Open Office Design. Paul D. Hooper, DC, MPH, MS. The Flying Pig Consulting Group

Transcription

1 Open Office Design Paul D. Hooper, DC, MPH, MS The Flying Pig Consulting Group

2 Open Office Design Paul D. Hooper, DC, MPH, MS / The Flying Pig Consulting Group Introduction The open office has become a popular alternative to the traditional office environment. In such a traditional space, privacy is encouraged and more senior workers tend to have more elaborate and private offices. This culminates in the desirability and award of the corner office to a loyal and valued employee. In contrast, in an open office plan everyone has the same space, regardless of their seniority and position in the company. According to Wikipedia, the open office plan is a generic term that is used in architectural and/or interior design. It is used for a floor plan that makes use of large, open spaces and minimizes the use of small, enclosed rooms. As a sign of its popularity, it has been estimated that about seventy percent of Americans currently work in such spaces. This paper will look at the reasons for providing such a work space. It will also address the utility of such a facility and discuss the advantages and disadvantages. The paper concludes with a balanced look at a combination of the two designs. Open Office The Open Office plan is not new. It was originally introduced by a team from Hamburg, Germany, in the nineteen-fifties. The designers postulated that, without walls, the environment would foster better communication between workers and encourage the free flow of ideas. However, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the open office undermines the very things that it was designed to achieve; communication and idea flow. Unlike its counterpart, the traditional office, the open office is designed to encourage employee conversations and collaboration by minimizing the time that employees spend working on their own in private spaces. Instead, workers share their work space with others. In large part because it is more economical, the open office has become almost universal, with 70% of Americans working in cubicles or some other form of open Figure 1 The open office space environments. It is used at some major companies including Google, ebay, Goldman-Sachs, and American Express. In addition, Facebook has recently opted to design a large open space to house 3,000 engineers. When finished, it

3 will be the largest such facility in the world. The open office seems especially popular in high tech firms where collaboration is encouraged and the companies pride themselves on their non-conformist attitudes. Even Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City, adopted the open space environment. As a business man, Bloomberg stated that the layout promoted transparency and fairness. Later, as a politician, he brought the plan to the mayor s office in an apparent attempt to bring the same type of transparency to the political arena. Obviously, the open office plan has its proponents, especially those who pay the bill for office real estate. This floor plan is ideal for maximizing the use of space while, at the same time, minimizing costs. In addition, the open areas are appreciated by bosses who can keep a close eye on their workers. At the same time, the open design has its detractors. Many workers state that the lack of privacy and increased noise actually lowers their productivity. One study found that many workers are frustrated by the distractions and that the lack of sound privacy was a significant problem. In addition, more than 30% complained about the lack of visual privacy (see Figure 2). As stated, the open office floor plan has been a staple in office design for the past few decades. Some find the environment invigorating, others find it distracting and counterproductive. The type of work and the worker seems to make a difference. As an example, jobs that require communication and interaction such as sales are well-suited to such environments. In contrast, jobs that require concentration and focused attention are not so well-suited. It has also been shown that younger workers (i.e. those less than 30 years of age) do well in such collaborative work environments. This comes in stark contrast to their older counterparts who are more accustomed to traditional spaces. Figure 2 A distracted worker. Advantages There is no doubt that the open office design has distinct advantages. For some workers, and for some occupations, the open environment creates an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation. Workers are free, even encouraged, to collaborate and interact. These advantages include; economics simply stated, the open office saves money by allowing more employees to work in the same space. Plus, the savings in not having unused space when employees are on the road is substantial. In a similar manner, the costs of lighting, heating and air conditioning are reduced. easier communication because everyone is in the same working area, no time is lost moving between offices to talk with fellow workers.

4 productivity as yet, there are no studies that show productivity suffers. In fact, some estimate that the cubicle area could be up to 21% smaller without affecting productivity. supervision without the hindrance of walls and private areas, supervisors are able to better track the activity of their workers. Also, when workers are having problems, they have better access to the help and advice of their supervisors. Flexibility if change needs to occur in the floor plan, it can be done quickly and inexpensively. Disadvantages At the same time that there are distinct advantages to the open office design, there are some glaring disadvantages. These include; Noise pollution open offices are noisier than the more traditional office. This is often cited as a major distraction by workers. Distractions since it is easier to bump into fellow workers, there are more distractions that are available. Lack of privacy there is often a time when privacy is required (e.g. telephone calls, conversations with supervisors). The lack of privacy of the open office can be problematic at such times. Security since doors don t exist, they cannot be locked. Consequently, employees private belongings are more accessible to others. Health concerns illnesses such as infections are likely to spread easier when workers have increased access to each other. Individual tastes lighting, heating, and air conditioning are somewhat individual. Some work better in a dimly lit place that is cool. Others do better in a brightly lit area that is always warm. However, in an open office, everyone must adapt themselves to the environment rather than adapting their environment to their own likes and dislikes. Perhaps the biggest complaint is the noise level. It is the most frequent complaint by workers in the open office environment. Increased noise leads to stress, high blood pressure, and an increased accident level (Evans, 2000). According to a survey by Mital et al (1992), 90% of the responders found that conversations and computer/printer beeping were the most annoying sounds. Balance There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to the open office design. On the one hand, the floor plan does encourage interaction between employees. This produces a sense of camaraderie and collaboration. It also saves employers considerable amounts of monies in terms of real estate, lighting heating and air conditioning. As a tradeoff, this design comes with an increase in distractions such as higher noise levels and a lowering of productivity. Quite simply, it is not accepted by every worker. Perhaps there s a balance that can be found. Lisa Evans (Fast Company) states that the office of 2015 and beyond will bring such a balance. She states that some of the new trends in office design will incorporate; a casual approach to work that is much like home. It s worth noting that, as technology continues to improve, more people work from their home offices (telecommute).

5 the use of collaborative spaces that encourage employee interaction. When collaboration is desired and/or necessary, it is encouraged and enabled by the use of public spaces. a balance between public and private spaces. Open (public) spaces are provided when work is enhanced by collaboration and private spaces are also provided when they are needed (e.g. telephones or private conversations). a breakdown of barriers. There are no walls in the new office environment. Collaboration and conversations between workers are encouraged. a focus on employee health. This includes the use of rooms for quiet contemplation, yoga, stretching, and standing office desks. Additionally, when workers are less than healthy (i.e. have a cold or allergies), they can use private spaces. In an article for Inc., titled The Perils of Open Office Spaces, Ilan Mochari offers the following suggestions for a mix of open and private spaces; The Open "I"- workers are alone, but can still be seen. The Open "We"- a single team can work together, and still be seen. The Open "Shared"- many teams can potentially work together, and still be seen by others. The Closed "I"- work is done alone, in private. This type of space is necessary for some tasks (e.g. telephone calls, job appraisals). The Closed "We"- a single team can work privately. This type of space is useful when teams have a specific purpose. The Closed "Shared"- many teams can potentially work together, yet still have privacy. This balanced approach employs the best of both worlds. The use of open spaces encourages collaboration and interaction. However, when privacy is required, private spaces are readily available. Summary and Conclusions The open office has become more and more popular. Its popularity has been enhanced by adoption by large companies such as Google and Facebook that pride themselves on innovation. The design fosters a sense of openness and cooperation amongst workers. But, it comes at a cost. Worker productivity has been shown to decrease and a variety of health problems are increased. As with any other fad and/or trend, the open office is here to stay. However, it should be revisited. Its utility and acceptance depends to some degree on the type of work that is done and the type of individual worker who uses such a space. Simply stated, it isn t for everybody or every job. A balance between the open office design and the more traditional office space is desirable. References Evans GW. Environmental stress and health. In: Handbook of Health (ed. Baum A, Revenson T, Singer JE) Mahweh, NJ. Erlbaum. Pp

6 Mital A, McGlotholin J, Faard H. Noise in multiple-workstation open plan computer rooms: measures and annoyance. Journal of Human Ergology. 1992;21(1):69-82 Mochari I. The Perils of Open-Office Spaces. Inc