Open Plan or Not???

Deciding on a new office can be a difficult task, with so many questions to be asked; is it big enough to comfortably staff all the staff? Does it meet with health and safety standards? Is there enough room for office Olympics? Jokes aside, one of the most important decisions is deciding on the plan of your office.

It seems that the traditional cubicle plan is dead and buried, and making way for the more sociable ‘open-plan’ office. But what makes it so great? and is it right for your business?

The Pro’s

Versatile

This style of office is extremely flexible and can be chopped and changed at any given time. Cubicles are rigid, take up a lot of room and can be difficult to manoeuvre, making it difficult for new employees to find a suitable seating area.

Sociable

Having an open-plan office means staff can liaise with each other, which makes for a more sociable and relaxed environment, and can boost productivity. It also gives employees the chance to ‘bounce ideas’ of each other, whereas the cubicle method can quell this productivity, as staff are left to work on their own in a small area.

Man (or woman) management

The open-plan style allows management to get take a hands-on approach with staff, which gives them the opportunity to see exactly what’s going on in the office. Employees can sometimes hide away in their ‘pod’s meaning that their overall productivity may be fading. However, if they are working alongside employees, they are less likely to be work-shy. This plan also gives managers the chance to break down the barriers between management and normal staff. Manager’s offices can be intimidating, so if everyone is working alongside each other, it can boost camaraderie and general all togetherness.

The Con’s

Distract ion

While all this productivity and camaraderie is floating around in your new open-plan office, it means that noise levels have probably increased, meaning that staff can become easily distracted or their concentration is hampered by overzealous co-workers. The open-plan may not work for your business, as there are a lot of people out there that need peace and quiet to work to the best of their abilities. Think about it, you wouldn’t want company productivity to nosedive just because of a few over excited employees.

Privacy

Open-plan offices ensures that all employees can move freely around the office, which leads to computer screens, private documents and telephone calls available to the naked eye (or ear). There are certain things within a business that should remain discreet and away from some members of staff, which can be difficult to manage in an open layout.

Health

When winter arrives, it usually means a boom in colds and sniffles. Open-plan offices allow for these pesky bugs to make their way around the office, infecting employees one by one as they go. Staff illness can be a major concern, particularly for a company with a small workload.

If you are looking to relocate take a look at the suites we have available at present here at Ransom Wood. We offer a great deal of flexibility and can configure offices to suit your needs now and in the future.