The impact of workplace change of a private jet company on employee satisfaction

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of a private jet company's change of workplace on employees' satisfaction using specific variables from a conceptual framework of workplace change appraisal. Another purpose of the study is to identify the relationships between staff characteristics and satisfied aspects of a work environment. Design/methodology/approach A case study was conducted at MJets - a company in the aviation and private jet sector. The research methods included field surveys, document analysis and a set of questionnaires on employee satisfaction, which were then analysed and discussed. Findings The findings show that organisational contexts, work processes and implementation processes have an impact on workplace change and employees' needs and preferences, which affect their responses to the work environment. The most satisfied aspects of a work environment include the ceiling height of each floor, the square-metre area of buildings and the amount of light in the work area. Despite the new work environment, employees are scarcely satisfied with building accessibility, storage, archive facilities and privacy. The relationships between staff characteristics (i.e. working hours, job functions, mode of transport and duration of employment) and employee satisfaction with the work environment are statistically tested. The study shows statistically significant results including the following: mode of transport and satisfaction with parking spaces, job functions and satisfaction with building accessibility and job functions and satisfaction with storage and archive facilities. Research limitations/implications According to a business type, the provision and arrangement of the work environment of a private jet company that is different from other office organisations affect both the generalisation and the generalisability of the study. This study was conducted in Thailand. The impact of the national culture may have also influenced the outcomes. Practical implications The findings and the reflections upon them help understand the complex relationships of variables influencing workplace change appraisal. The focus is on employee involvement; communication with employees in the preparation and implementation processes may be an effective way to promote workplace change objectives and help facility managers reduce negative impacts of workplace change. Originality/value This paper contributes to prior research on workplace change appraisal and provides evidence for both positive and negative impacts of workplace change on employee satisfaction with the work environment. Identifying the impact of workplace change on employee satisfaction through the conceptual framework contributes to the body of research on facilities management. In addition, the conceptual framework of workplace change appraisal can be applied by practitioners in the field of workplace design and management.