Open Plan Office Spaces – Are They Really Effective?

The way of the future?

Over the last decade or so, open plan offices have dramatically risen in popularity. One of the key reasons behind this, is the belief that open offices positively influence worker productivity. However, there are just as many critics, claiming that productivity suffers in open plan workspaces.

At All Image Architects, we know that open-plan office spaces aren’t for everyone. So, we’ll present the pros and cons and let you decide.

Open plan offices – pros

• The layout helps workers to collaborate and work toward shared goals more effectively.
• It allows workers to overhear useful information from colleagues. This allows them to learn from others and work together to solve problems.
• Open plan offices are most effective for workers who need to interact frequently with each other. This way, you can get instant assistance from colleagues, and solve problems easily.

Open plan offices – cons

• You can only focus on so much at one time. Bombarding you with excessive stimuli, open offices are a major source of distraction, leading to lost productivity.
• Employers may like the fact that open plan offices allow them to see what employees are doing at all times. But this is not always the case for employees. You may feel that you have no privacy and are constantly being watched.
• While open plan offices are great for collaboration, you may feel that you have lost your sense of autonomy in the workplace. This can seriously impact the quality of your work.

How to make open plan offices work for you

With careful planning, there are ways to make the open plan office concept work. This office design is suitable for workplaces where employers and employees need to interact frequently on connected tasks.

Open plan office spaces are also ideal for teams who need to adapt to change. In this situation, constant interaction can help employees rapidly learn and apply new information into their working environment.

Constant interaction can negatively impact your productivity. However, by receiving help from colleagues whenever you need it, you will save time, thereby improving your productivity.

If you’d like to experience the benefits of an open plan office for yourself, contact our expert team today for a quote.