Open Plan or Closed Offices? Which is Best for Your Organization?
For many, a private office signals success. It is seen as premium real estate in the hierarchy of the typical office environment. Many aspire to call this private enclave their professional "home" because it symbolizes their ascendancy through the ranks. For others, the flexibility of open plans best supports the need to remain fluid. Their view is that creativity is hindered when confined by static walls. Collaboration and teamwork is fostered when allowed to grow in a physically open environment. And what of the cost implications? While open plan is typically cheaper both now and in the future, is that the best environment to support your mission? Or are your employees - and their productivity - better served by affording them four walls and a door? The "right" answer depends on a number of factors. Understanding who you are today as an organization - and who you want to be in the future - is a great place to start when working to determine how best to structure the work you are doing. To support this, consider the following research. In his 2001 pamphlet, "Disproving Widespread Myths about Workplace Design, " Michael Brill illustrates a simple process to describe a "business-based analysis and design process". He maintains that an organization should clearly define its Objectives, determine the Success Factors needed to meet the objectives, define the Behaviors that will support success, and finally identify what Design Qualities of the work environment will foster the desired behaviors. He advocates the importance of acoustical and visual privacy. He cites data collected from thousands of workers from many different industries when ranking the "ability to do distraction-free solo work" and "support for meetings and undistracted group work" as important to job satisfaction and performance. Don't throw away your open plan partitions just yet! Consider work completed by another researcher, Frank Becker. Becker finds that open, group interaction is more valuable than private work. The ability to exchange ideas and collect input easily has a profound and positive impact on performance. In his paper, "Offices That Work," Becker says, in part, that the primary function of today's office is to bring people together. Socialization is a key factor. He believes that few job functions today require deep, individual concentration or physical separation from others. So we come back to the original question...which is best, open plan or closed offices? This will depend on your corporate culture. Does your current or desired culture place a premium on teamwork, consensus and participation? Does it employ formal rules and hierarchy with strict procedures to guide it? Does it promote risk taking and individual initiative? Is there a predominant sense of being goal-oriented where fierce competition and winning is most important? The real answer as to which environment is best for your company should come after careful reflection of the company's culture. The business intents, goals and objectives should be the driving forces of their work place strategies. The office environment should be a tool - a means - to achieve its goals and objectives. And it should reflect the company's personality. |
