There has been a shift in the way offices are designed: in the past, offices would be divided into closed compartments, whereas today, office designers are opting for open working areas, aiming for minimal usage of in-walls. Although having some minor drawbacks, the new type of room layout features significant advantages as well.
Increased noise levels, which is one notable challenge of the new design, can be attributed to adopting an open floor plan. Evidently, noise travels much more intensively in the absence of physical barriers in the workplace – cubicles or glass protectors. This negatively impacts employees, making it challenging for them to maintain decent level of concentration or make a phone call with customers if needed. Another disadvantageous aspect of open-space layout is lack of privacy for workers. Shared desk space, visual distractors and unnecessary chats with colleagues affect their overall performance.
Despite the aforementioned negatives, implementing an open-space design can bring about the following positives. Firstly, this layout fosters collaboration among employees by enabling them to engage in free flow of conversation and co-working activities rather than sitting in their confines rooms, devoid of any social interaction. Secondly, it leads to higher creativity levels in professional settings, since such barrier-free environment provokes innovation and evokes a fertile imagination. On top of these, worker do not suffer as much from redundant stress levels due to sick building syndrome. For those reasons, big tech companies – Facebook, Space-X, Google, and other similar enterprises – have forsaken the traditional close-plan offices in favor of an open environment.
Another, yet not as significant, trait of barrier-free working conditions is the possibility of integrating natural features – plants, flowers and similar decorative tools – so that employees could enjoy the working hours more and do not complain about adverse working conditions. Additionally, applying such aesthetic tools can boost employees’ morale and increased productivity in the company.
In conclusion, while there are some drawbacks of adopting open-space design, such as redundant noise levels and lack of private zones, having an opportunity to cooperate and innovate, as well as improved aesthetics clearly outweigh the disadvantages.