Place Attachment and Sense of Belonging in the Offices

Abstract Organizations are often forced to modify their physical environment and relocate employees in response to new business strategies. However, the impact of these changes on employees is rarely considered. Many organisations are acutely aware of the costs associated with high staff turnover, staff alienation and recruitment. Recent innovations in workplace design such as hot-desking have further undermined our sense of belonging. This research considers the attachment employees have for their established work place. It is argued that this attachment may influence people' s response to the new environment and the move process. Issues of place attachment, personal expectations and perceptions can affect a person' s response to a changed environment, which may be at odds with a strong organisational imperative for a move. To date, however, our understanding of how these factors relate to each other is limited. This study seeks to expose the gaps in our understanding of 'attachment' as a phenomenon. It describes the methodology that will be used for a subsequent case study, which attempts to quantify and qualify the phenomenon of place attachment in the workplace. In particular it suggests how design elements can be introduced that nurture a sense of belonging in an organisation

Place attachment theory

This chapter explores current thinking about place attachment in the workplace. Place attachment describes the emotional bond between person and place. In the field of environmental psychology, place attachment has been identified as a significant predictor of an individual’s decision to act in a physical environment. However, the construct of place attachment has received scant attention in extant management literature. However, organisations are often forced to modify their places of work and relocate employees in response to new business strategies. The impact of these changes on people and work are rarely considered. People exhibit varied responses to such changes, with drastic changes requiring careful adjustments to address ‘emotional’ transitions. Can place attachment provide a useful concept for guiding workplace decisions? This chapter seeks to expose the gaps in our understanding of ‘attachment’ as a phenomenon. It recognises possible overlaps in environmental psychology and change management literature, as well as gaps between them, and considers how both fields can contribute to understand the workplace and the workspace

The role of place attachment on employees' resistance to change in workplace accommodation projects

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