Study: Open office plans hamper communication, productivity
For all our online flair and digital attention seeking, we still prefer a bit of privacy on the job. New research shows why workplace walls still matter.
For many people, a little bit of workplace social interaction goes a long way.
Despite our penchant for peace and quiet, businesses continue to wage wars on workplace walls. Dismantling cubicles in the pursuit of more collaboration, teamwork and togetherness sounds enticing, but evidence is mounting that privacy is more conducive to productivity.
Nextgov writes about a recent study conducted by Harvard professor Ethan Bernstein, which fastidiously tracked employee communication at an organization transitioning into an open office setting. Instead of creating a workplace thrumming with seamless connectivity and conversation, the study found that the office redesign resulted in fewer face-to-face conversations. Productivity and creativity dropped, too.
As Nextgov reports:
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