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Approximately 70 percent of American workplaces have an open office layout, leaving cubicles and offices as the less popular choice in today’s workforce. An open office is a relatively new trend, especially among innovative companies looking to boost productivity and develop company culture. How do different offices affect employees, and which one is right for your company?
Studies show that an open office can decrease productivity and distract workers with conversation and noise. Is this due to a necessary adjustment period, after which workers will adapt and thrive, or will the open office become a parable for misguided professional settings?
Cubicles
Cubicles help maintain focus by eliminating outside distractions and allowing employees to create their own space. The luxury of privacy can boost productivity, as workers feel secure in their area and comfortable enough to take a break or resolve a small personal problem.
On the other hand, cubicles can also promote separation and make an environment feel segmented. You can feel lonely or detached from others and maybe you won’t feel as comfortable going to someone with a question because of how little interactions the two of you share.
Open Office
An open office forces employees to be around each other and interact with one another. This increases camaraderie and can establish a close-knit company culture. Conversely, an open space affords no privacy and makes it easier to become distracted, even if it’s only a couple of people who are off task.
The lack of a set space and feeling that you’re always being watched can negatively affect the disposition of workers, which influences both their performance and the company’s culture.
Both office layouts have negatives and positives. Let’s consider a hypothetical dilemma: you have an argument with a coworker. An open office would force you to see the other person. This could lead to a faster resolution and a return to working well together. But what if you’re not ready to address the problem? Being forced to interact with your coworker before you’re ready could prevent cooler heads from prevailing.
Cubicles would allow you to clear your mind and think about this argument. You could identify the root of the issue and address it efficiently. However, cubicles also provide the luxury of privacy and isolation; they could allow for a work problem to go unresolved because you don’t have to constantly interact with coworkers, leaving an unresolved issue that might affect company performance and relationships in the long run.
The most important thing is creating a company culture that doesn’t rely on the layout of your office. If the decision between cubicles and an open office has a decisive effect on how workers feel, then the space isn’t the biggest issue. The company needs to create a strong, inclusive culture that prevails regardless of office design.