Loss of statusFor managers, ABW can create status anxiety. The proverbial corner office is no longer there. In addition, they must get used to managing mobile employees (managing with their brains, instead of their eyeballs, so to speak). Practice shows that this is not always easy. It is essential, however, that they are on board and lead by example. Provide training in change management and information about ABW that is specifically targeted at managers;Make managers part of, and responsible for, the change process;Make sure that top management is involved and actively pushing the ideas to all management levels;Provide sufficient bookable meeting rooms with visual privacy, where managers can have confidential meetings (e.g. employee assessments).Resistance to changeWhen introducing ABW, be prepared for a healthy dose of staff resistance. When they first hear about it, many employees will be anxious, or even angry, about the prospect of losing their workstation. But if properly informed and involved, people can move from resistingthe change to accepting or even embracing it (see also page 83). Communicate extensively about the why, what and how of the concept;Listen seriously to and address all concerns andWhy is losing ones desk such a daunting practical questions employees may have; perspective, even when you know that you Involve employees actively in the development of thewill get more options in return? One likely culprit is the psychological phenomenon of concept (see page 46); loss aversion, which is encapsulated in the Where necessary, provide training (e.g. in use of newexpression losses loom larger than gains. 70 technologies); To deal with this phenomenon, it is important to look carefully at the framing of the ABW Make sure that management leads by example.concept. The new work environment has to be presented and designed as a gain (i.e. in terms of choice and quality) rather than as a loss. This will not solve the issue entirely, but one can take comfort from the idea that once people have become used to ABW, they wont want to lose it, for the very same reason.Stages of acceptance Positive The process of accepting change is often likened to the process of grieving, which is said to move from denial, to anger, to bargaining and Employee ultimately to acceptance. 71, 72perception The analogy may seem a bit over the top (grieving Negative over the loss of a desk?), but it provides insight into peoples responses to an ABW project. Peoples initial reaction is often resistance, while actually working in the new office tends to lead to State Status Quo Disruption Exploration Rebuilding acceptance.Reaction Shock, denial Anger, fear Acceptance Commitment37