Why Acoustics Should Be at the Forefront of Open Plan Office Design
In the modern working world, open-plan offices are becoming the norm and employees are less and less likely to expect their own office. By 2004 approximately 73% of office workers performed their work in open plan offices (Sykes, 2004). Whilst organisations are saving thousands of pounds by establishing open plan office environments where they can squeeze in more employees into smaller spaces, what are the costs in terms of productivity and employee motivation? When designed appropriately, open plan offices can themselves become tools for encouraging teamwork, the sharing of ideas and effective communication. Yet, when designed incorrectly (as is often [...]
