Open Offices: Improved Collaboration Or Reduced Productivity?

While the concept of open workspaces is far from new, it has recently become a popular topic of discussion for many companies and institutions. This is likely due to the fact that so many offices today are incorporating this style of workspace. According to a survey conducted by the International Facility Management Association in 2010, 70% of all offices currently have an open floor plan. The idea of the “Open Office” stems from Hamburg, Germany in an attempt to increase communication and idea flow in the 1950s. Recently however, as more companies and institutions restructure their office space, the idea of “hoteling” has become much more developed. The overarching premise challenges the belief that one office or cubicle is the ideal workspace. These shared office spaces are structured around an “activity-based” work model, in which employees can choose from a variety of spaces depending on their tasks for the day. For instance, if an employee has meetings or calls, he/she might select an “office for a day.” Conversely, if a team is working on a project, they might choose a conference room or an open space in the office lobby to collaborate. Focus rooms, on the other hand, might be useful for people who need a quiet space to work. Additionally, these types of offices often become paperless, making it much easier for employees to access and share information and eliminate waste.

Many “Open Offices” consist of similar spaces:

• Open Caf� or “Heart”: A central space where employees can grab coffee or eat lunch and interact with other colleagues.
• Glass-Walled Conference Rooms: These spaces are spread throughout the office and used for larger meetings or presentations. They are often equipped with video conferencing and project-display systems.
• Focus Rooms/Office for a Day: Smaller rooms for people to use when they truly need a quiet space for meetings, phone calls, or other work.
• Work Stations: Individual work stations where people sit daily. They are equipped with adjustable-height desks for sitting and standing, as well as phone extensions that are linked to each employee.
• Seating Clusters: Comfortable chairs and sofas throughout the office for small-group collaboration.
• Lockers and Cabinets: Secure spaces used to store employees’ personal belongings.

These open office spaces also incorporate cloud-based storage systems, PDF-reading and writing software for easy editing, and “follow-you” printing, which allows employees to print anywhere using their ID card. That provides employees with the ability to work anywhere, including remotely, as long as they have access to the internet. Despite the fact that these spaces look great on the surface, recent studies have questioned whether they are truly more effective in promoting increased productivity and employee satisfaction. It seems that these spaces might actually be undermining many of the things they were designed to achieve. Concerns include:

• Employee Satisfaction: One of the main goals is an increase in employee satisfaction, as these spaces were designed to increase camaraderie and collaboration. Studies have illustrated that employees’ interpersonal relationships, job performance, and stress levels have all suffered, as employees report feeling disrupted and stressed. Additionally, studies have shown that these offices don’t promote casual interactions, as people are actually more withdrawn since everyone is listening to their conversations. The privacy of individual offices, conversely, might encourage employees to share and thus develop deeper bonds.
• Productivity: Complaints of constant interruptions and background noise are leading to distracted employees and reduced productivity.
• Health: Jan Pejtersen recently conducted a study of more than 2,400 employees in Denmark, illustrating that as the number of people in a single room increased, the number of employees who took sick leave also increased. Employees in two-person offices took an average of 50% more sick leave than those in single offices, and those who worked in completely open spaces were sick an average of 62% more.

Despite the increase in offices incorporating these environments, studies have not shown the most positive results. It remains to be seen whether these open office spaces will continue to flourish and develop or whether the corporate world will see a return to offices with closed doors and the cubicles we know so well through TV shows like Office Space and The Office. But in reality, it is ultimately a choice that can be incorporated in stages, partially or left to traditional office set-ups. Bottom line: it’s always great to have options