The Pitfalls Of The Open-plan Office

2023 Author : Hannah Pearcy | [email protected] . Last modified: 2023-05-24 11:12

The trend continues unabated to the concept of an open-plan office, an open space with a large floor space and a large number of office workplaces. The argument for openly designed work environments is initially clear: the removal of barriers should enable better cooperation. But does everyday office life live up to expectations?

According to a study by Harvard University published by the Royal Society, many open-plan offices face challenges: paradoxically, employees in an open-plan environment spend 70% less time interacting personally than employees in separate offices. In addition, the use of emails and chats in open-plan offices is more than 67% higher.

Flexible and healthy working environments

In the past, the office landscape consisted mainly of individual offices, today companies often prefer open office design with team workplaces. Open areas have their advantages, but many employees complain that they are quickly distracted from the noise in open offices, for example by calling colleagues.

It is therefore important to pay attention to a good mix: A mix of individual workplaces, communal rest areas, team areas, café-like, temporary workplaces, room-in-room concepts such as seating niches for visual isolation and meeting rooms enable both concentrated work and efficient group work in which colleagues can exchange ideas.

Employee productivity is not only supported by spatial diversity, but also by health-promoting measures. This includes natural light, good air quality and access to healthy food, for example in the company canteen. The same applies to more exercise: standing-sitting workplaces, as introduced by Apple CEO Tim Cook, are among the simplest methods of integrating low-intensity physical activity into the working day.

Dossier and market overview ergonomics

Tips for more ergonomics in the workplace

Mobile and stationary solutions, easy to retrofit

Stand-up workstations enable companies to offer a healthy alternative to traditional work, in which employees usually spend up to eight hours sitting. The use of stand-up workplaces is not only good for back problems and cardiovascular diseases, it also means that employees are less tired and work more productively.

Stand-up workplaces can either be created by upgrading existing desks with attachments or by integrated stand-up work tables, the area of which can be flexibly adjusted in height. Mobile sit-stand solutions can also be easily moved into a rest area created by the company if required. Our current market overview also provides an overview of sit-stand tables.

Such quiet zones provide an environment with a pleasant library atmosphere in which employees can retreat to concentrate on quiet work. Employers should also consider providing ergonomic monitor arms as well as stand-up workstations that allow multiple, flexibly adjustable screens to be used. These offer practical collaboration opportunities with colleagues, for example for spontaneous team meetings.

For a more productive working atmosphere

When designing the work environment, well-being should always serve as a starting point. Because a healthy and pleasant workplace benefits employees both physically and mentally: they can concentrate better, have less physical complaints, feel valued by their employer and are more productive. This in turn results in an optimized operating result for the company and helps to recruit talented specialists and keep them there for the long term.