The argument between open floor plans and closed offices has been a heated topic since the concept of the business-driven open plan originated in the mid-1960s, when the Quiekborner team, a group of German management consultants, coined the term Burolandschaft, or “office landscaping.”
Back then, the implementation of open office spaces was largely a cost-driven measure.
The formula was simple: Reduce the amount of space a person takes up, which reduces the overall space required by the organization, thereby reducing the overall cost.
Today, creating open environments is more about creating long-term benefits like productivity and efficiency rather than saving costs on operations. This may be happening more from the higher demands put upon employees and in an effort to retain them, the office environment is becoming more adaptive to their work habits.
Reduction in space is now being looked upon as an opportunity for creating informal meeting rooms, snack areas and project rooms. But before a cultural change can be instituted, several considerations must be reviewed before a sweeping overhaul.
The open environment has changed by definition as organizations have changed the settings of the workplace. In the 1970s, the term “bullpen” was coined as a definition for office space whereby the perimeter consisted of closed offices and the center was filled with cubicles. Today, open environments have taken on terms such as virtual, neighborhoods, hoteling and teaming.
– Open Spaces
Companies such as TBWA Chiat/Day did away with offices, cubicles and the like, and resorted to lockers, checking out laptops and portable phones, and providing sofas, tables, and plenty of free food. This is what they considered the “virtual” office.
“Hoteling” was adopted as a means to accommodate flexible work hours. The concept is to provide an electronic reservation system and locator system for available desk space. Where the average ratio for office space is 250 square feet per person, hoteling space can be reduced to as much as 100 square feet per person.
Michael Hickok of Hickok Warner Fox Architects explains that the purpose of the neighborhood environment has been developed to accommodate groups of professionals and staff who work together on projects over long periods of time. In a neighborhood, there may be 12 work stations, five unreserved offices, two project rooms and a number of “hot desks” nearby.
Teaming environments have been created in an effort to bring employees from different departments to “brainstorm” solutions to one specific problem. The culture of business has given us three distinct methods of space utilization: open, private, and teaming.
Open plans incorporate 80 percent open with 20 percent private office. The private plans incorporate 80 percent private with 20 percent open. The teaming plans typically have 60 percent open, 30 percent mixed use, and 10 closed space to yield maximum interactivity, multiuser creativity and connectivity.
Michael Brill, a workplace designer for Bosti Associates, says that firms like Sun Microsystems and IBM are reverting from the entirely open environment. Brill has spent the past four years surveying 11,000 employees to determine factors that most affect their productivity. His conclusion was: the ability to do distraction-free work.
– One Size Doesn’t Fit All
This doesn’t mean the answer is an entirely closed environment, but what is clear is that the days of the “sea of cubicles” are coming to an end. Evidence points to the proper use of cubicles where open office space is appropriate instead of the idea that one size fits all.
The pros of open office environments have consistently laid claim to fostering teamwork, employee interaction, flexibility and leveling of egos. The biggest con of the open office is the complaint of lack of privacy.
So what organizations must consider is how to get the best of both worlds. Creating this type of space isn’t easy, some of the considerations and steps below may help overcome them.
When considering an open environment for your office, several issues must be considered: the change in culture, effective use of the office space, the departments utilizing the space, the work habits of the employees and the category of employees within the space.
The change in culture is probably what causes the most immediate complaints. Concerns of lack of privacy, the amount of noise, and inability to concentrate are common complaints.
Ways to overcome these concerns have ranged from putting everyone, including the executives, in work stations , to providing enclosed areas for team meetings, game rooms, or coffee/water breaks.
– Consider Distractions
Effective use of office space does not mean cramming the greatest number of people into the smallest amount of space. What it does mean is looking at how people are arranged in a space.
Arranging teams and departments that generate the greatest amount of noise or collaboration together and away from the organizational “thinkers” is a good step. Another consideration is varying the workstation panel heights or the arrangement of the panels to either open up or enclose a space depending on the “category” of employee.
In addition, placing noisy devices such as printers, copiers, coffee makers, and faxes in either high traffic areas or in enclosed rooms can help to reduce the amount of distractions.
Noise is probably one of the biggest concerns amongst newly acclimated employees.
This has been so highly regarded that entire industries have adopted a variety of devices and materials to overcome this distraction. Such items include white noise that helps mask conversation and other intrusive noises. Employees can also wear headphones to create a greater means of concentration. Building materials such as acoustically sensitive ceiling panels can also be considered.
Finally, evaluating how well employees can concentrate in their environment involves determining their natural screening tendencies. Some employees can readily screen out nonwork-related stimuli while others are distracted by the slightest click.
Lastly, and probably the least considered, are the work habits of the employees. Of course, organizations cannot possibly take into consideration every individual’s work habit, but certain common behaviors and attitudes can be seen amongst “categorical” groups, i.e. finance, programmers, engineers, sales and marketing.
Sales and marketing may be better off using low panel height work stations without white noise, whereas programmers may be better off with high paneled “U” shaped stations to create a greater feeling of privacy.
When considering office space, it’s best to first identify your goals. Obviously, the goal to create collaboration within a department in an effort to stimulate a sense of teamwork is different than the goal to emulate the privacy of closed offices for better concentration.
It’s best to work with specialists who are up-to-date on the latest developments in office design. The work stations of today are clearly different than the cubicles of the past. Architects, space planners and furniture vendors have a wealth of information to provide when it comes to making adjustments to an open environment.
You should determine when, and if, you really need to change your work space. Open environments are not for everyone and actual costs may outweigh the benefits.
Productivity is the end result and knowing how to increase this is the key to deciding whether to choose an open or closed office arrangement.
Be sure to design your space with your unique purposes in mind. Instead of relying upon common standards and traditions, create a space that uniquely fits your company’s desired culture.
Companies such as Arthur Andersen have gone to open offices with hallways so people will have to interact with each other, creating a completely different energy in the office. Peoplesoft went to great lengths to create space that supports an integration of mobile employees with stable ones without losing touch. The key is to see how different groups work and which design fits your corporate goals and culture.
When considering office arrangements, use sound masking surfaces, don’t assume that taller wall heights are necessarily better, consider a “less is more” approach, and don’t assume that perks such as exercise rooms, attractive dining spaces, and outdoor seating areas are just another cost.
What works for one company may not work for another. Examine a number of design concepts that have been tried over the years to determine which would be best for your company.
An open office environment can have a positive impact on your employees, but one size does not fit all. Look at what has been tried in the past and what is being developed for the future, but most of all consider what fits your company and your employees in the present.
Wise is a real estate consultant/broker for the Equis Corp. of San Diego.
