Receive your free commercial brochure Request Now
What’s the best option...an open or closed office plan?
We’ve outlined a few pros & cons of each!
Open Plan
Pros
Are you looking to boost morale amongst your team?... then considering an open floor plan (if you don’t already have one!) for your office may be the key solution. One of the main benefits of an open plan design is increased collaboration. When multiple people are working in the same space, they have an increased desire to share ideas and ask for input. Junior staff benefit by working alongside senior staff, and encouraged teamwork and interaction allows for faster learning. Believe it or not, choosing to construct an open office plan can also save your company money! With less walls to build and rooms to plan, a significant amount of construction costs are saved. With the flexibility of open plan, it is possible to provide more workspaces for additional employees with minimal cost. An open floor plan is also more economical in terms of paying for electricity, heat and air conditioning.
Cons
While an open floor plan can prove beneficial for your office, it can also bring with it disadvantages. Rising noise levels due to increased interaction can cause distraction amongst workers. Some individuals may feel they perform best when it is quiet or in their own space. An open plan may feel chaotic to some as they can have the ability to appear messy with combined workspaces. This can have a psychological effect on some people, as they may feel they are unable to control their environment. A lack of privacy can also become an issue with an open floor plan, giving the feeling to some of being watched and constantly judged. If workers are feeling tense, it may affect their overall well-being and attitude towards work.
Closed Plan
Pros
One of the main advantages of a closed office plan is it provides employees with a sense of privacy, which in turn can feel like a more secure working environment. With the defined workspaces the noise level is generally controlled. This allows for longer stretches of workflow without interruption and distractions, and therefore the quality of work should increase. In the case of a sickness within the business, a closed plan helps reduce the spread of germs to other colleagues, resulting in higher productivity and lower sick leave costs.
Cons
Significantly more space is required for a closed office plan, along with extra walls, air conditioning and lighting etc, increasing the overall construction costs. Supervision of employees in confined spaces can become a challenge, as some may choose to use their time unwisely, reducing the overall productivity of the business. A closed office plan has the ability to impact communication amongst employees, and important information may not be passed on. Some employees in affect may feel ‘out of the loop’.
If you are planning to expand your office space, Tasbuilt Commercial will work with you to determine which configuration will work best for you and your team. By choosing a modular solution for your office expansion, you can avoid the disruption of a regular construction project, and have your new offices up and running sooner