Rethinking Open Workspaces - Again
I previously wrote about some research indicating that open-plan offices, ironically, might lead to less collaboration. But there are still plenty of open offices and with penny-pinching accountants looking for ways to reduce costs, the open office probably isn’t disappearing any time soon. So how can we make the best of it?
The Freakonomics podcast recently re-broadcast a great show about open offices. A key conclusion from this episode is that a well-designed open office, coupled with giving people more choices about where & how to work, can be just as productive as an old-school closed office environment.
What is ‘well-designed’?
Mitigate noise and distractions by designing smaller ‘neighborhood’ zones, with buffers in between noisy activity areas
Use building & ceiling materials, plus white noise, to engineer proper noise levels.
The other key is choice. The optimal work environment varies both by task and by individual preference.
Janet Pogue McLaurin from Gensler, the design and architecture firm, makes this assertion.
“Choice is one of the key drivers of effective workspace, and we have found that the most innovative firms actually offer twice as much choice and exercise on that choice than non-innovative firms do. And choice is really around autonomy, about when and where to work. It could be as simple as having a choice of being able to do focus work in the morning or being able to work at home a day, or in another work setting in the office.”
Empowering individuals to make more choices for themselves is a characteristic of Catalyst leaders. Some people, and some teams, may need coaching to make better choices about their work environment. Good leaders are usually coaches, so leadership is critical for creating a productive office environment and culture.
Want to learn more about Catalyst leadership and culture change? Join our Certified Agile Leadership course. The course has been designed with the help of the world’s best Agile coaches and Leadership coaches, and I’m excited to bring this training to Denver on December 3-4, 2019.
Photo by Michael Lokner under Creative Commons license.