space (CS) usage: user characteristics, motivations and workplace preferences, comparing the literature on urban vs non-urban CSs.Design/methodology/approachThe methodological approach follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, known as PRISMA. Following the PRISMA checklist items, this study presents aspects from cross-sectional studies published over 13 years (2010-2023).FindingsThe research reveals user characteristics, motivations for choosing a CS and workplace preferences of users of urban and non-urban CSs. Even though user characteristics in urban and non-urban CSs appear similar, the literature highlights differences: studies on urban CSs often emphasize increased productivity as a motivator to rent a workplace in a CS. In contrast, literature on non-urban CSs focuses on the reduced time spent commuting. Furthermore, literature on urban CSs prioritizes affordability and neighborhood image, while users of non-urban CSs focus on service offerings and proximity to nature. These findings suggest that CS operators should tailor their value propositions based on location, with urban CSs emphasizing cost-effectiveness and non-urban CSs focusing on comprehensive services and natural settings.Practical implicationsThe study's findings provide a practical lens for understanding the differences between CS in urban and non-urban areas from a user perspective. The insights from this research could inform the evolution of workplace requirements and strategy adaptations, with particular relevance for CS providers and organizations with CSs as part of their Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) portfolio.Originality/valueThe existing body of literature has yet to explore the workplace preferences of CSs in non-urban locations. As CSs grow in non-urban areas and their characteristics may differ from their urban counterparts, this study sheds light on an under-researched area. Furthermore, no study has investigated the literature on CS user preferences systematically and compared the perspectives of urban and non-urban CS users.
PurposeThis study aims to develop and validate a life cycle framework that integrates remodeling practices with sustainability principles to guide stakeholders in corporate real estate (CRE) projects.Design/methodology/approachA literature review revealed the main sustainable remodeling practices across the CRE life cycle. These were evaluated through a survey of 90 practitioners from three stakeholder groups in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. A life cycle framework was then proposed and assessed, with data analyzed using practice frequency and the relative importance index.Findings CRE remodeling is practiced to increase profitability, meet safety regulations, upgrade appearance and finishes, improve technological features and occupant performance. All but one of these practices were rated significant by all stakeholder groups, with percentage frequencies of 50% or more. Each process in the proposed framework was rated as "Very Important."Originality/valueThis research contributes a novel life cycle framework that offers a practical guide for built-environment stakeholders. It promotes sustainable remodeling in CRE among property owners and design, construction and facilities management professionals.
PurposeThis study aims to explore the lived experiences of teleworkers in South Africa, focusing on how teleworking influences work-life balance, motivation and well-being in a developing context.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses semi-structured interviews conducted among professional teleworkers across diverse industries within Gauteng Province. Data was collected between March 2024 and February 2025, using purposive sampling to select 22 teleworkers. Thematic analysis, supported by NVivo software, was used to identify key patterns and themes shaped by infrastructural, organisational and personal factors.FindingsThe findings confirm known benefits of teleworking, such as autonomy, productivity and flexibility, while revealing new challenges unique to resource-constrained environments, including unreliable electricity, digital inequality and inconsistent organisational support. This study revisits Vroom's Expectancy Theory and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, showing how these frameworks align with and diverge from the South African experience.Practical implicationsPractical implications include the need for context-sensitive policies, equitable digital access, mental health support and reimagined office spaces. These insights are particularly relevant for policymakers and organisations transitioning to hybrid work models in developing contexts.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is one of the few to explore teleworking in a developing country context, offering original insights into challenges and proposing practical solutions for sustaining teleworking in such resource-constrained settings.
PurposeStrategic-level support is crucial for the smooth adoption of a sustainable facilities management (FM) supply chain. Many firms, regardless of industry, aim for outsourcing success. However, poor performance from outsourced service providers remains a challenge. This study aims to explore the concept of outsourcing relationships in FM and investigates the design of sustainable outsourcing strategies by analyzing five theoretical perspectives: Transaction Cost Economics, Agency Cost Theory, Resource Dependency Theory, Entrepreneurial Action Theory and Social Exchange Theory.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes a quantitative approach based on two questionnaire surveys. Data were collected from 38 clients and 34 service providers to evaluate FM outsourcing strategies within educational facilities in Hong Kong. The research examines the effectiveness of outsourcing relationships and sustainability factors in FM service delivery.FindingsThe study highlights the impact of FM outsourcing strategies on four commonly outsourced service areas in Hong Kong: building maintenance, security, cleaning and catering. Insights from both clients and service providers reveal that a well-structured outsourcing model can improve performance, enhance sustainability and contribute to economic, social and environmental objectives. The design influencing outsourcing strategies in the four FM contracts relates to the key procedures and business rules concerning the process maturity of agency cost theory from both clients and service providers.Research limitations/implicationsThe research limitations include size of questionnaire survey, only four main FM outsourcing services, non-financial aspects of the FM outsourcing contracts and single higher tertiary education industry.Originality/valueThis paper provides a novel discussion on sustainable outsourcing strategies in FM outsourcing services through a quantitative approach. By integrating multiple theoretical perspectives, the study offers valuable insights into optimizing outsourcing relationships to promote sustainability and long-term success in FM operations. The research limitations include size of questionnaire survey, only four main FM outsourcing services, non-financial aspects of the FM outsourcing contracts and single higher tertiary education industry.
Purpose-It is currently unknown if psychological ownership of a coworking space affects coworking members' engagement in sustainable behaviors and to what extent. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the relationship between psychological ownership and sustainable behaviors in coworking spaces. Design/methodology/approach-This study is based on a cross-sectional design to test the hypothesized relationship between the independent variable psychological ownership of a coworking space and the dependent variable sustainable coworking behavior. Sustainable coworking behavior is a multidimensional construct consisting of prosocial behavior, responsible space-sharing behavior, task performance and creative performance. Data were collected from 423 members of coworking spaces via a global survey. The structural equation modeling method was used for data analysis. Findings-The findings indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between psychological ownership and all four dimensions of sustainable coworking behavior. Specifically, a positive relationship was found between psychological ownership and prosocial behavior (R-sq = 17%, p < 0.001), task performance (R-sq = 12%, p < 0.001) and creative performance (R-sq = 3%, p = 0.013). A negative relationship was found between psychological ownership and responsible space-sharing behavior (R-sq = 1%, p = 0.093). Originality/value-From an academic perspective, this study is among the first to incorporate psychological ownership theory in the unique setting of coworking spaces. From a managerial perspective, these findings highlight that by cultivating psychological ownership, providers may activate an underutilized resource, the members themselves, as actors of sustainable behavior.
PurposeTriggered by the acceleration of hybrid work practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aims to explore the future development and utilisation of the workplace environment for knowledge-based organisations. It examines whether, and how, the global real estate (workplace) sector has contributed to this transition, with a focus on creating an "engaging" workplace post-pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study was carried out to examine future workplace scenarios through in-depth interviews with 11 experts from the global real estate (workplace) sector. All the experts interviewed focused on different aspects of the workplace environment, such as management, design and evaluation.FindingsThe findings emphasise the need to improve alignment between organisational and workplace industry metrics within broader urban environments to facilitate a successful transition to an "engaging" workplace ecosystem after the pandemic. The study also underscores the importance of wider adoption of workplace certificates and metrics to support these post-pandemic workplace ecosystems.Originality/valueThis is a relevant and timely study that presents future workplace scenarios projected by leading global real estate sector professionals. The findings obtained through in-depth interviews offer recommendations for organisations considering a permanent shift or transition to hybrid work practices and their monitoring and evaluation.
