These days, traditional individual rooms in offices are being replaced by open-environment designs. The drawbacks of this phenomenon exceed the benefits, as it leads to the deterioration of the overall productivity of employees.
Working in an open-space workplace can be beneficial since it stimulates teamwork. Employees spending most of their time together may find it easier to interact with their co-workers, hence improving relationships and becoming closer. For instance, in open spaces, they have more opportunities to share ideas, collaborate, and solve difficult tasks together. As a result, one feels like a part of the team and this may improve job satisfaction, moreover, it increases the likelihood of staying at the job longer.
Despite the aforementioned pros of open-space designs, it is common knowledge that also has a detrimental impact on the productivity of the employee. When a large number of people are sharing an office, the noise generated from a piece of equipment or conversation makes it difficult to concentrate, thus workers get easily disturbed. For example, most workers find it difficult to take phone calls if the office is particularly loud. Consequently, the efficiency of employees will deteriorate, as well as their performance at work.
In conclusion, despite the beneficial impact of open environments, such as the stimulation of teamwork, the deterioration of productivity and the ease of being disturbed outweigh any pros of these designs.