Today, the open plan office has become exceptionally common for a variety of businesses. Open plan offices help facilitate better communication between employees and are generally cheaper to fit out. However, when it comes to the perfect layout, what is the best open plan design for your business?
The ideal office plan will depend on the size of your business, the location of your premises and the type of business you operate. First and foremost, you'll have to assess the commercial space you have and determine its suitability for an open plan office.
Office space in Sydney CBD and other capital cities tend to be smaller, so efficiency will count when planning your space and you'll want to create areas that will serve a variety of purposes. Meanwhile, warehouse conversions in the and
commercial real estate in the City Fringe will have more floor space, so you'll be looking to arrange areas based on their function to help improve the flow of your workspace.
Types of Open Plan Office Space
Whether you're looking to set up a new office space or renovate your existing premises, going for an “open plan” means first determining what type of open plan design is best. You'll need to consider noise levels, privacy, workflow and communications when deciding on how you will set up your open plan office. Here are some guidelines to get you started:
The cubicle - one of the most common types of open office plans is work stations that are set up as cubicles, generally with three walls of partitioning around them. The cubicle layout generally provides the greatest level of privacy outside of a closed office plan and can help control noise levels, especially if good sound barriers are used for the partitioning. However, cubicles have a number of drawbacks as they can be quite claustrophobic and they limit the amount of natural light in each work station. The cubicle has also come to have a negative connotation in many office environments and have become a common point of ridicule and satire.
Half partitions - Some offices opt for half partitions with their open office plans. These types of partitions allow workers to see and speak to each other over the barriers by standing. Half partitions act as a space divider and help absorb some level of noise, but are generally less private than cubicle designs. If you work in an office where employees work in teams, half partitions can help facilitate communication between team members while still allowing for more natural light throughout the office. However, some will find it harder to concentrate due to increased noise levels and there is limited discretion when it comes to phone conversations. If you do opt for half partitions, consider having separate closed spaces available for private conversations and one-on-one meetings.
Team enclosures - for some workplaces, cubicle partitions or even closed office spaces are set up for separate teams. Team offices allow their members to work together without losing focus and getting distracted by irrelevant discussions. However, once again, there is little individual privacy and the separation often limits the ability of members to interact with co-workers outside of their immediate team.
Open spaces - for some smaller setups, partitioning may not be required at all and individuals will work side by side at adjoining stations. These types of offices work for quieter, more spacious environments or with small teams. If you opt for open space, consider the need to lock away more sensitive information, such as banking and payroll materials. A lockable drawer will come in handy.
Meanwhile, according to the NSW Government Asset Management Committee, an International Workplace Studies program conducted by Cornell University had some interesting insights to offer on the Open Plan office:
- The more open, the 'open plan' office environment, the more conducive it is to overall work effectiveness, when communication and interaction are critical elements of the work process
- Most employees prefer closed offices
- Whilst communication occurs in closed offices, the pace, frequency and nature of that communication are significantly different from what occurs in more open settings such as team-orientated bullpens and pods
- The more open the environment, the more frequent the communication and the shorter the duration. Rather than being viewed as interruptions, these short, frequent interactions provided very fast feedback and response time, allowing work to move forward overall.
