Could Office Design Be Pivoting Towards Privacy?

Office layouts have continuously evolved over the past few years. Cubicles were once the mainstay of many workplaces, but have been recently replaced with open office concepts. But is one truly better than the other?

Cubicles have had a bad reputation for years as many workers find them to be isolating and uninspiring. 

Open office plans aimed to combat cubicle layouts by introducing a more cost-effective solution for organizations. This design has also been found to improve the health of workers by encouraging more physical activity and implementing more natural light in the space. 

Still, there is evidence that open-plan offices may negatively impact workers’ health as there is a higher rate of sick leave since workers do not have much of a say on their personal space and sickness can easily spread.

Productivity can also take a hit in an open office plan. While these spaces are great for collaboration, their environments can be noisy and distracting which can hinder workplace motivation. There is also evidence that suggests such workplaces hurt face-to-face interaction as workers lean towards using messaging apps instead.

As the demand for privacy starts rising again, workplaces might start to see another shift towards implementing cubicles within their spaces.