Recent trends have shown a shift towards open office structures. However, there have been conflicting views on whether an open office structure is to the benefit of business. While some argue that open office structures lead to reduced productivity, others may argue that open office structures could potentially lead to improved team cohesion.

In 2015, Oxford Economics carried out a review to establish the impact of open working structures on employees. Above all, this review helped to clarify the factors which employees value most within the workplace. The most important factor was indeed, that of the ability to focus and work without interruptions. Seemingly therefore, an open office structure would be incongruent with this objective.

However, the second most important factor for employees was having the space to collaborate with co-workers and work easily and effectively. Although these seem to be two conflicting agendas, it is possible to achieve to remain focused in an open plan space while also prioritising team work.

How is this possible?

Through a well-balanced office culture of course! Organisational culture is now known to have a significant impact on employees.

Organisations encouraging a cut-throat, pressure-driven culture could in fact reduce employee productivity in the long run. In fact, stressful office environments where social interactions are discouraged can lead to employee disengagement and an increased employee turnover rate.

Conversely, a 2015 Harvard Business Review study clearly established that a positive environment and well-integrated culture would lead to long-term benefits for employers, employees, and the bottom line.

Equally, an open-plan office environment where social interactions are encouraged alongside productivity can lead to not only a loyal workforce but also one with stronger social bonds. This not only increases well-being and positive emotional associations but also can amplify team creativity and overall productivity.

Clearly, open office work spaces positively impact employee welfare.

However, open office structures can sometimes result in the opposite effect, with a reduction in face to face interactions. In some organisations, open plan office structures resulted in a 73% reduction in face-to-face interactions and a 67% increase in email and messaging use.

Arguably this is once again very much dependent on the culture of the office itself.

While an open work place can allow for a collaborative atmosphere, striking the perfect work-life balance is dependent on the ethos and culture of a firm. If productivity is encouraged above all, then workers may find themselves demoralised and demotivated, leading to a long term decline in productivity. On the other hand, if the culture allows for a mix of socialisation and productivity but trusts on individuals ethos for work, then open plan offices would always be beneficial.

Regardless, it is important to recognise that employees need an engaging workspace as this is intrinsically linked to human and environmental health. Therefore current design trends seem to be correct in attempting to lean towards open spaces for collaboration. They call for areas where management can mix with employees to foster synthesis and innovation. While this may be an expensive endeavour, if it improves employee cohesion and creates a better corporate culture, it is money well invested.

Despite this it is still important to allow employees their own private space, away from the work environment. Therefore when designing open office spaces it is still important to accommodate space for individuals to spend time alone, or away from the cohorts when necessary.

Finally, open plan offices where everyone works together in a central area not only maximises space and natural light but can also emphasize an egalitarian culture, that is to say, one where everyone works together side by side with a sense of equality.

The success of an open office structure, therefore, seems to be dependent on the structure and culture of a firm. Open office environments would work well in firms with a less hierarchical structure. In fact, open work spaces seem ideal for firms with a ‘flatter’ office structure with fewer reporting channels. An open office space should encourage better interconnectivity and productivity.

In conclusion, it seems that the success of an open office structure is very much dependent on the ethos and culture of individual firms. In a purely target-driven firm, open office structures may detrimentally affect firm productivity, but for those firms that openly encourage social interaction and team building, open office spaces are the perfect nurturing ground for creativity and productivity. At the same time, however, it is important to develop spaces where individuals can spend time away from the open office environment.