Countless stories over the last few decades, some of which I've written, touted the wide-open office workspace — the “cubicle farm” — as an office tool to increase productivity, communication and morale.
Some studies say they've done the opposite.
Still, driven by space- and money-saving reasons, the movement away from private offices continues. And standard cubicle spaces are shrinking to six by six feet, down from nine by nine.
The cube farm explosion disappoints Reuben Yonatan, CEO of GetVoIP.com, described as a “comparison resource for technology solutions.” In a blog post, Yonatan cites 18 studies or news reports indicating “there's absolutely no evidence that an open-plan office boosts morale or productivity, and mounting studies that show the exact opposite effects.”
A study found that loud co-workers are people's biggest workplace distraction. Conversations, whether business or personal, pull attention away from tasks at hand. Casual interruptions are more frequent. One report said the average open-office worker is interrupted every three minutes. Short of wearing headphones, productivity suffers.
And about headphones: They don't do much for teamwork or camaraderie, another selling point for open offices.
There's also the likelihood that open offices allow an easier spread of disease with every achoo. If flu or common colds speed through workforces, more absences follow. Score minus three for productivity.
I've also received backlash from workers who've been moved into a special kind of open office — the kind where employees aren't assigned their own desks. “I hate it,” was one flat-out negative from an architect who misses her office door.
To reach Diane Stafford, call 816-234-4359 or email stafford@kcstar.com.
