open plan office

Working in an Open-plan Office: Is It a Boo or a Yay?

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Several factors can heavily influence an employee’s productivity level. For one, how an employee’s desk is organized (or not) can affect his or her productivity. Some employees prefer working alone, while others thrive in teamwork. Office camaraderie can boost employee morale as well.

A dirty and messy office might need some cleaning. For one thing, some people tend to get easily stressed by the chaos within their everyday environment. It might be a good idea to hire office cleaning services in LA. Cleaning an office makes the room dust-free and pleasant to the eyes.

Should you opt for an open-plan or cubicled office?

Back in the days, cubicled desks were popular. It was a typical sight to come into an office with walls or partitions separating each employee while doing their usual corporate routines. Even today, there are still a lot of corporate offices with individual cubicles for each employee.

But through the years, more and more offices adopt an open-space layout to encourage collaboration, creativity, and camaraderie among employees. This office layout has worked in many offices in terms of improving productivity and the overall work environment.

Each office layout has its purpose. How an office is set up reflects the company’s ethics and culture. There is no wrong or right kind of office layout. It all boils down to the company’s objectives and how they want to be seen and represented. Still, each office layout option has its set of pros and cons that can affect the employees’ productivity levels.

Open-plan offices: Pros and Cons

As mentioned, open-plan offices are becoming more and more popular. They somewhat provide a liberating feeling because no walls or cubicles separate you from your co-workers.

An open-plan office can also be cost-effective since there is no need to procure and install cubicles, glass walls, and the like. At the same time, there are lesser labor costs involved, which means additional savings for the company.

Open-plan offices encourage collaboration and can help in increasing productivity. Managers and supervisors can also check their employees without looking too invasive of their personal space. However, that particular space can also be a disadvantage.

If you value your privacy, working in an open-plan office might not be for you. Plus, there can be too many distractions around since you can see everyone around you. Open-plan offices can also put employees at higher risk of catching illness-causing viruses.

How offices can utilize open-plan offices

open office space

Companies can designate desks that will be intended for a specific team. This tactic can help encourage collaboration among team members. At the same time, it lessens distractions coming from other departments.

A private cubicled desk can serve as a spot where you can take calls without feeling uneasy or distracting your workmates. You can also add centerpieces and attractive pieces of furniture to make the office look lively and bright.

With all that said, open-plan offices have their pros and cons. Nonetheless, it is a good setup that can help in boosting productivity.

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