According to legend, open jobs were invented by Potemkin. The statesman was dissatisfied with the laziness of the serfs, and therefore gave a decree on the special placement of outbuildings. They were erected in such a way that the manager could observe the work of each serf. However, open space gained wide popularity only in the middle of the 20th century in America. In the 21st century, 90% of American workers work in this type of office. For now open space increasingly common in Russia. Despite the demand, disputes about their expediency do not subside. Some believe that open workplaces provide a corporate spirit, others that they reduce the productivity of employees.

What is open space?

Open space - a special layout of the office space. All employees are accommodated in one large room. Workplaces are separated from each other by a thin partition. Tables are placed in rows. You can imagine what open space looks like by remembering American films with demonstrations of offices. Most often, they present exactly open space.

Advantages

What is the secret of the widespread use of open space? Their undoubted advantages:

• Space saving. A small space can accommodate many employees. No need to rent a large area. The economic benefit for the employer is undeniable.
• Quick communication between employees. All business issues are resolved promptly. In order to contact a colleague with a request or a question, you do not need to run around different offices. This is especially important when working with speed.
• Possibility of simple control over the work of employees. People who remain in a separate room tend to be distracted from work. The manager has virtually no way to track such unauthorized rest. The open office completely solves this problem. Employees do not have a chance to postpone work.
• Democracy. In this way, equality of all employees is ensured. The probability of the formation of closed communities is reduced.
• Preservation of the corporate spirit. The common space creates a single working spirit, which has a beneficial effect on motivation.
• Easy onboarding of new employees. Beginners can quickly. A person on the first day gets acquainted with his colleagues. If a beginner has problems, he can turn to experienced employees for all questions without unnecessary wandering around the organization.
• Ease of workflow. All documents are in one room, and therefore you do not have to look for them in all rooms.

First of all, open space is beneficial to the owner of the organization. The employer does not need to allocate a separate workplace for each employee. It is enough to rent one large room and divide it into zones using partitions. The cost of the latter will not hit the company's budget.

Flaws

Open space has many disadvantages:

• Increased noise level. Several dozen workers in one room is constant noise. Phone calls, conversations of employees, noise from office equipment - all this can literally drive you crazy. It is extremely difficult for an employee to concentrate in such a stressful environment.
• constant stress. Lack of personal space, crampedness and noise are all factors that provoke stress and irritability. Of course, this negatively affects performance.
• The risk of theft. All personal belongings of employees (phones, handbags) are on public display. This can cause employees to fear that they will not count their property.
• Probability of conflicts. One person prefers to sit with an open window, the other is cold. Such trifles cause conflicts between colleagues, create a tense atmosphere.
• Rapid spread of infectious diseases. All bacteria, infections and viruses are quickly transmitted from employee to employee. According to studies, people are more likely to get sick in open space.

The employer wins in savings on rent, but loses in the productivity of his employees.

What do the employees themselves say?

Open space has been operating for a long time, and therefore a lot of research has already appeared regarding working in them. Consider the results of some:

• 56% of employees say they lack personal space.
• 55% of employees do not like the temperature in the room.
• 60% is missing silence.

Some studies prove that open space increases the stress level of employees and provokes conflicts. Employees working in open office space are diagnosed with high blood pressure. In addition, there is a high turnover of staff in such offices.

How to increase the productivity of employees in open space?

The leader can level the shortcomings of open space, using the following recommendations:

• Diverse workspace. It is not recommended to standardize workplaces, because each employee has his own individual needs. Some places need to be well isolated, small partitions are placed between other tables. The employee can choose the place that best suits his needs.
• Proper placement of common areas. Jobs alone will not be enough to solve everyday problems. It is also required to install a large table for joint discussions, provide a rest room, a dining area. All these rooms should be in close proximity to the main workspace.
• No high barriers. It seems that installing high partitions will solve the issue of personal space. However, this is an erroneous opinion. Employees working behind "high walls" will feel like they are alone in the room. This will increase the noise level. Workers in such conditions do not keep silence, they talk loudly.
• Approval of rules of conduct. Rules may include a ban on loud conversations, music. Employees should be encouraged to use internal chat more often. You can set a special signal that the employee does not need to be disturbed at the moment.
• More plants. It has been proven that living vegetation in the workplace reduces stress levels, increases productivity and focus on work tasks, and creates a favorable atmosphere.
• Placement of workplaces of managers in a common space. As a rule, managers are located in a separate office. However, this is not quite the right policy. Firstly, the manager will not be able to fully control the work of his employees, and secondly, he will be cut off from the team, will not be able to timely identify weak sides workflow.

The manager should be interested in the truthful opinion of his employees in order to innovate in accordance with the real needs of the team.

Increasing comfort in the common space is not only the task of the manager, but also of the employees. Employees can use the following guidelines:

• Each person can arrange a comfortable personal space. To do this, you can get headphones, place photos, your favorite decorative trinkets on your table.
• It is not recommended to eat at the workplace, as well as to use perfume with a pungent odor. A mixture of aromas can cause discomfort to roommates.
• Even if the head did not give special orders, you must follow general rules courtesy: speak more quietly, reduce the sound of the phone.

The joint efforts of the owner of the organization and employees will help to make even open space comfortable for work.

Entrepreneurs, owners of businesses, organizations, enterprises are trying to provide comfort to employees. The workplace of a specialist must meet the basic requirements of convenience. Modern offices have the necessary criteria, observing them, employers guarantee high-quality work, profit, development. When choosing an office space, the tenant pays attention to the availability of the necessary communications, the surrounding infrastructure, accessibility public transport, the possibility of placing personal vehicles of the management team, partners. The interior decoration, the location of bathrooms, ventilation, the presence of air conditioning units are considered. Location on the territory of the office building canteens, drugstores. If you do not want to spend time looking for the perfect space, you can use the services of New Life Group, whose employees will be happy to solve your problem.

Open space is an open office space where employees are placed in a certain way, convenient for everyone. The main advantage of renting Open space is the ability to control employees, thanks to a well-viewed room. The manager will have access to each employee, his workplace. Renting open space will give the manager the opportunity to save money. A small open space allows you to accommodate a sufficient number of employees, avoiding expensive rent. Work productivity will increase thanks to such an office. Employees will be able to constantly contact each other, solving emerging issues without wasting time. Employees who have separate offices have the opportunity to be distracted from their main duties. The open space of the office excludes this possibility.

The main advantages of Open space, rent, nuances

Renting office space has its pros and cons. Having studied them, the manager will be able to make the right decision that affects the growth of profits. Simple, fast adaptation of new employees of the company. This is especially true with frequent changes of employees in certain areas of activity. Open space allows you to quickly get to know the team. Discussing projects and resolving issues will help establish cooperation.

Thin glass office partitions are used to create a sense of personal space in Open space . They form a separate workplace, avoiding renting an office, but allow the team to freely communicate on working moments. Common space to allow access to necessary documents. The leader, being interested in the opinion of employees, will earn trust, will be able to innovate.

Consider the possible disadvantages of renting an Open space. A large number of employees create a constant noise, it makes it difficult for others to concentrate. Pay special attention to your field of activity, think about whether Open space is right for you. There may be stressful situations. Employees who are accustomed to working in their own office, at first, may have a negative attitude towards the lack of personal space. The same goes for personal items. Their availability to others calls out the fear of theft among employees. The downside is the rapid spread infectious diseases. A tense atmosphere can be created by disagreements among colleagues, provoking conflict. Before choosing an Open space office, think carefully about all the above arguments, and only then make an informed decision.

Studying the real estate rental market, employers know that such offers as Open space have been around for a long time. Call center owners prefer these particular spaces, as they have the ability to accommodate a sufficiently large number of operators. For example, New Life Group can provide great deals. However, it is worth noting that offices with an open space layout, according to surveys, are beneficial mainly to the manager due to cost savings. Employees may feel uncomfortable in the absence of personal space.

How can you reduce the disadvantages of open space, create a good working atmosphere?

The owners of the organization, following a few tips, will be able to create an open space workspace that can positively affect the productivity of the company. Pay attention to the needs of workers, let them choose their own place: perhaps some employees need an isolated space, others will need to install a thin partition. This will create a feeling of comfort. When renting an Open space office, organize your workplace where they can take breaks, relax, and eat. This will make it clear that the company cares about the well-being of employees, not forgetting about legal rest. In order to reduce stress levels, avoid conflict situations, create internal rules, certain order. Try not to make noise, exclude the use of perfume that has a pungent odor, refuse to eat food in the workplace. Create a special chat in the messenger to minimize live communication. By placing a workplace among employees, the manager will cause additional trust and approval among the team.

Allow employees to arrange their own workplace. The use of personal belongings, photographs, and other accessories will help create the right working mood, enhance the feeling of comfort.

It is important for the manager to develop the business, increase profits, conclude new deals. Therefore, you should carefully consider the wishes of employees. With the joint efforts of an employee, a manager, you can create a rapidly growing enterprise, increase financial profit, and reward the team.

Hello dear blog readers! An open space office is one large room where people work with absolute different positions, even the leader is in this space, which allows him to control the process. And on the one hand, this is an ingenious solution, but on the other hand, it has its own “pitfalls”.

Organization

The idea itself arose long ago to observe the work on the lands of the landlords, and belonged to Prince Potemkin. He was looking for a way to help cope with the laziness and lies of the serfs, who did not want to work at all and were engaged in theft. Having placed all the outbuildings in the barnyard in such a way that they became visible to the manager, he achieved the desired result.

Only this idea was adopted for completely different purposes, and not at all by entrepreneurs, but by the penitentiary system. They began to build prison facilities to control the prisoners. And only in the 1950s they began to use it in offices, since the manager big companies she liked it.

Usually, employers equip workplaces with small partitions in order to somehow preserve the possibility of a sense of personal space. But there are also such premises where everything is common, without borders, and even without leaving the opportunity for employees to store personal belongings, because due to high turnover or due to the lack of attachment to one place, a person may simply end up at another table the next day and computer.

Disadvantages and advantages

In any situation, there are pros and cons, there is no single ideal system. It is important to simply understand your own characteristics and take into account the specifics of the place where you are going to spend most of your time. Let's say open space can be a dream, since the opportunity to contact during the day with a large number of people will only add energy and inspiration to it.

2. Avoid using strong fragrances, remember that there may be people who are sensitive to smells nearby. You should not only defend yourself, but also be able to respect others.

3. Purchase earplugs and headphones. In moments when you need to focus, you can use them at any time. The main thing is not to be in them all the time, otherwise you will not be able to respond in time when they contact you.

4. To add coziness and comfort, put things on the table that make you feel good. So you better feel that you are in your place, and you can also periodically be distracted by them, experiencing tenderness, joy, and so on. Usually arrange photos with loved ones.

Conclusion

The material was prepared by Alina Zhuravina.

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Popular open organization workspace. This design option was developed in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century and has not lost its relevance to this day.

What is an open space office

The main principle of open space is the almost complete absence of internal walls. The only exceptions are meeting rooms and executive offices. However, they are also separated from the main space not by blank walls, but by thin transparent partitions. It is believed that the team working in open space offices is friendlier and more united. The ostentatious openness of the premises encourages employees to conscientious implementation his duties and does not allow them to waste work time wasted.

Pros and cons of an open space office

Open space facilitates communication, improves staff productivity and creates a democratic atmosphere in the office. The open space format also unobtrusively informs guests and business partners company that it follows current trends and is ready to adopt best practices. At the same time, an open layout allows you to use the working area as efficiently as possible, and thanks to the prompt interaction between employees, working time is saved.

However, this organization of space has a number of disadvantages:

• lack of personal space for employees;
• complex lighting design;
• poor soundproofing of areas where silence is required.

A well-designed open space design allows you to level all these disadvantages. So, the visibility of personal space is created using low screens or mobile partitions. Proper lighting is designed by professionals, taking into account all the standards of ergonomics and labor safety. And sound insulation is provided with the help of stationary partitions covered with sound-absorbing compounds.

Who suits open space

With an open space, they are suitable for call centers, technical support services, editorial offices of news agencies, companies in which employees of different departments constantly communicate with each other (software developers, advertising and marketing firms and so on.). It will be difficult for creative teams to work in this format. Constant buzz and open horizons can distract employees from generating creative ideas, so it is better for them to organize small studios with a design that activates the imagination.

Important points of interior design

When arranging an open workspace, the main thing is to correctly zone the room. It is necessary to think in advance where the places for employees, the reception room, the meeting room, the director's office, as well as the rest room will be located. The room can be zoned with furniture, light fluxes or color schemes. For the same purposes, stationary or mobile partitions are often used. As a rule, they are made completely transparent or partially closed. Screens on tables will create a sense of separate personal space for staff.

An important point is office lighting. Ideally, if the building has large panoramic windows. Otherwise, it is necessary to carefully consider artificial lighting, both general overhead and individual. The optimal combination of ceiling, wall and table lamps will increase the efficiency of employees and reduce fatigue.

Examples of open space offices

The open floor plan limits the imagination of the designers only to the budget of the company. The open space format allows you to implement ideas that are not available for the cabinet-corridor system.

The open, democratic environment in Google's offices is one of the company's core values. The branch in New York is a vivid confirmation of this.

In a Canadian insurance company, the space is organized in such a way that employees can work both individually and in groups, uniting to think about common projects.

The open floor plan allows employees of the Moscow news agency Gazeta.ru quickly exchange data and use working time efficiently.

You can see more examples in our Portfolio.

Open space offices have been known since the time of the engineers of Henry Ford and still remain one of the most popular types of planning. Numerous studies prove 9 Reasons That Open-Space Offices Are Insanely Stupid. that this format has become obsolete: work efficiency is lower than in office-type offices, and employees get tired faster and have less time.

The main problems that arise in open space:

1. Noise generated by people and equipment.
2. The risk of spreading the infection if one of the "responsible" colleagues comes to the office sick.
3. Inability to work due to frequent interruptions and meetings.

If you work best in the morning or in the evening, when most of your colleagues are not at work, and in two hours you manage to do what you didn’t do in the other six, take a look at our recommendations.

Leaving the office

Flexible working hours

If the format of your work allows, use flexible schedule. For some, it is better and more convenient to work in the morning, when most of the colleagues are not yet at the workplace, while others wake up in the late afternoon.

Follow your biorhythms.

Negotiating such a schedule with your superiors can be difficult, but it's worth at least trying. If the task is completed, then what difference does it make, in what particular period of time?

The practice of the publishing house where I worked showed the effectiveness of this approach. Only employees involved in customer service and salespeople had a clear start and end time for the working day. The editorial, promotion, and other departments formally started at 10:00, but even within the same department, there were distinctions between owls and larks.

Transition to partial remote

For some people, wearing active noise canceling headphones may cause dizziness or headaches. And the point here is not the quality of the performance of the headphones themselves, but the anatomical features of a particular person and his vestibular apparatus.

In order not to waste your money, ask friends who have such headphones to borrow them for a couple of days, or before buying, ask the store about the features of the return if suddenly the headphones do not suit you.

According to the Consumer Rights Protection Law Law of the Russian Federation of 07.02.1992 No. 2300-1 "On Protection of Consumer Rights". and article 502 Civil Code you can return the product good quality to the store within 14 days of purchase. But the store may insist that these headphones are technically sophisticated products. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 19.01.1998 No. 55. which cannot be returned or exchanged.

We are engaged in redevelopment

Look critically at the layout of the place where you work. Do you have a dedicated space for the kitchen and is it a separate room, a fence or a table in the middle of the room with a tea and coffee maker?

The coffee maker and other noisy household appliances should be isolated from the main room as much as possible. If there is a separate fence, then try to negotiate to bring it up to the ceiling and separate the kitchen from the common area with a door.

Printers and coolers should be located as far as possible from workplaces.

The office should be divided into noisy and quiet areas. To settle together marketers and programmers - bad idea for both departments.

Organize your workplace so that you enjoy being there, because we spend most of the day at work. A comfortable workplace is a balance between openness and personal space. You can isolate yourself from colleagues with flowers, a partition or a locker without leaving the common space.

Save time

The danger of open space is that every employee is almost at arm's length. So the advantage of this layout turns into a curse, because you are constantly distracted. At the same time, what for your colleague may be urgent and important task, for you turns around.

When scheduling meetings, adhere to the rule of allocating mandatory and optional participants, at the end of the planning meeting, send everyone a protocol with final decisions and deadlines for completing tasks.

Allocate time that will be only yours to complete your tasks, when none of your colleagues will distract you with their questions. Notify co-workers in advance that you are preparing for an important deadline for the entire team, so ask them not to disturb you on a certain day or hour.

Working in open space is a series of compromises. Start the changes with yourself and your immediate environment, then gradually the rest of your colleagues will catch up to the new standards. Even if you are not a leader, but an ordinary employee, you can change the life of your office for the better. Enough to take active position and promote your ideas.

Tell us how you solve the problems of working in open space?