A Look into The Open Office Plan: Does it Work?

Open offices are appearing everywhere.

Companies operating in a range of industries are knocking down cubicles and encouraging employees to work without the boundaries of walls.  Along with their new popularity has come an abundance of criticism from noise concerns to privacy issues. In the end, it’s a matter of opinion whether you think working in an open-concept office is a welcomed change, or one that will have you searching for a hammer and some two by fours.

Here’s some things to consider when making your argument.

It looks and feels better. Traditional cubicles can make an office feel stuffy and confined, with every worker trapped in their own little box. But the open office creates a space which is light and airy, giving everyone in the environment more room to breathe.

It promotes innovation.  Part of the reason we’ve seen a rise of open offices is because tech giants like Facebook, Microsoft and Google did it first.

Jonathan Webb, a workplace strategist says, “CEOs across the board have opted for open office plans. They see the innovation coming out of firms in Silicon Valley and think that open offices might be a part of fostering that success.”

In addition, open offices can encourage collaboration among the team.  When employees can physically see the colleagues they need to work with, they’re more likely to walk over and talk to them in person instead of sending an email. This allows workers to get up from behind their screens and participate in face-to-face interactions, which can foster relationships that could prove beneficial to overall team morale.

Owner of My Place Realty and long-time entrepreneur Kris Thorkelson explains, “On the plus side, an open office environment has the ability to support ease of communication among employees and encourages teams to work effectively together.”

It offers flexibility. If you find that a certain aspect isn’t working in the open office, it’s a lot easier to remove and adjust accordingly. Plus, workers have the option of working at their assigned desk, or in one of the other private areas that are often designated in open spaces.

It can also be more affordable.  Whether you’re a small business owner or a large corporation, everyone is mindful of the budget when it comes to office remodels. The good thing about open offices is that they’re fairly cost-effective. Employers can save money by not having to buy large individual desks, cubicle walls and other items used in more traditional spaces.

However, not all employees are on board with open work spaces.

A study from Karlstad University in Sweden found that open office spaces can actually reduce employee happiness.

The results showed a negative relationship between the number of coworkers sharing an office and employees’ job satisfaction.  This could be in part due to the lack of privacy.  The employee may feel like they’re on display, or that their boss or co-workers are spying on them, creating undue stress.

While open office plans do offer financial benefits and encourage teamwork, flexibility and innovative collaboration, employers should take a close look at their offices’ current work culture before making the decision to disassemble the cubicles.