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Table 1 Description of items included in the original and the refined scales of local connectivity, overall connectivity, proximity of co-workers, visibility of co-workers

From: Development and reliability testing of a self-report instrument to measure the office layout as a correlate of occupational sitting

 

Included in refined scale

Mean (± SD)1

Local Connectivity

  

Hallways and passageways in my building frequently intersect each other

Yes

2.35 (0.88)

There are many long hallways and passageways in my building

 

2.22 (0.84)

To get to the hallway/passageway closest to my workstation/desk I need to make many changes in direction

 

1.84 (0.85)

When travelling along hallways and passageways you can enter common areas such as kitchens, foyers and coffee rooms with a single change in direction

 

2.75 (0.85)

When standing in common areas such as kitchens/meeting rooms you can see into many other rooms

 

1.99 (0.78)

Office doors and other partitions between sections of the building are always closed

 

2.00 (0.80)

When standing at my workstation/desk I can see into many other rooms

 

2.05 (0.78)

Desks/workstations are located on either side of hallways and passageways

 

2.42 (0.89)

There are many direct "lines of sight" between workstations/desks

 

2.47 (0.87)

There are many alternative routes to move around my office (I don't have to go the same way every time)

Yes

2.25 (0.91)

Clearly defined pathways for travel between workstations frequently intersect with each other

Yes

2.34 (0.80)

I can access kitchen or coffee rooms directly from hallways/passageways

Yes

3.28 (0.74)

I can take many different travel routes through the office to reach the same destination when travelling

Yes

2.24 (0.95)

Passageways are well defined

 

3.10 (0.70)

There are few straight hallways and passageways

 

2.34 (0.85)

To access most of the separate offices (offices enclosed by floor to ceiling walls) in the building I have to move through another office first (ie a receptionist or administrators office)

 

1.93 (0.92)

Overall Connectivity

  

I can access most offices in the building directly from hallways/passageways without passing through another office or room

 

2.92 (0.90)

My office building has many rooms that are difficult to find

Yes

1.64 (0.74)

In my office building you have to pass through at least one other office/room to reach most offices

 

1.89 (0.85)

I can access toilets directly from hallways/passageways

 

3.25 (0.81)

I can walk to colleagues desks/workstations easily without many changes in direction

 

2.93 (0.74)

Walking in my building requires frequent changes in direction one after another

Yes

2.04 (0.74)

To travel from my workstation/desk to the closest toilet requires many changes in direction

Yes

2.06 (0.78)

To travel from my workstation/desk to the closest meeting room/area requires many changes in direction

Yes

2.01 (0.73)

To travel from the main entry of my building/floor to my workstation/desk requires many changes in direction

Yes

2.09 (0.76)

I can walk to the workstation/desk of a co-worker without making any changes in direction

 

2.93 (0.74)

Walking from my own workstation/desk to most others in the building requires many changes in direction

Yes

2.15 (0.79)

Proximity of Co -Workers

  

From my workstation/desk I can hear other people talking quietly at their workstation/desk

Yes

2.92 (0.85)

There are many other workstations/desks located in my building within a short walk of my workstation/desk

Yes

2.88 (0.84)

In the area surrounding my workstation/desk there are lots of other workstations/desks

Yes

2.50 (0.92)

The distance between my workstation/desk and the workstation/desk of co-workers I need to communicate with for my work makes it easier to call or email them than walk to their workstation/desk

 

1.95 (0.82)

There are many other workstations/desks located within a 1 minute walk of my workstation/desk

 

2.98 (0.90)

Visibility of Co-workers

  

From my workstation/desk I can see several colleagues sitting or standing at their workstations/desks (do not include offices with the door closed)

Yes

2.59 (1.20)

From my workstation/desk I can see several colleagues closed office doors

 

1.58 (0.79)

I frequently "bump in to" other people when walking in my building

Yes

2.90 (1.01)

I cannot actually see my colleagues at their desk because of physical barriers such as walls, high partitions and closed doors

 

2.15 (1.16)

Colleagues regularly see me at my workstation/desk and either wave, say hello, or stop for a conversation

 

2.90 (0.90)

When walking down hallways in my building I can see into areas like kitchens, coffee rooms, mail rooms, meeting rooms

 

2.97 (0.91)

There are many entry points to reach the floor that I work on within my building (do not consider locked fire exits)

 

2.19 (0.98)

I frequently see people/other employees walking around inside the building

Yes

3.01 (0.84)

I frequently see people/other employees standing and talking inside the building

Yes

2.89 (0.90)

When walking in hallways near my desk/workstation, I can see my desk/workstation from the hallway

 

2.49 (1.01)

  1. Note. The absence of “Yes” beside an item indicates it was excluded from the refined scale. 1 – data are based on the means (SD) of the original items in the Phase one sample.