Nowadays, a lot of offices employ open-space designs instead of separate rooms for work. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Many

offices

these days are opting for open designs over more traditional, compartmentalized floor plans. In my opinion, despite the limited advantages for efficiency,

this

is a positive change due to its social and

work

-related benefits. On the one hand, an open layout can reduce efficiency. When individuals

work

in private

offices

or cubicles, they are less likely to be disturbed and can

therefore

work

more effectively. Each time a person is interrupted,

this

not only requires them to stop working but it may

also

take an indeterminate amount of time to focus again. Over the course of a day, various interruptions in the aggregate can massively reduce the amount of

work

completed. Recent research has in fact shown that communication around the office, though beneficial in other ways, does lead to declines in total

work

output. An office trying to achieve optimal output

thus

should emphasize private working spaces.

On the other hand

, increased communication is a boon both socially and creatively. A standout example of

this

would be the

offices

designed by Apple founder Steve Jobs for both Pixar and Apple. He intentionally created

offices

that directed individuals to meet in common areas and that would facilitate interactions between different divisions in the company. The impact of

this

on morale is massive as individuals can make friends and enjoy each other’s company throughout the workday.

Moreover

, the true intention of

this

design was to facilitate creativity. By meeting others on a regular basis, employees are more likely to combine diverse perspectives and be more imaginative in their

work

. In conclusion,

although

there may be minor tradeoffs in terms of productivity,

this

is a progressive change as it allows employees to converse and be more creative.

Such

offices

should become the rule, rather than the exception.