The impact of new working practices on employee productivity

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayantha Wadu Mesthrige ◽  
Yat Hung Chiang
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consultancy Firm ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to analyse the impact on employee productivity of adopting the activity-based working (ABW) a form of new work practices (NWPs). A study of this nature has never been made in Asia. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods design was used, which combined a comprehensive literature review, three interviews with senior professionals and a questionnaire survey with 37 office occupiers all from one international real estate consultancy firm in Hong Kong, as a case study, to analyse the impact of ABW on employee productivity. Findings Findings suggest that ABW influences employee productivity to a certain degree. Though both physical and behavioural working environmental factors influence employee productivity in general, the latter factors were relatively more influential. Interestingly, though space-per-employee has been reduced under the ABW, this has not affected employee performance negatively. However, findings indicate that distraction elements (e.g. interruptions, overcrowding and noise) do have a negative influence on employee performance. Research limitations/implications The scope of this exploratory study is limited to Hong Kong and to a small sample of respondents representing one international real estate firm. However, the results could be interpreted for critical learning in other similarly expensive real estate rental markets. Originality/value The study highlighted the impact of not only physical but also behavioural working environment factors on employee productivity. The maximum benefits of NWPs can only be accomplished by striking a balance between aspects of physical and behavioural working environments.

scholarly journals The impact of strategic transformation on employee productivity

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Operating Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operating Income ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Strategic Transformation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a strategic commentary on the interconnected areas of corporate strategy and employee performance by illustrating how two organizations adapted and transformed their businesses to the demands of digitalization and new media. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal analysis (1995-2015) of employee productivity was calculated as operating income per employee for each firm and benchmarked against industry data. Findings Both firm’s corporate objectives and strategies were focused on ambitious levels of growth and the opportunities provided by an increasingly digital environment. However, the firms had transformed their businesses in different ways with distinct employee productivity performance outcomes. Practical implications This paper provides case studies of strategic transformation and argues that HR management strategies and practices need to be continually evaluated to assess their employee productivity in an uncertain digital operating environment. Originality/value This paper provides a longitudinal analysis of how media firms, Sky Plc and Pearson Plc, adapted, reconfigured and transformed their businesses to meet the demands of an operating environment characterized by inexorable changes in digital technologies. It presents data and conclusions on how the management of “human resources” had delivered different employee productivity outcomes over the long term.

Data centers as the backbone of smart cities: principal considerations for the study of facility costs and benefits

Facilities ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick T.I. Lam ◽  
Daniel Lai ◽  
Chi-Kin Leung ◽  
Wenjing Yang
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Data Center ◽  
Data Centers ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cost And Benefit ◽  
Mission Critical ◽  
The Impact

Purpose As smart cities flourish amidst rapid urbanization and information and communication technology development, the demand for building more and more data centers is rising. This paper aims to examine the principal issues and considerations of data center facilities from the cost and benefit dimensions, with an aim to illustrate the approaches for maximizing the net benefits and remain “green.” Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review informs the costs and benefits of data center facilities, and through a case study of a developer in Hong Kong, the significance of real estate costs is demonstrated. Findings Major corporations, establishments and governments need data centers as a mission critical facility to enable countless electronic transactions to take place any minute of the day. Their functional importance ranges from health, transport, payment, etc., all the way to entertainment activities. Some enterprises own them, whilst others use data center services on a co-location basis, in which case data centers are regarded as an investment asset. Real estate costs affect their success to a great extent, as in the case of a metropolitan where land cost forms a substantial part of the overall development cost for data centers. Research limitations/implications As the financial information of data center projects are highly sensitive due to the competitive status of the industry, a full set of numerical data is not available. Instead, the principles for a typical framework are established. Originality/value Data centers are very energy intensive, and their construction is usually fast tracked costing much to build, not to mention the high-value equipment contents housed therein. Their site locations need careful selection due to stability and security concerns. As an essential business continuity tool, the return on investment is a complex consideration, but certainly the potential loss caused by any disruption would be a huge amount. The life cycle cost and benefit considerations are revealed for this type of mission-critical facilities. Externalities are expounded, with emphasis on sustainable issues. The impact of land shortage for data center development is also demonstrated through the case of Hong Kong.

Feedback trading strategies in international real estate markets

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrysanthi Balomenou ◽  
Vassilios Babalos ◽  
Dimitrios Vortelinos ◽  
Athanasios Koulakiotis
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Real Estate Markets ◽  
The Real Estate ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Feedback Trading

Purpose Motivated by recent evidence that securitized real estate returns exhibit higher levels of predictability than stock market returns and that feedback trading (FT) can induce returns autocorrelation and market volatility, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of FT strategies on long-term market volatility of eight international real estate markets (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong). Design/methodology/approach Assuming that the return autocorrelation may vary over time and the impact of positive feedback trading (PFT) or negative feedback trading (NFT) could be a function of return volatility, the authors use a combination of a FT model and a fractionally integrated Generalized AutoRegressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model. Findings The results are mixed, revealing that both PFT and NFT strategies persist. Specifically, the authors detect PFT in the real estate markets of France, Hong Kong and Italy as opposed to the real estate markets of Australia, Germany, Japan and Sweden where NFT was present. A noteworthy exception is the UK real estate market, with important and rational FT strategies to sustain. With respect to the long-term volatility persistence, this seems to capture the mean reversion of real estate returns in the UK and Hong Kong markets. In general, the results are not consistent with those reported in previous studies because NFT dominates PFT in the majority of real estate markets under consideration. Originality/value The main contribution of this study is the investigation of the link between short-term PFT or NFT and long-term volatility in eight international real estate markets, symmetrically. Particular attention has been given to the link between short-term FT and long-term volatility, by means of a fractionally integrated GARCH approach, a symmetric one. Moreover, investigating the relationship between returns’ volatility and investors’ strategies based on FT entails significant implications because real estate assets offer a good alternative investment for many investors and speculators.

Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anitha J.
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the key determinants of employee engagement and their predictability of the concept. It also studies the impact of employee engagement on employee performance. Design/methodology/approach – Causal study was done to study the impact of relationships. A survey questionnaire was developed and validated using a pilot data (a=0.975). Simple random sampling was used to select the employees from middle and lower managerial levels from small-scale organisations. A total of 700 questionnaires were distributed and 383 valid responses collected. Regression and structural equation modelling were used to predict and estimate the relationships. Findings – It was found that all the identified factors were predictors of employee engagement (r2, 0.672), however, the variables that had major impact were working environment and team and co-worker relationship. Employee engagement had significant impact on employee performance (r2, 0.597). Practical implications – Special focus and effort is required specifically on the factors working-environment and team and co-worker relationship as they have shown significantly higher impact on employee engagement and hence employee performance. Organisations shall focus on presenting a great environment for employees to work and promote programmes that would enhance peer relationships. Social implications – The determinants of employee engagement connote a healthy working atmosphere that reflects on the social impact created by the organisation. Employees would enjoy considerable attention in terms of the determinants being addressed. Originality/value – The research emphasises the growing importance and need for crystallisation of the concept of employee engagement. The research is unique in respect to the comprehensive model that is developed and validated.

Social media, diffusion of innovations, morale and digital inequality

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 480-495
Author(s):  
Marion Lucille Williams ◽  
Alexander Dhoest ◽  
Ian Saunderson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Digital Inequality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore social media usage in an academic library in South Africa and the factors influencing its use. The primary goal of the study was to examine perceptions surrounding the impact of non-adoption of social media on morale, and to explore the consequences of digital inequality. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative method, in-depth interviews were conducted with a small sample comprising six key informants at the University of Limpopo Libraries. Findings The findings suggest that non-adoption of social media has a negative influence on morale, and that it is a very necessary tool required for interaction with students as well as promotion and marketing of the library’s resources. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to one academic library in South Africa situated in a rural area. The research suggests that more academic libraries in rural areas be studied to ascertain if geographical location and finance are barriers to social media adoption. Originality/value This study addresses non-adoption of social media and suggests ways to improve employee morale and retention. The research contributes to current research.

scholarly journals Evaluating the effect of new working practices on office space usage in Hong Kong

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-366
Author(s):  
Wadu Mesthrige Jayantha ◽  
Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Office Space ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Many organizations in Hong Kong have witnessed a reduction in average space usage due to high occupancy costs. New working practices (NWPs) are viewed as a reform tool to manage expensive real estate around the world. However, it is unclear whether NWPs influence office space usage in business organizations in Hong Kong. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate if the average space reduction in office firms is caused by the NWPs in the finance, insurance, real estate and business (FIREB) firms. Design/methodology/approach A total of 20 NWPs were initially derived from the extant literature. A questionnaire survey was conducted with listed FIREB firms in Hong Kong to assess the impact of the identified NWPs on space usage. The data collected from the questionnaire survey were analysed using descriptive, explorative factor analysis (EFA) and partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the effects of NWPs on average space usage. Findings Results revealed that four major NWP factors influence average space usage. Three of these factors, namely, “flexible arrangement”, “multitasking knowledge workers” and “teamwork and communication”, influence space usage positively. Even though the effect of the fourth factor “training and networking” was significant, it does not reflect a positive influence on space usage. Business organizations can focus more on the implementation of NWPs to cushion the effects of the high cost of occupancy. Originality/value The research provides new knowledge to the limited literature on the effect of NWPs in FIREB firms and enriches the growing body of international literature on how today’s competitive global business organizations should revisit their workplace strategies to accommodate the rising agile workforce and NWPs. The findings offer new insights into the ongoing debate on the impact of information and communication technology-enabled NWPs on space usage. From the real estate perspective, the findings should inform policymaking towards the better planning ahead of office properties to accommodate NWPs, helping Hong Kong to remain competitive as a key financial centre.

Minor works control in Hong Kong: a preliminary evaluation

Facilities ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 320-336
Author(s):  
Johnny Kwok Wai WONG ◽  
Ringo W.H. Shum
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Control System ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Building Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Building Control System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Control Regime ◽  
Minor Works

Purpose – This study aims to understand the impacts of the Minor Works Control System (MWCS) on the performance of minor works contractors following its implementation in 2011, and specifically the initiatives adopted by minor works contractors in response to the new building control regime. Suggestions are made for the further improvement of the MWCS. Like many Western countries and Asian counterparts, Hong Kong has recently implemented a new building control system (the MWCS), which aims to restructure the building proposal approval process and shift the responsibility for building control from the public to the private sector. The effectiveness of the MWCS has been strongly questioned by the industry and the public. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed method including a questionnaire survey (quantitative) and focus group discussions (qualitative) was adopted to provide an initial evaluation of the impact of the MWCS on practitioners and the industry. Findings – The results suggest that implementation of the new control system has helped increase safety awareness and the technical capacity of minor works contractors. Despite these benefits, registered contractors are encountering challenges under the MWCS, such as manpower arrangement problems and higher business operating costs. Initiatives that include maintaining a sound financial background, an adequate in-house supervisory staff and a safe working environment are considered critical by practitioners to maintain their competitive edge under the new control regime. Originality/value – This study is one of the first studies in Hong Kong to evaluate the impact of the new building control system. The feedback and suggestions provided by the practitioners and experts during the research provide valuable insights for the government on how to provide support to practitioners under the MWCS to achieve a better built environment in Hong Kong.

The impact of COVID-19 on office space utilization and real-estate: a case study about teleworking in Israel as new normal

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Naor ◽  
Gavriel David Pinto ◽  
Amir Israel Hakakian ◽  
Akiva Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Real Estate ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Real Estate Market ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Office Space ◽  
Google Search ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether the shift to teleworking during COVID-19 pandemic is going to diminish the need to procure/rent extensive office space and how this emerging trend impacts the real-estate market in Israel. Design/methodology/approach The methodologies used in this study include triangulation of Google search engine, survey and post hoc case study analysis. Findings The analysis indicates a decline both in procuring office space and its price per square meter. Employee productivity while teleworking remains relatively high despite home distractions. Interestingly, the survey results forecast a continuous shift to hybrid work mode after the pandemic. Practical implications The study introduces the development of numerous innovative Israeli technologies to allow a gradual return to work in public places. Social implications As the coronavirus outburst, business sectors were forced by government regulations to change the way of employment extensively, specifically, teleworking has become an integral part of the routine to accommodate social distance. The study provides insights into the impact of teleworking on gender and ethnic diversity in the Israeli workplace. Originality/value Israel provides a unique bedrock for investigation because of its status as a start-up nation with both high skilled workforce and advanced information technology infrastructure. The study enlightens an Israeli perspective on how a small size country with a high-density population succeeds to deal with coronavirus by teleworking coupled with strict government enforcement of social distance.

When do job insecure employees adapt to change?

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi N. Lavigne ◽  
Victoria L. Whitaker ◽  
Dustin K. Jundt ◽  
Mindy K. Shoss
Keyword(s):  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Adaptive Performance ◽  
Work Behaviors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Tasks ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between job insecurity and adaptive performance (AP), contingent on changes to core work tasks, which we position as a situational cue to employees regarding important work behaviors. Design/methodology/approach Employees and their supervisors were invited to participate in the study. Supervisors were asked to provide ratings of employees’ AP and changes to core tasks; employees reported on job insecurity. Findings As predicted, changes to core tasks moderated the relationship between job insecurity and AP. Job insecurity was negatively related to AP for those experiencing low levels of change, but was not related to AP for those experiencing high levels of change. Counter to expectations, no main effect of job insecurity was found. Research limitations/implications This study employed a fairly small sample of workers from two organizations, which could limit generalizability. Practical implications The study identifies changes to core tasks as a boundary condition for the job insecurity–AP relationship. Findings suggest that organizations may not observe deleterious consequences of job insecurity on AP when changes to core tasks are high. Originality/value Few researchers have examined boundary conditions of the impact of job insecurity on AP. Furthermore, inconsistent findings regarding the link between job insecurity and AP have emerged. This study fills the gap and expands upon previous research by examining changes to core tasks as a condition under which job insecurity does not pose an issue for AP.

Customer satisfaction with sommelier services of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 532-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Lau ◽  
Man Lai Cheung ◽  
Guilherme D. Pires ◽  
Carol Chan
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The abolishment of the wine tax in Hong Kong has led to increased wine consumption and increased demand for wine-related professionals, such as sommeliers. Yet the importance of sommeliers’ value-adding performance in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants has not been examined. To address this gap, the SERVQUAL framework is adopted to examine the influence of sommeliers’ service quality (SQ) on customer satisfaction (CS) and loyalty in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach The survey method is used to collect data from 302 units of the population of interest, partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the links between constructs. Findings Four of the seven dimensions of sommeliers’ service quality, namely, empathy, tangibles, credibility and assurance, have a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, whereas the impact of perceived value and responsiveness on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is positive but only marginally significant. Reliability has a weak and non-significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications Examining a small number of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong limits generalisation of the findings to other contexts. Replication of the research in different contexts will enhance generalizability. In terms of implications, the discussion highlights the importance of sommeliers’ service performance on customers’ SQ perceptions SQ, CS and loyalty, all of which are important variables for restaurateurs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of the influence of the quality of sommelier’s SQ on CS and loyalty in upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Given the lack of attention to this service role in the literature, the study contributes theory from which further understanding can develop.

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