Are open plan offices defeating productivity?

No clear solution to this question

Here at Fit Out Finance we know that every office fit out is different and tailored to you and your business. In this blog, we ask the question of whether open plan offices are defeating productivity. We know that for many of our clients, open plan offices are a way of modernising their workplaces. It creates a new sense of life into their working environment. See here for how else you can modernise your workplace. Open plan offices can create a feeling of togetherness and can in some cases boost creativity and conversations. It allows people to not have physical walls or borders between them. It also means all parts of an office can work together easier. However, despite these advantages there are arguments against introducing more open plan workplaces. If you would like to find out more, then please read on.

What does an open plan office do to your business?

According to a study by World Economic Forum “office noise created by open plan offices increased the negative mood of employees by 25%”. This is a huge proportion of people who say they are negatively affected as a direct result of working in an open plan office. This study was also carried out in only 8 minutes, meaning that in real life, the results could have been a lot worse. This shows that although there is still a need for large open plan areas, there needs to be a bit of both. As increase in technology may have also played a part in if open plan offices are defeating productivity. This is because there are less face to face interactions and more typing and emailing from across a room. This kills creativity which leads to decreased productivity.

As mentioned above the need for both collaborative and independent working areas may be the best solution. It may be more costly to add these 2 things to your office fit out. However, if it’s going to give your office more differentiation, it will be worth it. If you would like information on what other finance options are out there for you, then please contact us using the details below. At a time when there is a drive for recruitment too, having something that sets you apart is essential. This could be it!

Therefore there is no clear solution to this issue. However, as mentioned at the beginning of this blog, open plan offices have both their advantages and disadvantages. Get in touch with us below about how we can help finance your next fitout project. Whether that be a collaborative or independent space!

Contact Us

If you would like more information on whether open plan offices are defeating productivity, then head over to our contact page on our website to speak to a member of our team. Furthermore, if you would like to talk to us over the phone then please call 01494 506 385 or email hello@fitout.finance. You can also see more over on our LinkedIn page.