The internet is awash with images of high-flying tech companies and their out-of-this-world offices. Rather than taking the stairs to the cafeteria for lunch, Google’s employees can take a slide to the wreck room where they can recharge by playing one of the arcade machines. This might be fine for industry giants, but what kind of design layouts are best for your business? Company culture differs from business to business. A slide may work for Google but will probably not work for Amazon. A closed or open space works for different companies for different reasons. Once a brand establishes an office culture that works, the company tends to replicate the same design in different locations. Office space Lloyds helps clients find the best space in London that match their core values.
Closed
Closed cubicles are generally considered to be the most boring option when it comes to office design. You can quickly feel isolated from the rest of your colleagues when working alone all day, and this could cause you to become less enthusiastic about your work.
Close offices with walls will be undoubtedly quieter, and consequently perhaps less dynamic, than open plan. However, there is a point when open plan becomes too noisy, and the only means of communication is by shouting.
However, cubicles do offer more privacy than a more open layout and provide a worthwhile option to companies who can’t afford to give their employees individual offices. These can be critical when it comes to crunch time and you need to meet a crucial deadline. Cubicles are popular with large businesses. Its success is in its simplicity and the power it gives employers.
If you’re worried about how cubicles might affect the morale of your team, consider investing in team productivity apps to makes it better for employees to stay connected at all times. Collaboration software including Igloo have proven to be a great way to work smarter in both open and closed offices.
Both in-house and remote employees find collaboration tools every useful. Now your employees can easily communicate easily using instant messaging, share and edit documents securely, and keep up with their colleagues’ projects using microblogs.
Open
Open-plan offices are very much the trendy alternative to cubicles. It isn’t all style over substance, though, as studies have shown that many employees actually work better when they’re surrounded by others. By improving your staff’s morale, you’ll also be improving the output of each of your employee’s work. This type of layout really thrives when dealing with collaborative projects where communication is key.
An open-plan design also has many practical benefits over cubicles. You’ll be able to accommodate more employees in a smaller space and you can also expect your electricity and heating bills to be reduced. If you’re fortunate enough to have an office that has a lot of natural light, you won’t have to deal with fluorescent lighting that can make some individuals uncomfortable after an extended period of time.
However, this has a disadvantage for workers. Employees in an open office space are likely to complain of too little personal space in which to work. Such unwanted close proximity to fellow workers, sustained throughout the working week, can lead to higher stress levels, and result in arguments.
What you decide is ultimately dependent on the type of company you run and your workflow. Want to get the best of both worlds? Consider creating an office made of cubicles using sliding doors. Barrier Components stock a wide variety of folding door hardware to suit different situations. This way, you can shut off areas when you need to as well as open them up when you want to bring the team together.