Open office plans are fast becoming the latest trend in office design. Here are some tips from Halkin a leader in office rental in London. Once the domain of tech startups from silicone valley open plan offices are becoming more and more popular for all types of business. Below we have listed some of the advantages they offer.
Employee wellbeing
Open plan offices are great at encouraging people to get up every now and then to talk to each other. This not only improves teamwork but it’s great for mental health and exercise. It is well known that sitting for too long on your own in a small office or cubicle can have a negative effect on your mental health. Open plan offices also tend to let in more light and have better air flow, which are also great for employee wellbeing.
Versatility
One of the points in favor of the open office is that it is versatile. You can add aisles or remove ten desks to create a large new meeting area whenever it is necessary. You can add ten more desks in a day, if you have the right facilities management team in charge of the project. You can swap out desks, chairs and lights with ease. Turn an office into a break area or drafting workstation by changing out the furniture and supporting infrastructure.
The Overall Cost-Effectiveness
Open offices are cheaper to set up than building offices with walls that run from the floor to the ceiling. However, the supporting infrastructure is cheaper, too. It is easier to run LAN lines to dozens of cubicles than cut holes in the wall or run cables under the floorboards. It is easier to set up wireless networking for an open office than install wi-fi in each individual room. Technical support comes with a lower price tag, too, since you have less hardware to maintain and it is easier for the maintenance staff to access.
Another way an open office can save you money is that it lets you set up offices in much cheaper spaces. For example, former retail and warehouse space can be converted to office space when you follow the open office plan. Open offices also allow you to put desks in whatever space you have, whether there are support columns or stairwells in the area. This means you might be able to create offices for five or six new team members in a former lounge, instead of asking them to share crowded offices with others.
Improved collaboration
Open offices often come with a relaxed atmosphere. Managers aren’t segregated in their offices on their own floor. Everyone from technicians to employees are working in the same sort of office, and they’re able to interact with each other. Furthermore, everyone can simply drop by and talk to someone for two minutes to resolve an issue. A side benefit of this is that you can get increased collaboration across departments outside of formal meetings.
