• Project number: F 2455
• Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) / Institut für Arbeitswissenschaft und Betriebsorganisation (KIT)
• Status: Completed Project

Description:

Many tasks, especially knowledge work, can increasingly be carried out remotely. A significant number of employees also work while travelling by train. Mobile work with visual display units (VDUs) places greater demands on the personal responsibility and cooperation of employees with regard to occupational health and safety. At the same time, employers have a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of their employees when they work remotely.

A study compared the demands, mental workload and performance of routine and creative tasks while working on a train and in a single office. The results showed increased mental workload with lower performance when working on routine tasks compared to working in a single office. The results were summarised in a design catalogue and design recommendations were made to improve the work situation.

As mobile working becomes more widespread, companies are also discussing new office concepts. Activity-based office environments include different zones optimised for specific activities such as concentrated work, creative tasks or interactive exchanges. There are no fixed workstations; instead, employees change work areas according to their tasks. As in trains, employees face different demands when working in these environments than when working in a single office.

In a second study, the demands, mental load and performance during a routine and a creative task were measured and compared with the results in the train and in the individual office. As with the single office, the mental workload and performance results show a clear advantage of the office over the train, which is not primarily designed for work. Comparing the two office environments, the results suggest that with good spatial design and consistent activity-based use of the available work areas, they can provide an atmosphere that supports the individual requirements of knowledge work.