Everyone has their own opinion on open office layout vs. cubicles. The extroverts who love talking and chatting might lean towards an open office space, whereas the introverts might lean towards the cubicles. Some say open office space leads to more company collaboration whereas others say it’s more disruptive. About 70% of US offices have switched to an open plan concept. The office layout you choose also depends on what your job entails. Read our blog to see if you should invest in cubicles or an open office layout for your company.
Motivation & Concentration
With an open space layout, motivation and concentration are compromised. A study from BBC capital has shown that there is a 15% decrease in productivity in an open office. Phone calls are a huge disturbance factor along with the coworker that loves to talk about their weekend. Open spaces are more inviting for people to talk to you whenever they want, without respecting your personal privacy. Some may argue that this plan invites creative thinking because coworkers can shout out their ideas or brainstorm whenever ideas come to them but are all conversations work related? It’s easy to get carried away with off-topic subjects during work hours. Everyone has a different way of working. It’s important for managers to understand what layout works best for the growth of their employees.
Employee Sick Days
A study from NCBI found that employees in an open office space have significantly more sick days than employees in cubicles. This statement makes perfect logical sense. If you have someone who gets sick with an open plan layout, they are more likely to spread their germs quicker to everyone else in the office. With cubicles, there is still a chance of employees getting sick but significantly less of a chance since employees have their space and they’re not touching or as exposed to other peoples desks.
What Your Job Entails
Some argue that an open office layout depends on what your job entails. If you’re in finance or accounting, it’s essential that employees get their privacy when talking to clients. However, if you’re in the marketing world, an open layout can invite creative thinking and brainstorm sessions. Before finalizing a layout, think about if it would be beneficial for your employees to sit closer together in teams to have brainstorm breakouts or sit separately. Remember, even if they do have cubicles, this doesn’t mean your team will never collaborate. It just means if they want to have brainstorm sessions, they’ll book a room or talk to their teammate in their cubicle instead of yelling out ideas across the room.
