The entire point of the open office is to break down the walls, literally and figuratively, between employees to create a workplace that is more conducive to collaboration; it is basically a design idea that embodies the two heads are better than one idea.
But do open offices really breed the results they were designed for? Many studies suggest they don’t, and a new white paper from Perkins Eastman and furniture designer Three H links individualized work environments (not open offices) with increased creativity, focus, and productivity among employees.
The report, titled “The Effect of Individualized Work Settings on Productivity and Well-Being,” bases its findings on three case studies. It considered user-specific design recommendations related to privacy, ergonomics, communication, organization, and other environmental features, and discovered an office with a higher level of individualization can have a strong positive impact on employee productivity and well-being.
See Also: Open offices are bad!
The report’s authors say, “The traditional office environment no longer supports the way we work. Providing a higher level of individualization can have strong positive impact on productivity and well-being, and may help to increase employee engagement.”
The white paper is the second of a three part series, with the third phase putting the results of the previous phases in action. Phase three will consist of implementing a design toolkit and testing its effectiveness in real-world settings.
Related Stories
Industry Research | Aug 25, 2016
Building bonds: The role of 'trusted advisor' is earned not acquired
A trusted advisor acts as a guiding partner over the full course of a professional relationship.
Market Data | Aug 16, 2016
Leading economists predict construction industry growth through 2017
The Chief Economists for ABC, AIA, and NAHB all see the construction industry continuing to expand over the next year and a half.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 9, 2016
Key strategies to reduce healthcare facility costs and maintain operations
The right approach during the planning, design, and construction of a new facility can yield a positive return on investment and lower the overall cost basis for ongoing operations, writes Steve Higgs, Senior Managing Director with CBRE Healthcare.
Laboratories | Aug 8, 2016
The lab of the future: smaller, flexible, tech-enabled, business focused
A new CBRE report emphasizes the importance of collaboration and standardization in lab design.
Industry Research | Aug 5, 2016
47 states experienced improvement in year-over-year construction unemployment rates in June
The drop in the construction unemployment rate from June 2015 extends the uninterrupted monthly sequence of year-over-year rate decreases that started in October 2010, according to Bernard M. Markstein, PhD, President and Chief Economist of Markstein Advisors.
Industry Research | Aug 2, 2016
Nonresidential construction spending declines again in June
On a year-over-year basis, nonresidential construction spending has fallen 1.1 percent, marking the first annual decline since July 2013
Industry Research | Jul 26, 2016
AIA consensus forecast sees construction spending on rise through next year
But several factors could make the industry downshift.
Industry Research | Jun 15, 2016
Survey: Americans avoid touching handles but use their phones in public bathrooms
Bradley’s 2016 Healthy Hand Washing Survey offers insights into restroom use.
Industry Research | May 11, 2016
Why corporate bathrooms stink and how good design can fix this
Despite their importance, bathrooms are often overlooked when it comes to building design. Gensler's Johnathan Sandler spoke with people in the industry and detailed some of the biggest gripes.
Big Data | May 5, 2016
The Center for Neighborhood Technology has launched the largest source of transit data in the country
AllTransit analyzes the social benefits of good transit service by analyzing data related to health, equity, and economic development.
