What is activity-based working? A practical guide

What is activity-based working?

Activity-based working (ABW) is a way of working where employees do not have a fixed desk. Instead, they choose a workspace based on what they are doing at that moment.

An activity-based working office is typically organised into zones, such as:

• Focus areas for concentrated work
• Meeting zones for collaboration
• Informal settings for quick check-ins
• Quiet rooms for calls or deep work

The principle is straightforward: the work environment should support the work — not constrain it.

Why activity-based working is becoming more important

The way we work has changed permanently. Hybrid working, project-based teams, and fluctuating office attendance have made traditional desk-based layouts less effective.

Activity-based working helps organisations to:

• Use office space more efficiently
• Improve both focus and collaboration
• Give employees greater autonomy
• Adapt more quickly as needs change

That said, activity-based working only delivers value when the office is designed around real behaviour — not assumptions.

When is activity-based working suitable?

Activity-based working is not a universal solution. It works best when it reflects how an organisation actually operates.

ABW is often a good fit for organisations that:

• Work in a hybrid way, with varying daily attendance
• Combine different activities throughout the day
• Are growing, reorganising, or working in project-based teams
• Encourage autonomy and trust
• Want to use space more intelligently without compromising quality

It is less suitable where work is highly repetitive, tasks are identical for everyone, or fixed layouts are required for privacy or safety.

Activity-based working needs the right conditions

ABW is not just a design choice. It requires clear agreements, behavioural alignment, and an office that can evolve over time.

Without this, common issues appear quickly — too few focus spaces, furniture that does not support the task, or rooms that are rarely used.

In practice, long-term success depends on flexibility: the ability to adjust the office as real usage patterns emerge.

The role of furniture in an ABW office

Furniture is often where activity-based working falls short. While work patterns change, office setups frequently remain static.

Purchased furniture is designed for a single layout at a single moment in time. When needs shift, this results in surplus furniture, unnecessary replacements, and waste — the opposite of what ABW is meant to achieve.

Why a circular furniture subscription makes sense

A circular furniture subscription aligns naturally with activity-based working.

Instead of locking decisions in place, furniture becomes part of an ongoing system. It can be:

• Adapted as usage changes
• Moved, replaced, or expanded
• Reused elsewhere when no longer needed

This keeps the workplace flexible, without carrying the consequences of past decisions.

From activity-based working to future-ready offices

At NORNORM, we design activity-based working offices as living systems. Zones may change, teams may grow or shrink, but the overall look and feel remains consistent through timeless Nordic design.

This approach enables:

• No large upfront CapEx investments
• Less complexity when layouts change
• Ongoing insight into usage, impact, and circularity

Activity-based working then becomes practical, scalable, and manageable — not just in theory, but in everyday use.

A future-ready office is not redesigned once. It evolves continuously, in step with how people actually work.

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