A lot of startup companies are employing the use of open office layouts in their buildings. Because of the trending take on the modern workplace, established businesses are also trying to change their ways. However, an open office floor plan is not always an effective idea. You might notice that the productivity of your employees is decreasing because of open offices. Before making space for an open office installation in your company, you should check if these reasons will not bother your operation.
Distractions Are Everywhere
Open offices allow employees to talk to each other freely during work hours. However, the number of conversations and interactions may dissuade workers from focusing on their tasks on hand. If an employee starts to gather attention, you might notice that their colleagues are leaving their chairs more often. You can compare an open office design to a dinner table.
Casual jokes and interruptions will prevent the smooth flow of conversation when you and your family go to dinner. If the scenario happens inside the office, the work output will suffer. If you already have an open office design, you should consider letting supervisors roam around the area. Higher-ranking employees will help you keep your staff in line during work hours.
No More Privacy
Open office designs eliminate privacy, which is essential inside the workplace. Most of the office workers do not want their colleagues to peek at drafts and finished output during work hours. Some employees need private space to come up with creative ideas for a job. An open office layout will prevent workers from working on their tasks privately, which may decrease productivity and work quality.
When an employee gets momentum at their work, they might lose when a colleague approaches. You will start to notice that your employees are going away from the open office area to get their jobs done. If you want to give your staff private spaces while maintaining an open office, you should consider installing spacious work cubicles with thin separating walls. You will be able to give your employees a little privacy while still giving them space for effective communication. Start finding companies that install office cubicles in Salt Lake City or anywhere in Utah now to get started.
Different Teams Mean Different Tasks
Open offices can help employees discuss job assignments better. However, the modern workplace might not be effective if they are workers from different sections of the company. A company analyst will not be able to discuss work-related issues with a financial officer. Members of the marketing team will not be talking to people in the IT division. Cramming employees in one space will make it challenging for them to talk to the people they need to reach. Instead of one big open office layout, you should consider getting multiple workplaces and assign each space to specific divisions.
Forced Interaction is Not Effective Communication
Your employees will be facing a lot of deadlines while working. The open office helps remind workers about the upcoming dues, but it will not help them finish on time. When team members are always in front of their manager, they might succumb to the pressure of the deadline. Effective communication is possible in messaging apps or rare visits to office cubicles. If you want your workers to feel comfortable during work hours, you should not force them to interact with each other.
Open offices have beneficial effects for most companies, but some require the use of office cubicles. You should come up with a business plan to see what type of office design your company needs.
