With the rise of shared office spaces, open office plans are receiving more attention lately.
But the verdict is still out whether open office plans work. Like most things in life, and at work, it boils down to what do you want to achieve from the desired action.
In this article, we discuss the merits of an open office plan. Use it to decide on its appropriateness for your workplace.
Collaboration
As the lines of organizing job functions and activities change at the workplace, largely due to technological innovation, the way people work changes too. Collaboration across functions, expertise and experience is the norm. An open office plan is conducive to this end.
Flexibility
A collaborative work culture sometimes requires impromptu workspaces to be created in short notice. In days of old, it was often called the War Room. Today, it is placing several desks and chairs together at a specific place. This can be done easily with an open office plan.
Better working relationships Collaboration knows no hierarchy. It’s the best people for the task ahead. Placing senior staff
in rooms, or private cubicles, denotes boundaries by seniority or rank. They are barriers to open and effective working relationships. An open office plan prevents the erection of these barriers. Whilst some offices have glass partitions subject to the office being quiet enough, we normally recommend no partitions at all.
Improve communication
When employees know each other as people first, colleagues next, it can improve communication, verbal and non-verbal. People behave differently in a social and work context. The latter is a better reflection of the person. Hence, when we understand someone in the social context, it might be easier to know what moves the person at work too.
In deciding on an open office plan, consider its contribution to your company’s organizational goals first. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Getting employees’ inputs can be a good start. This article was written in conjunction with Sydney Office Removalist Hire A Mover .
