Colorado Real Estate Journal - December 3, 2014
The idea of working in relatively close quarters with 20 (or more)- of your co-workers might not sound like a recipe for productivity, but the practice known as “benching,” or open plan offices, has caught on in most new offices around the world. In fact, about 90 percent of new workplaces are employing the concept, the reason being that these collaborative work environments are designed to encourage teamwork, community and communication between employees. Case in point: Upon completion in 2015, Facebook’s new Frank Gehry-designed campus expansion will reportedly feature just one large room, where more than 2,800 engineers will work in an open environment with no divisions or individual offices. An open layout like this has the potential to promote innovation through collaboration, and increase creativity as the company strives to bring new tech solutions to market. But not every office is like Facebook. As with any design plan, there are pros and cons to benching. So how do you know whether an open plan is right for your office? Here are some of the biggest pros and cons (along with some creative solutions) I’ve experienced as head furniture guy at Jordy Carter Furnishings. First, let’s take a look at the benefits of benching. Increased collaboration, communication. In general, employees report that in open work environments, they feel less closed off from their colleagues. They also find that by essentially sharing a workspace, they become more accountable and productive, have improved office communication and have more opportunity to learn from their fellow workers. Ease of reconfiguration. The furnishings available for today’s open office environments offer a greater variety of configuration options to accommodate different work styles. This allows employers to better maintain a high-performance workplace that supports both individual focus and interaction. For example, we carry a variety of commercial f u r n i t u r e brands that are tailored to different office needs, allowing each workstation to balance focus and collaboration. The Kimball Office products, especially, let the employer work with their staff to customize the shape, size and divisions of each team’s unit with customizable desks, panels, tables and seating, allowing employees to share tables and desks, but still maintain private work areas as needed. Reduced real estate costs.From a bottom-line perspective, an open plan office helps employers cut real estate costs by maximizing floor space, reducing the need for walls and office dividers, and decreasing per-employee footprint. And although less square footage is required for each employee, employees report feeling like they have more space due to the open layout. So what is the downside of benching? Here are some common concerns and how we’ve seen them successfully addressed. Lack of privacy. When a company is about to move to an open plan, it’s natural for employees to be nervous about the potential lack of privacy from working too close to colleagues. Plenty of space between work areas can be incorporated so that employees can see each other, but interaction mostly takes place in more deliberate shared spaces like conference rooms and break areas. One of the cardinal rules of benching is giving employees “office sightlines.” No one wants to feel like someone is sneaking up behind them at their desk, so it’s important to configure the work areas to allow the employee to see who is approaching their desk. Offices also can establish virtual “closed door” days for workers needing to concentrate or whose work styles necessitate a more secluded work environment. Too much noise. Noise is often cited as a worry, since decreased panel heights and common work areas increase sound, temperature and privacy disruptions. However, specialized flooring, central screens, dampening panels and office furniture all absorb noise and vibrations, so the potential for distractions can be greatly decreased. Not enough storage. Even the concern of less storage space can be remedied with one-sided stations used against walls with shelving, dividers that double as sleek filing cabinets, or common storage units that also help break up large shared work areas. n Accommodating different work styles. Employees who wish to sit in more secluded areas of the open floor plan can create private spaces at table ends, sit at two- to four-person clusters or even use standalone desks that are placed in common areas, while others who prefer more interaction can work at longer tables, six- to eight-person clusters or in the middle of common workstations. And employers looking to mimic a more traditional office-based layout can incorporate personal spaces, terraces, screens, semidividers and customized accessories that break up larger work areas and allow for individual tasks while still maintaining the feel of a benching work environment. While benching certainly has its benefits, it is important for companies to make the right choice for their own unique space and situation. Ultimately, the best thing you can do is work with an expert who can help you determine the ideal layout for your company and then provide you with the best furnishings options to meet your needs.