Step into my office

As Architects and Interior Designers, we are always dealing  with all sized businesses, considering the notion of the "open-plan office.”

What is Open-Plan Office?
The history of the open-plan office began pre 1950’s when workers were lined up at large rectangular desk and performed repetitive tasks - essentially the role of industrial workers for the office.

In the 1950’s a German design team developed a furniture system they called "Bürolandschaft’"or "office landscape." This system included curved furniture and screens, large pot plants and organic geometries to create large work groups in open office spaces. This design idea exploded, mainly through furniture companies, who quickly developed the concept of "cubicles," the most common conception of modern open plan arrangements. 

How does open plan work today?
The design intention of management when creating open plan offices is to form a close cohesive team which increases productivity and a sense of enjoyment.  They also require offices which are more flexible, important in the rise and fall of today’s employment environment, and in the same note, much more cost effective. The open plan office is also more space efficient allowing employers to rent smaller offices or employ larger numbers.

The visible aspect to the employee however, is not the cost saving to their boss, but the environment in which they have been provided to complete their day to day tasks. Open plan offices are intended to create team environments which allow more opportunities for observing and learning from more experienced co-workers. Staff are exposed to a more fun and socially involved working environment. 

Is this the reality?
A recent survey conducted by Victoria and Stockholm Universities would disagree. The survey brought forward comments from staff members who have recently undergone the transition from individual offices to open plan. The majority of the comments indicated the employees felt uncomfortable with the new arrangement, as if they were being ‘watched’ by co-workers, with their productivity, and even how many breaks people would take. They also stated the noise levels were much higher which made it more difficult to concentrate, therefore more and more people were resorting to headphones while at there desk, isolating them from their colleagues around them.

Management design intention… FAILED!

What went wrong?
First you must understand that the survey covered people who transitioned from a quiet individual office to being out in the thick of it. Not an easy transition for anyone and especially not an entire office at the same time. There is a period of adjustment to be considered, but this can be made easier…

The main problems noted from the survey is that staff members felt exposed, and unable to concentrate. The design resolution is to provide a well balanced office which allows staff to feel included in the team whilst working efficiently in an open plan environment. To achieve this you must think about all the elements of the office which ‘aren’t’ open plan.

Provide staff with the option of working in a quieter ‘workrooms’ when required, careful not to let them take ownership of these rooms, they must be available to everyone. Move the noisy conversations and meetings to acoustically treated rooms. Provide informal meeting spaces throughout the office to get people moving away from their desks and interacting with people from all over the office and just those in their vicinity. However and most importantly, provide spaces where people can chat, relax and essentially get there social fix away from people trying to work.

 This balance of work allows staff to move around the whole office, experiencing different aspects of their daily tasks in spaces designed to accommodate those tasks, and when returning to their open plan workstation should be ready to settle down and work, happily amongst others. Work in this environment for a few months and their old secluded office would seem lonely and uninviting. 

Management design intention… SUCCESS!

- Posted Sept 16, 2011