Open-plan offices are very popular in businesses up and down the country, and this is due to the many benefits that come with them. However, they may not always be suitable your business. So should youchoose an open-plan design? Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether it is the right option for your office.
Advantages of Going Open Plan
One of the main advantages of going open plan is that it could encourage better communication between your employees and divisions.
If you have an office space that consists of a number of small office units, employees can become hidden away and less likely to communicate with each other properly. When everyone is in the same space, it makes communication easier, which can be particularly useful in a smaller office space.
This can lead to a more comfortable and social working environment, and can help to forge stronger relationships between your employees and various departments. It could also lead to more sharing of ideas, which could have a positive effect on productivity.
Another advantage is that it can create a better working atmosphere for everyone. When it comes to creating a modern office design, you want to ensure that you have lots of light and space in the office to make it more pleasant for your employees. By having fewer walls you can create more space and light, which could lead to happier employees who work more productively.
If you want to hire more staff and need to find room for them all, an open-plan office can make it easier to adapt. If everyone has their own office, finding more space can become a real challenge. But with an open-plan office, you can simply move the desks around until you find a design that accommodates everyone.
It may also be possible to cut down on your expenses by going open plan. If you can fit more people into the office space, this could allow you to rent a smaller office and save money here. In addition, if you are only paying to heat one space this could help to cut down on your heating bills.
Disadvantages of Going Open Plan
However, it should be remembered that there may be certain disadvantages to going open plan in your office. One of these could be a lack of privacy for your employees. If people need to discuss something in private, they may have less space in which to do so, and some employees may not appreciate having everyone listening into their phone calls.
In addition, there is less ability to control individual office environments. Some people may think that the heating is too high, whereas some may think it is too low. If employees have their own offices, they can control the temperature and environment as they see fit.
Another disadvantage is that an open-plan office can be more noisy, especially in a larger space. This could make it a more distracting work environment, and this could hurt productivity levels.
Is Open Plan Right for Your Office?
Whether you choose an open-plan design for your business depends upon a number of factors. While there are clearly many benefits to enjoy, it may not be right for your office due to some of the disadvantages that it can bring. So keep the above pros and cons in mind when making your decision and let them help you to decide upon whether you want an open-plan office or not.