The Future of the Work Environment in Malaysian Organizations; Space, Well-Being and and Work Culture

The pandemic has changed the way people live and work, so what should the future life at work be, that is, the work environment? Since COVID-19, employees face issues in terms of health and productivity, but the complex link between well-being, work cultures and workspace in Asia is overlooked. The disconnection between managers and employees is widening in corporations, leading to disengagement. Yet, the question of space, time and well-being at work is central to tackling future work-life conflicts (WLC) and work-life balance (WLB) since WLCs increase and WLB policies remain ineffective (Schieman et al., 2021). This project looks at the effects of cultural, psychological and spatial factors in impacting staff well-being post pandemic, specifically in Malaysia. It draws on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being theories, and the satisfaction of psychological needs. It analyses how Asian traditional work cultures are questioned and challenged, leading to 'Quiet Quitting'.