Designing an office can be a tricky task. How do I optimize the space whilst making sure that my employees can still work together, communicate, and collaborate? Why not try an open-plan workstation design? They are becoming increasingly popular amongst office spaces in the US as they increase collaboration, creativity, and efficiency among employees. Traditionally, work offices were designed with cubicles, which, on the one hand, allowed employees to work productively without distractions, which led to a lack of communication throughout the entire office. There are a number of benefits of open plan workstations, so let’s look at why they may be beneficial to enhance your office culture.
Embracing Open Plan Workstations: The Key to Modern Office Productivity
1. Enhanced Collaboration and Communication
Perhaps one of the most obvious advantages of an open plan workstation setup is the way that it helps to create a more collaborative space where employees can communicate more efficiently, share ideas and gather feedback. This is all because the physical barrier between them is removed – which helps individuals feel more like they are a team rather than a single employee. Doing so helps your employees get more involved in the office community, which in turn leads to more ideas, solutions, and quicker decision-making.
2. Flexibility and Adaptability
Another benefit of open plan workstations is how they can make a workplace flexible and adaptable. If the circumstances of an individual changes or two people need to work together on a project, open plan workstations can be reconfigured to cater towards such changes or work dynamics. It also encourages collaborations from employees from differing departments. This can be useful when you need objective feedback on a project or idea that someone within your department may not be able to provide without bias.
3. Improved Productivity and Efficiency
It has been proven that open plan workstations improve the productiveness and efficiency of your employees. This is because removing physical barriers results in a more interactive and collective environment and ensures that no one feels that they are singled out and responsible for every task in their department. It makes it easier for such individuals, who perhaps feel overwhelmed or at full capacity, to seek help, ask for ideas and re-distribute tasks if necessary. Overall, this makes it more likely that when challenges arise, they will be dealt with quickly, as a team – making the whole workflow process smoother. In addition, open plan workstations encourage individuals to move around more, which is beneficial for their mental health.
4. Cost-Effectiveness
This is perhaps an overlooked advantage of open plan workstations, but they can also be quite cost-effective in comparison to traditional office designs as space, furniture and equipment is used and organized more efficiently. As a result, business owners may be able to reduce their expenses in terms of real estate and enhance their budget for facilities.
5. Enhanced Employee Well-being
Opting for an open plan workstation layout is not just practically beneficial, but it can also be beneficial physically and mentally for employees. Because open plan workstations encourage collaboration and interaction, they reduce isolation and loneliness which can have a positive effect on the overall office mood and employee morale. They also encourage friendships within the workplace which can greatly improve employee satisfaction and help them to thrive both in their personal and professional life.
6. Facilitation of Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing
In an open plan workstation setup, bosses and managers are easier to access. They can also keep a closer eye on their employees and provide them with increased support and guidance if needed be. The informality of an open plan workstation encourages senior and junior colleagues to speak to each other more, build up a friendship and provide each other with knowledge surrounding different subjects. Overall, this increased communication leads to a more informed workplace that is better equipped to perform their duties without making silly mistakes that could have been avoided with better and quicker communication.
7. Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion
Open plan workstations help with the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the workplace as it creates an environment where everybody is equal and has the same access to resources and amenities. This is a particularly useful tool if there is a bit of a separation between bosses and employees in the workplace, as it empowers the junior employees. Creating an environment that has a diverse range of people with different skill sets and knowledge who all have equal access to resources and amenities helps to create a workplace culture where people feel that their contribution is of the same value of their co-workers.
8. Boosting of Creativity and Innovation
Because open plan workstations encourage collaboration – creativity and innovation in the workplace can be increased, as employees can bounce ideas off each other quickly and efficiently. Employees are able to ask for feedback or advice quickly or challenge a piece of work without having to send an email or make a phone call that may not be answered. It helps to speed up the workflow process and leads to a higher quality of work produced by employees.
In addition, if a particular employee is having an ‘off’ day, and maybe struggling to complete the work that has been asked of them, the positivity and inspiration of others may help them to overcome this so that they can resolve any challenges or difficulties that they may be facing together as a team.
Embracing the Future of Work
Overall, the increase in open-plan workstation design in the workplace demonstrates that there has been a shift in consciousness and understanding of the needs of the modern workforce. Maybe you’re a manager in a traditionally designed office, isolated in your own office or cubicle and feeling a little disconnected from the rest of the team? If you want to encourage your employees to collaborate and work together, why not consider implementing an open plan workstation setup for your office? The benefits speak for themselves.
