Different office dynamics and teams require unique office space designs. Cubicles can be used to create office space layouts, but are they always the best option?
Every office space planner wants to set up their employees for success and maximum efficiency. Arguably, the most significant factor of their success is choosing a balanced and productive office design that suits the employees’ needs. Different office dynamics and teams require unique office space designs. Cubicles can be used to create office space layouts, but are they always the best option? Or, more importantly, can it be the right choice for your workplace? Let’s find out.
Privacy and Focused Work
Despite the lower reputation nowadays due to open-office trends, cubicles’ most redeeming factor is better privacy. Three half walls, or sometimes full walls, that separate individual employees gives them the ability to work in peace and free from distractions. Office space designs that aim to reduce noise and visible distractions promote office productivity. On the other hand, some employees might take advantage of this abundance of privacy by taking long personal calls, having private conversations, or surfing the web discreetly. In addition, the added-privacy of the walls may cause some employees to feel cramped and uncomfortable, which could also lead to being unproductive.
Collaboration and Creativity
It is well-known that collaboration encourages creativity and morale in an office space. Cubicles present an obstacle for fostering collaborative work among individuals. For example, coworkers will have to get up and walk to another cubicle to discuss something more complicated than what can be expressed in an email. This setup is less than ideal for employees who need to work in tandem or require verbal confirmation frequently.
Open office plans often encourage collaboration because they can interact with their coworkers from their own desks. Plus, the office space can be much more easily rearranged to different layouts as new project needs occur. Open office spaces cater to those who prioritize creativity and collaboration-geared work.
Practicality and Cost Effectiveness
Consider the size of your office space. Would cubicles help you use the given area more efficiently? Or would installing cubicles give your employees excess room that they won’t use? It is also useful to consider the type of employees you hire and the retention rate. For businesses with high turnover rates, giving your employees cubicles with extra space may not be worth it because they won’t be staying long enough to add personal touches to the cubicle surroundings. Furthermore, when collaboration is not a priority, cubicles can be cheaper and easier to maintain than traditional private office designs. It’s more common that offices will want a mix of cubicle spaces and open spaces for employees to choose where they can work most efficiently.
Let Edwards & Hill Help Design Your Office
When considering the design of your new work environment, the number of options for office furniture can be overwhelming. Edwards & Hill can help you design and install the perfect office design for your facility. Edwards & Hill is a leading office, education, medical, and hospitality furniture provider with high-quality design and installation services for any style or scale. If you are ready to get your healthcare design started, contact us online or give us a call at 301-317-4250. For more furniture design tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Youtube.
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