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Blog - Office Layout & Design

March 11,2008

Changes in Office Floorplans

An interesting article was published yesterday that talks about creative ways to design office space. The article describes how a company in Kansas City is redesigning their entire office with an open floor plan and "hoteling" stations to help with their mobile workforce.

Along the same lines, there has been a lot of discussion about Generation Y entering the workforce, and how the frequency of open collaborative environments is growing with this new generation. This recent article doesn't mention if that is a major component of their redesign.

The debate becomes open collaboration vs privacy; innovative ideas at the expense of personal walls for everyone involved.

That's a tough one. I've experienced life in a cubicle as well as the full-four-walls-and-a-door style. I can say for certain that the ability to close the door of my office when I'm trying to crank out a project without disruption is quite appreciated. I'd hate to forfeit the privacy and/or peace and quiet when I need it.

That said, I believe two heads are better than one. The idea of collaborating over an idea, even if it's a brief 5-minute conversation, can lead to significant new ideas.

I'm sure there are issues with a design like this...especially for those who sit next to Chatty Cathy and they just really want to get their work done. But to be honest, Chatty Cathy is likely an issue even with 4 walls around each person.

What do you think? Do you like the idea of an open floor plan without the confinements of so many walls? Or do you prefer your own 'private' domain?
Posted by Cindy

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Comments (2)
April 2,2008
Thanks for your comment Rebecca. I agree with you...there are certain things you just need quiet for and it would be difficult working in a completely open environment if there are database folks that are trying crunch numbers next to creative folks that are trying to brainstorm new concepts. Thank goodness for the iPod...I think that's how many people will be able to manage working in an open environment.
Cindy

March 31,2008
I think that certain types of jobs lends themselves better to an open environment. I can't imagine too many accountants wanting to collaborate with others while trying to crunch numbers. I think that having open areas for employees to collaborate is great but there needs to be quiet, private areas made available as well. Not everyone likes to work in a bustling, social environment.
Rebecca

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