We have seen a rise in the number of office refurbishments over the last couple of years, most of them – not surprisingly – are open plan offices. Praised for creating an inclusive environment, open plan offices are now even incorporated in more conservatives institutes. In an effort to bond the team and invent new ways to collaborate and exchange ideas in more productive fashion, the companies of all sizes are moving toward the open plan offices. Google did it after all, why shouldn’t everyone else?
After the first celebratory drinks’ stains are dry cleaned off the new carpets and the novelty of the new office wears off, everyone who embraces the idea of open office too hastily, will soon discover that the office staff is getting distracted too much too often. While employees might feel like they are part a of a laid-back, innovative enterprise, the environment ultimately damages workers’ attention spans, productivity, creative thinking, and satisfaction.