When you’re starting a new business, one of the first things you should consider is office space. Did you know that an open or closed office space can determine your employee’s productivity in the long run? Each business layout has its benefits and drawbacks, so let’s answer the question, “Which is best for you: open or closed office spaces?”
Open Office Space
The CEOs of companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter have popularized the open office space concept. Those headquarters boast open office space layouts that encourage collaboration, with an emphasis on camaraderie and togetherness. In this case, instead of feeling isolated from your coworkers by the high walls and semi-privacy of the cubicle, you can easily ask for advice or assistance for your work.
However, for a small population of people, the open office layout makes them feel like they can’t get any work done without people interrupting them. This issue occurs most readily in professions where introversion and focus are necessary, such as programming, IT, writing, and graphic design. Even a good pair of headphones may not be enough to stop a persistent coworker from talking to you.
Closed Office Space
Closed office spaces can encourage your employees to focus on work. With the collaborative benefits of open workspaces comes the tendency for some coworkers to spend too much time at the water cooler. Closed office spaces mitigate this problem, giving your staff the space to work with fewer distractions. It also improves the well-being of introverted employees’ who work better by themselves.
However, closed office spaces can often feel sterile or isolating, leaving employees craving interaction or an opportunity to engage their team. The inability to communicate can hinder brainstorming and limit the potential of creative projects.
Which Is Better?
The ideal workspace would have a mixture of both, and you can even adjust them according to workplace position. You could offer closed office spaces to your programmers and writers who require solitude for long periods and provide your other employees with open office spaces. Places where confidential information is present, such as during some meetings, would require privacy.
Don’t feel tied down to either one layout or the other. Finding out whether an open or closed office space is best for you is a matter of looking at employee temperament, aptitude, and the building space accordingly.
In short, either form of office space would do, but some are better for some needs than others. You may not have the budget to implement both in one workspace. If that’s the case, weigh your options and choose whichever is best for you.
