5 Ways Employees Carve Out Privacy In An Open Office
I vividly remember walking through a local Real Estate company and seeing two glass partitioned work spaces opposite each other with the hallway running down the middle. Both open office spaces were about 100 square feet, however, they were both crammed with employees running around, chatting on the phone, etc., etc. It was as if I was a spectator at the zoo when I met their eyes. Frankly, they looked harried and stressed kind of like the tiger in the small cage at the roadside zoo pacing back and forth. This open space visual has stuck with me for many months. It was a clear demonstration of what NOT to do with an open office design.
This recent article highlighting a Steelcase study stresses the point that open office concepts are great, but, employees need choices. Just like we don’t like to eat the same food every day or wear the same clothing, it’s crucial to impart variety if you want high productivity.
