The concept of open-plan offices has emerged from companies’ need to break down walls and encourage collaborative relationships among employees. It makes the office floor much more breathable and expansive. However, it is important to acknowledge that having an open-plan office has its own share of downsides, too.
For one, it affects productivity of introverted employees who cannot concentrate on their work because of a lot of distractions coming from different directions. There are basically no cubicles to protect them. In some offices, open-plan schemes make the space look cluttered, which again, may give employees many distractions.
Making the open-plan office work for you and your employees is a matter of examining the space and crosschecking the findings with the needs of your employees. There are ways you can make open-plan spaces work both for your extroverted and introverted employees. With the right strategy, you can create an office space that actually encourages productivity while promoting collaboration among your employees.
This may take some research and testing, but there are some prompts that can give you a head start. Here are some of the pointers to take into consideration when creating an open-plan office.
Create zones
Open-plan offices are not just about breaking down walls and making sure that the space will allow everyone to see each other. There are various approaches to designing offices like this, and one of them is about creating zones. In other words, you will make the work set-up much more agile.
You can give your employees their own desks, but you can always build spaces and lounges where they can bring their laptops and work at peace. Some spaces may have walls, which will surely favour introverts. Having zones will make sure that your employees are not always tied to their desks, which actually contributes to boredom.
Work with professionals
You may already have your own design of an open-plan office. But, do you think it is sustainable? Do you think it is ergonomically smart? These are the considerations you need to remember. Otherwise, your plans and designs will be a waste.
This is why you need to work with reliable professionals, such as architects and firms that offer interior design services. They know how to improve a space within the given criteria and parameters.
Draw boundaries
You have broken down walls, yes, but you should not always take this absolutely. You will still need to draw some lines and boundaries. The conversations and meetings are not always supposed to be heard by everyone, especially if the subject is sensitive.
You should still build meeting rooms and breakout rooms where teams can collaborate and discuss without having to deal with the noise of other teams. These spaces are also ideal for accommodating clients.
Making the office space work for your employees is one of the many priorities you need to put in your list. This is because your business heavily depends on the productivity of your teams. And they can work so much better and more efficient when their space actually complements their needs.
