Comments on: Breaking down the walls: is the open plan office beneficial for productivity?

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:19:00 +0000

Brilliant points. Open plans (& offices with thin walls) create distractions. It needs the right kind of people & environment to work well.

By: Faye

Faye — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:28:11 +0000

Janet’s right, from my experience in two different open-plan offices. I have two other issues, even though my open plan office only has three people, two of who belong to a different department to me. They are great people, and good for a chat (once in a while is okay?!?!) In my role, other staff often need to speak with me confidentially, either in person or by phone – listening ears nearby. The other is someone playing music loud enough for me to hear, it’s not just that I don’t like the music, but I’m not a working-to-music type, more of an in-the-zone type.

By: Janet

Janet — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:07:03 +0000

I think open plan work places are extremely distracting, especially when phones are part of the work duties as having to listen to someone explain the same things over and over again begins to grate on ones nerves by the end of the day. Concentration goes and before you know it you are talking to someone just to distract your mind from all the other distractions around keeping you from your work. Also do not discount the effect of having your back towards people approaching you. this can leave you feeling exposed, threatened and spooked because you can’t see who is approaching you nor do you often know anyone is there if you are engrossed in your task and it can be quite frightening to have them speak to you all of a sudden. Management never have to exprience this as they have an office with a desk between them and the door! Open plan may allow more people into a work space but it does not mean there is more work being done nor does it make for a closer work force as many can’t wait to get away from those who have annoyed them all day!