How to solve issues with open offices?

Organizing or hiring an open-plan office is a solution that combines high cost-efficiency and the ability to accommodate a large number of employees in a limited space. Although it has many benefits for the employer, employees are usually no that enthusiastic about it and complain about the inefficacy of open space offices. However, many problems and inconveniences that they experience on a daily basis are connected to the poor organization of the space. Fortunately, we can make numerous small amendments to change the way they feel.

The popularity of open-plan offices

In recent times, the number of large and medium enterprises has grown significantly. Despite the significant increase in the number of employees in many of them, they manage to organize the space in such a way that more people are able to work in the same office. With open-plan offices, the accommodation of additional employees is really simple and doesn’t require a thorough renovation. It also lowers the construction costs such as the cost of doors, walls, lighting, etc. Open offices also promote collaboration among teammates. Employees can easily exchange ideas, work together and chat.

 Common problems related to open offices

Unfortunately, for many employees working in an open-plan office is not the most convenient option. Such distractors as noise, lack of personal space and privacy, irritating colleagues, the need to wear headphones make it difficult to focus and therefore kill productivity. Despite all of that, it is very unlikely that open-space offices will be dominated by traditional offices. In fact, the tendencies are inverse: open offices will probably dominate the market in the next few years. In order to provide benefits to both staff and company, each open office should be properly arranged. Using simple tricks and choosing special software for desk booking and space management can really make the difference.

How to deal with annoying open-office issues?

An open-space office doesn’t have to be a chaotic hell for your employees. Check what are the most common issues they may experience at work and learn how to handle them once and for all:

• NOISE. One of the biggest disadvantages of open-plan offices that employees usually mention is ubiquitous noise. There are however some innovative items of equipment, such as acoustic panels which can reduce it. A good option is also to provide your staff with noise-cancelling headphones.
• LACK OF PRIVACY. With people sitting close to each other, it is really difficult to focus. To make things easier for your team, think about some possible installation that can give more privacy. Think about some desk dividers, decoration and plants between them, which will provide more intimacy. 
• FRUSTRATING COLLEAGUES. This is certainly one of the most problematic issues to handle. Sitting for many hours next to a person who annoys us can make time spent at work a living hell. The easiest solution to deal with this is to introduce a desk booking app, thanks to which employees can choose where to sit.
• TEAM SEPARATION. While introducing changes needed to give your employees a sense of intimacy and reduce noise, you may separate teams who need to cooperate. Here again, a desk reservation system can be helpful. It can allow you to group teams together, e.g., if needed, they will be able to book a separate room or a whole big table.
• FIXED CONDITIONS. Even though the conditions such as temperature or lighting inside the office are constant, there are more and more solutions that allow your workers to customize them. The best example is smart lamps that adjust to the light conditions and can provide different luminous intensity in different parts of the office.

Open space-related inconveniences that can be experienced by your staff can be easily alleviated. Making a few minor changes can make you a better employer who respects the needs of their team. If you want your staff to be willing to work and able to focus, remember not to downplay the problem.

Don’t know where to start?

Start with us! Choose a desk-booking app with a simple, yet powerful interface. We can help you find an optimal configuration for your office. Booking a desk should be nothing but a single click! Get familiar with Deski – a desktop and mobile app with real-time reservations. Set your own reservation rules and separate office space – it’s all up to you! If you have any questions about our hot-desking solution, let us know!