Activity-based working (ABW) isn\u2019t exactly new, but it\u2019s a business strategy that is catching on as companies look for ways to be more agile and promote collaboration among teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea is simple: Instead of everyone having their own desk in an office, staffers share a workspace that features a variety of diverse space types<\/a>\u2014accessible by anyone, at any time. These space types can include common areas with comfortable seating, hot desking in a collaboration space, caf\u00e9-style tables for informal meetings, phone booths for private calls, and quiet areas for focusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, instead of choosing to go all-in on a cubicle farm or only offering an open layout, ABW encourages a shared workspace that supports exactly what employees need, whether that\u2019s group work, collaborating, brainstorming meetings, privacy, or downtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One such advocate of ABW is Luigi Sciabarrasi, senior vice president and global real estate lead at AECOM<\/a>, a global firm that designs, builds, finances, and operates infrastructure assets for governments, businesses, and organizations. Sciabarrasi, who is based in California, recently shared how ABW office spaces can transform the way companies conduct business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Sciabarrasi joined AECOM in 2017, after being recruited by the company for his experience with innovative work styles. He was tasked with helping AECOM fulfill its mission to transform its portfolio into activity-based workspaces, allowing for increased real estate agility<\/a> while at the same time reducing the company\u2019s carbon footprint. \u201cI spent my first six months going around the globe observing the ways in which our teams at AECOM worked within our space,\u201d says Sciabarrasi. \u201cI saw a lot of potential for new ways of working.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n He saw that AECOM was duplicating a traditional workspace approach, no matter the location. \u201cThey were doing the same solution at different locations without thinking about the actual user experience and what people did for work,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sciabarrasi explains that AECOM<\/a>, like many companies, has different worker-profile types with specific needs based on both the individual\u2019s work style, role at the company, and team they support:<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe activity-based working journey<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n