The History of Open Offices
The modern office is a far cry from the closed-door spaces of the past. With the invention of the open office concept, companies have attempted to break down the barriers between departments and individual workspaces to encourage teamwork, collaboration, and transparency.
However, the idea of open offices did not come out of nowhere. The concept has a rich history that dates back to the 1930s.
Predecessor to Cubicles: Johnson Wax Headquarters
The Johnson Wax Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin, is noted for its cutting-edge architecture. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the building broke the mold of typical office designs.
The buildings signature feature was the large airspace, which allowed for natural light to flow into the building and improved air circulation. The office space was also filled with plants to enhance the air quality.
In the early 1950s, the Johnson Wax company redesigned its offices, creating a large open office floor plan surrounded by glass partitions. This design improved communication, increased the flow of natural light, and broke down physical barriers between employees.
Evolution to Cubicles
Evolving from the open floor plan was the Herman Miller Research Corporation’s design for the Action Office in 1964. Action Office was designed to allow for better communication between office employees while providing space for privacy.
The design included movable partitions and work surfaces, providing flexibility and customization options. However, the office world was not prepared for the misuse of these spaces.
Companies began using the space-saving design to cram more employees into a limited space, creating what we now know as cubicles.
Designing Open Offices Today
Open offices are still a popular design choice for many businesses, although the design has evolved significantly since the days of the open floor plan and cubicles. Today, designers strive to create practical, functional, and attractive workplaces with open spaces.
Importance of Breakout Spaces and Practical Design
One element commonly found in contemporary open office spaces is to incorporate various breakout areas that provide a private space for two to four employees to collaborate without disturbing others nearby. These spaces could include lounge areas, custom furnishings, and technology centers.
Using practical design elements such as acoustic paneling, enclosed rooms, and movable walls can create both private and semi-private zones that improve teamwork and focus.
Minimizing Downsides
While open office environments can be beneficial, they have their downsides. Common issues involve noise levels, a lack of privacy, and safety concerns.
Design elements can be implemented to minimize these problems. For example, movable partitions can create an acoustic barrier that blocks sound from a neighboring workspace.
Additionally, a mixture of enclosed private spaces, open office spaces, and separated group work areas can balance an office environment to create a productive work environment.
Conclusion
The history of open offices has evolved as companies have become more open to changing their attitudes and office environments. With so many options and design elements available, it is easy to create a workspace that is functional and efficient.
An open office environment has been found to be a successful alternative to closed offices, allowing workspaces that are open, transparent, and encourage teamwork. By incorporating practical, functional and innovative ideas, modern open office designs ensure that employees can work productively, safely and with less stress.
Downsides of Open Offices
Open offices have their advantages and disadvantages, and it is essential to be aware of both. While open offices encourage collaboration and a sense of community, they can also be distracting, negatively impact privacy, and promote a subtle kind of sexism.
Distracting Environment
One of the primary criticisms of open offices is that they can be distracting. With so many people working in close proximity to one another, noise levels can be high, making it difficult for employees to concentrate on their work.
The constant hum of conversations, phone calls, and other office noises can quickly become overwhelming, leading to a decrease in productivity. It is vital to incorporate different options in an open office design that can combat noise levels.
For example, utilizing acoustic paneling, strategically placed plants, and soft furnishings can temper the noise levels while creating a more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing work environment.
Impact on Privacy
Open offices can also have adverse effects on the privacy of employees. The lack of barriers and boundaries between workspaces can be problematic for employees who need a quiet and private area to concentrate on their work.
Additionally, it can lead to increased stress levels and a decreased sense of safety. To overcome these problems, open office designs can include private spaces such as meeting rooms, phone booths, or glass partitions.
These spaces can provide employees with a sense of privacy and reduce the invasion of privacy that can arise from an open office environment.
Subtle Kind of Sexism
While the open office design was meant to promote equality, there have been some criticisms that the design perpetuates certain biases in the workplace. For example, women may find it more difficult to find privacy in an open office, leading to subtle sexism.
Mens locker rooms, restrooms, and office spaces can be well defined, and women’s facilities are often left with inadequate space or are not as well designated. To combat these issues, thoughtful office designs should include private spaces designated for women, such as gender-neutral restrooms or lactation rooms.
Providing women with designated spaces builds trust and comfort in an otherwise open environment.
Benefits of Open Offices
Despite downsides, open offices have several benefits. From a sense of loftiness and access to light to increasing employees’ sense of teamwork and collaboration and providing spaces for comfort and relaxation.
These benefits enable employees to work better, happier, and more productively.
Sense of Loftiness and Access to Light
One of the most significant advantages of open office designs is a sense of loftiness. Open spaces can create a sense of expansive freedom, making employees feel less constrained and more free to work as they see fit.
Furthermore, the access to natural light can be beneficial for productivity and can boost the mood of employees in the office.
Sense of Teamwork and Collaboration
Open offices create a sense of community and teamwork that can be absent in traditional office designs. The constant flow of communication and interaction between employees in an open office can increase collaboration on projects, improve relationships between co-workers, and lead to cohesive working groups and better teamwork.
Spaces for Employee Comfort and Relaxation
Designers must implement spaces that prioritize employee comfort and relaxation. Open office design is most effective when providing employees with a choice between open and semi-private workspaces and incorporating areas designated for relaxation or quiet periods.
Enclosed zones may offer employees a small break area to read or sip coffee, while lounge areas let employees take a break and chat to peers in a less formal environment.
Conclusion
The benefits and downsides of open office environments need to be weighed for a particular organization to determine which design suits their needs best. While open offices promote teamwork and collaboration and access to natural light, they can also create a distracting environment, negatively affect employee privacy, and promote subtle sexism.
On balance, a professional and thoughtful approach to creating a modern and practical workspace in an open environment can be a boost to productivity and the comfort of employees on the premises. In summary, the open office design is a popular choice in modern workplaces due to its benefits in providing employees with a sense of community, teamwork, and access to natural light.
Despite its advantages, the open office environment has its flaws, especially in the areas of employee privacy, noise, and sexism. Thoughtful workspace designs that incorporate private work areas, acoustic paneling, gender-neutral restrooms, breakout areas, and relaxation zones can minimize the negative effects, provide a space that promotes collaboration and productivity, and make employees feel comfortable and supported.
The open office design can be an excellent solution for employee comfort in professional settings if approached professionally and with a focus on employee needs.