R&D invites you to a new conference
The “leading by example” in terms of offices
“luxury suites” for some, “basement rooms” to be shared by the rest of the staff?
Tuesday 25 April from 13:00 to 14:30
Delphine MINCHELLA
- Author of: « Les entreprises à l’heure du flex-office , contexte, enjeux, vécus », l’Harmattan and « Espaces de travail, nouveaux usages et nouveaux enjeux », Dunod
- Teacher-researcher connected to the Métis Lab
- Doctor in management sciences (Paris-Dauphine)
- Academic Director at EM (Ecole de Management) of Normandie (FR)
Her doctoral thesis focused on the role of spatiality in managerial change
To be published in 2023 in collaboration with Bourdin, S, ‘La lutte des places : étude des comportements des top-managers pour maintenir leur privilège spatial’, International Journal of Psychosociology and Management of Organisational Behaviour – Revue Internationale de Psychosociologie et de Gestion des Comportements Organisationnels (RIPCO)
Between spatial justice and spatial privilege: what is at stake with regard to each one’s place at work?
Whether it is an individual office, a place in an open space or a non-territorial solution in a hot-desking perspective, the workspace that we are allocated materialises the contract that binds us to the organisation for which we work, and renders account – in a tangible way – of the place that we occupy within it.
Besides the considerations of comfort and use, these places carry an important symbolic charge which enables to instantly appreciate the influence of each one in the organisation.
Besides the considerations of comfort and use, these places carry an important symbolic charge which enables to instantly appreciate the influence of each one in the organisation.
This notion of place also echoes the games of proximity and distance that are engaged in when it comes to choosing one’s location. In all these trade-offs, individuals, always in search of fair treatment, will seek spatial justice, while others will fight to maintain their spatial privilege, even if it goes against the very interests of the organisation…
Contrary to what people try to make out, the organisation of the workspace for managers is far from being an insignificant detail.
Studies in this field have always confirmed that in order for culture changes within an organisation to be meaningful, it is necessary to involve symbolic and significant measures, such as the abolition of any hierarchical dimension in the organisation of offices.
In particular, in organisations based on the ‘culture of surveillance and fear’, hierarchical power is directly transposed into the size, number of windows and furniture of the office. For example, the most powerful manager has a separate corner office, large enough to fly a kite, all designed to discourage any intrusion from subordinates.
Accordingly, moving towards a true ‘culture of trust’ as rightly advocated by Commissioner Hahn also requires symbolic measures regarding the organisation of offices and calls for a focus on availability, transparency and the abolition of physical hierarchies.
As regards the organisation of workplaces, it is like for markets, “transparency leads to fairness”.
In this respect, we salute both the Director General of DG HR and Commissioner Hahn’s cabinet for having fully grasped the meaning of “leading by example” by agreeing to submit themselves to the organisation of the offices foreseen for the rest of the staff.