There was once a vision that staff could work in an open environment and share ideas with each other. It was said that productivity would increase and employees would benefit from the social aspects of an open office as opposed to the booths that existed for decades. However, is it all about to change?
The Problem with Open Offices
There are many issues open offices pose to both managers and employees. One of these is the impact on mental and physical health.
Productivity is also suffering due to open offices. Constant distractions from co-workers make it hard for others to concentrate – not to mention the social aspects of an open-plan layout, which can draw people into office gossip and drama.
Another major problem with open offices is they aren’t suitable for introverts. Dr. Nicole Millard is an expert in data and emerging technology. She highlighted that open offices are bad for people who work best in quiet conditions and cause inefficiency.
Open-plan offices are “one-size-fits-all”, but in reality they aren’t suitable for everyone. So if productivity is dwindling and workers are unhappy, then what does the future hold?
Potential Changes
Modern technology has made it easier for people to work remotely, and we can carry all our essential office equipment in a bag. Dr. Milliard believes that we will be “shoulder-bag” workers, often sitting in coffee shops.
Teams could use “coffices” to meet and collaborate instead of being in a large open-plan office. There are important things to consider when it comes to employee satisfaction. While many people enjoy working from home, a lot struggle to concentrate and prefer to work in a professional environment.
Businesses might find that they need to adapt their offices to accommodate employees’ wants and needs as well as to increase productivity. Office fit out companies such as https://mobiusatwork.co.uk provide interior design solutions to create the perfect working environment.
The pension age has increased, and the economy means people must work for longer. The nine to five isn’t suitable for older employees and those with families. Home working is likely to increase, which will reduce travel time and enable employees to plan their work around home commitments. It’s likely there will be changes to office layouts, with many preferring to work in a professional environment.
