Pros and cons of open space offices

Hello dear blog readers! An open space office is one large room where people with completely different positions work, even the manager is in this space, which allows him to control the process. And on the one hand, this is an ingenious solution, but on the other hand, it has its own “pitfalls”.

Organization

The idea itself arose long ago to observe the work on the lands of the landlords, and belonged to Prince Potemkin. He was looking for a way to help cope with the laziness and lies of the serfs, who did not want to work at all and were engaged in theft. Having placed all the outbuildings in the barnyard in such a way that they became visible to the manager, he achieved the desired result.

Only this idea was adopted for completely different purposes, and not at all by entrepreneurs, but by the penitentiary system. They began to build prison facilities to control the prisoners. And only in the 1950s they began to use it in offices, as the managers of large companies liked it.

Typically, employers equip workplaces with small partitions in order to somehow preserve the possibility of a sense of personal space. But there are also rooms where everything is common, without borders, and even without leaving the opportunity for employees to store personal belongings, because due to high turnover or due to the lack of attachment to one place, a person may simply end up at a different table the next day. and computer.

Disadvantages and advantages

In any situation, there are pros and cons, there is no single ideal system. It is important to simply understand your own characteristics and take into account the specifics of the place where you are going to spend most of your time. For example, for an extrovert, open space may be a dream, since the opportunity to contact during the day with a large number of people will only add energy and inspiration to him.

What can not be said about an introvert, for whom such an environment threatens with exhaustion and depression against the background of intense stress. We will try to consider the difficulties and resources that have arisen in the experience of companies that practice this approach.

Advantages

1. The biggest and fattest plus, of course, is the fact that the company saves money significantly, because renting or buying a room with separate offices and making suitable repairs in each of them is more expensive than organizing a single space. And the absence of walls increases it by about 30%, and for large corporations this is an argument.
2. The efficiency of resolving issues is significantly increased. Just imagine that you needed a consultation or signature of a colleague whose office is located on the floor above, you come, but you find that the door is locked, as he has gone away on business. You return with nothing, periodically distracted from your affairs in order to get through to him and clarify when he will be ready to receive you. And now the situation is different: you got up from your chair to see if the person you need was there, or even shouted something to him if it was urgent. I think it’s not worth asking a question here, and it’s so clear that in the second option, the efficiency is much higher, and, accordingly, the efficiency.
3. The absence of boundaries and differences in the organization of space, which is usually observed in the offices of people with different levels of job responsibilities. That is, no matter who you are, a top manager, a manager, an accountant or a call center operator, you are on an equal footing. Accordingly, barriers in communication are destroyed, which significantly reduces the tension that arises in the team. It is easier for employees to communicate with each other, as well as to ask for help. The opportunity is nearby, and watching the work of the boss increases self-esteem, gives a sense of their importance in the company. Just remember, there were situations when you stood in front of the boss’s door and gained courage, strength to knock and dare to enter his space, checking initially whether it was possible to disturb?
4. Everything is in plain sight, which means that without causing irritation and aggression, you can casually observe subordinates, contact them more, as a result of which you have more information than managers who prefer other management styles.

Disadvantages

1. Open space is only suitable for a liberal management style, otherwise what boss would agree to be on an equal footing with his subordinates if he tries to keep the maximum distance from them, preferring to cause fear of punishment, rather than the joy of meeting. You can learn more about this style here.
2. Confidentiality. Or rather, its absence. Your telephone conversations can be heard by fellow neighbors who are not always tactful and know how to respect other people’s borders. And the feeling that someone is watching the work, reading what you write or type there causes a lot of anxiety and anxiety, making it difficult to concentrate on what is really important. The layout of the workplace sometimes does not at all imply the presence of at least minimal distinctions from others. That is, at any moment, an employee passing by can accidentally push you, spill coffee on your shirt, and also scare you with the unexpected appearance behind your back.
3. Decreased concentration and attention. Agree, it is difficult to make an accounting report if the sales department is located nearby. The constant noise is distracting, and you just need to be a guru of spiritual practices in order to be able to switch off from it while doing your own thing.
4. Viruses. Well, who didn’t show up for work feeling at least a slight malaise? I think it has happened to a lot of people. Now imagine the scale of infection if there are more than two hundred people in one room? And if there is also a ventilation system not so hot? In Denmark, scientists have found that such a close “cohabitation” of desktops has a negative impact on health, employees of companies that have chosen open space get sick 60% more than those people who own a separate office.
5. The psychology of a person is such that he is able to easily adapt to the mood experienced by the majority. Do you know how quickly and easily panic is transmitted during a large-scale event? As soon as one person starts the mechanism, it will instantly work on all participants. The same is true for open space offices. Dissatisfaction with the leadership can, like a virus, hit everyone who is nearby. Information, that is, gossip, will leave instantly from one end of the enterprise to the other, provoking the emergence of a riot.

Recommendations

Daily routine and rules of conduct

• If you have read the article “Microclimate in a team”, then you know that usually “old” employees convey information about the foundations, traditions, bring up to date and in every possible way supervise recruits at first. In the case of an open space system, if too many people work there, there is a risk of staff turnover. For example, in a call center, a person usually does not survive more than six months, this is his average survival rate in such stressful conditions. Why the process of transferring knowledge to newcomers can become more complicated. Therefore, it is necessary to develop rules of conduct, and place them in a conspicuous place, making it mandatory to familiarize yourself with them. For example, that it is strictly forbidden to bring food with you and dine at your desk, go out for a smoke break no more than 3 times a day, and so on.
• What to do when the colleague you need is sitting a few tables away from you? Do not shout, so as not to add even more noise, the call will be similar to the game of small children who are talking to their parents on the phone, standing next to them. It is best to approach, only during the day there can be countless questions, and even if you and your colleague are on friendly terms, he, despite this fact, will shudder nervously when you appear. So try to distract him from his tasks only in situations that require an immediate solution, it is better to dig up questions, and then you will get answers at once.

Layout

Be sure to equip a corner where subordinates will be able to brew coffee and have a snack. Otherwise, you will provoke a violation of the rule mentioned above, and the enterprise itself will smell like homemade cutlets. Also organize a room where the person can be alone with his thoughts, where he can go in case of difficulty concentrating due to the noise of colleagues.

Another important thing is to allocate a room for entertainment, so that people dump the accumulated energy. You can put table hockey, a punching bag or darts, as the goal of which you can cling photos of your bosses. By the way, in Japan this method has taken root, people have the opportunity to let off steam, quite calmly returning to their duties.

Have you heard of the burnout effect? This is when a person, spending resources, does not replenish them, which eventually leads to severe exhaustion, hatred for work and diseases. So, such employees have little chance of “working out” to such a state, as well as getting depressed amid stress.

Tips for office staff

1. Remember your boundaries, and be sure to defend, so if everyone around you is tortured with questions, requests, and just talking, use this trick: put a sign on the table with the inscription that at the moment you can’t be distracted at all. Do you know how hotels are? Then everyone will know that it is better to come later, when the inscription is gone.

And managers are encouraged to arrange separate meetings where all participants will collectively discuss some problem and develop methods for getting rid of it. If you’re having trouble defending boundaries, or if you don’t even know what it is, then check out this article.

2. Avoid using strong fragrances, remember that there may be people who are sensitive to smells nearby. You should not only defend yourself, but also be able to respect others.

3. Purchase earplugs and headphones. In moments when you need to focus, you can use them at any time. The main thing is not to be in them all the time, otherwise you will not be able to respond in time when they contact you.

4. To add coziness and comfort, put things on the table that make you feel good. So you better feel that you are in your place, and you can also periodically be distracted by them, experiencing tenderness, joy, and so on. Usually arrange photos with loved ones.

Conclusion

And finally, I want to recommend you the article «What is organizational psychology and why is it needed in a company.» Good luck and inspiration!