Over the past decades, business owners have increasingly shifted to open office design in the hope that it would save money and increase collaboration, creativity and productivity among workers.

While open plans do generally save money – more workers per square foot means the cost of space declines – recent research suggests that they haven’t delivered on the other promises.

Open Office Design: What Does the Research Show?

A pair of carefully designed studies of workers in two Fortune 500 companies by researchers from Harvard University were among the first to directly measure the effects of switching from conventional office architectural design to a transparent, boundaryless open office plan. The results were surprising and disheartening.

After the switch, face-to-face human interactions between workers declined by more than 70 percent, and there were significant changes in the types of interactions they had. The researchers noted that productivity, as defined by company metrics, also declined after the change (although the study doesn’t prove it caused the decline.)

Based on earlier, survey-based research, it seems that additional noise and the human desire for privacy may be the culprits for the surprising results, but whatever the cause, it’s clear that open office design isn’t the productivity-booster everyone hoped it would be.

What Do We Know About What Works?

In short, not very much. Rigorous research into the effects of office design on workers is in its infancy, and investigators are just beginning to tease out things that truly make a difference.

As an architect, I urge clients to focus on good commercial design and worker health and well-being when they design their work spaces.

Foster Workers’ Sense of Autonomy and Choice

A 2016 survey of U.S. workers by global architecture and design firm Gensler found that workers perform best when they have a feeling of control over their work spaces.

Whether your office design is open or closed, think about providing workers with options. This can be as simple as desk orientation, partition/wall height or seating type, for example.

Reduce Noise

Anything you can do to reduce noise in your office is likely to benefit workers.

Sound-absorbing materials, such as carpeting, padded partitions and acoustical ceiling tiles, can help create a quieter office space and, with contemporary options, don’t have to be ugly or expensive.

Think about the placement of noisy machinery like printers – keep them accessible but not too close to worker stations.

Some offices provide dedicated “quiet” spaces, where workers who need to focus intensively can go for the peace they need to complete tasks.

Conversely, a dedicated “loud” space gives workers a place to meet, talk, discuss and interact. These can be official rooms or informal spaces, like game rooms or lunch areas, designed to foster comradery and creativity.

Provide Plenty of Natural Light

There is some evidence that suggests that natural light can increase worker productivity and job satisfaction, and possibly improve mood. That said, it’s also important to ensure your space doesn’t overheat or suffer from glare problems. A flexible solution, like solar tubes or solar shading, can help.

Pay Attention to Air Quality

Occasionally, an office building makes the news for the wrong reason, with workers complaining to reporters about a variety of health problems stemming from their office environment. The causes of “sick building syndrome” aren’t clear, but many of the symptoms workers suffer can be prevented or relieved with careful attention to your office space’s air quality.

Reducing chemical contaminants – by using low-VOC products in your building, for example – can help keep indoor air healthy. Adequate ventilation – via opening windows, or a variety of commercial ventilation options – is crucial.

Adding plants to your office design can also improve air quality and, as a bonus, may improve worker mood and productivity.

Make People and Tools Accessible

Make sure your workers have easy access to all the tools they’ll need to be productive. Offer different lighting options, make outlets and USB ports plentiful and easy to access, and ensure controls are easily within workers’ reach.

One benefit of open office design is the sense of equality it can foster by making supervisors and other upper-level employees more accessible to workers. Careful placement of offices can accomplish this without resorting to removing walls and diminishing privacy.

Your office design should also consider workers (and visitors) who may have physical disabilities. Adequate lighting, clearly marked pathways and height-adjustable displays and workstations are especially helpful for these workers.

Whatever type of office design you choose, an experienced architect can help you ensure it meets your business needs and provides your workers with the healthy, accessible environment they need to stay productive.

Contact us to schedule a consultation.