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How to Manage (or Survive) Open Space Floor Plans
Stacy BaerOHP Spring 2015
The Rise of the Open Plan
• Blame Taylorism (eek, we are the culprits)– Scientific management encouraged routinizing of
work tasks– More easily monitored employees– Lower overhead
• Open plans quickly spread throughout western organizations
“Benefits”
• $$$– Fewer internal walls– Easier heating/cooling– Cheaper furniture– “Increased productivity” due to easier surveillance
of employees• Increased communication– More opportunities for spontaneous conversation– Friendship opportunities
Drawbacks
• Increased noise– Disrupting conversation
• Decreased privacy– Individual need for privacy/control of social interactions– Inability to hold confidential conversations
• More interruptions– Visual, acoustic, and interpersonal
• Increased sickness– Disease can spread more quickly– Absenteeism
HOW TO DESIGN A FLOOR PLAN
Job Tasks as Moderator
Open Plan Task Complexity
Task Performanc
e
When Open Plans are Unavoidable
• Managers– Create and enforce “uninterrupted work time”
policies– Make unused cell office spaces available for
meetings and confidential conversations
When Open Plans are Unavoidable
• Employees– Use nonverbal cues – Use break time for
privacy– Use noise-cancelling
headphones – Use empty rooms for
private conversations
Thank you!