The move from the partitioned cubicle of the traditional office to the very public open-plan workspace is not a new thing. Neither is it always a good thing. Nevertheless, it has efficient uses. Enter the agile, activity-based office space. Read on.

THE OPEN OFFICE SPACE

When poorly executed, the open-plan workspace can be detrimental to your team’s productivity and focus. Try to google “open plan workspaces” and you’ll be greeted with a slew of articles that run the entire gamut of opinions from “Heck, yeah!” to “You gotta be kidding me.”

Let’s see what the numbers have to say:

• 1 in 3 workers feels that distractions and noise from open workspaces hinder their productivity, while 1 in 6 say it hinders creativity, as well.

• 1 in 8 US open office workers feel that their company’s office layout has pushed them to consider leaving their job.

• A Harvard Business School study in 2018 found that open offices reduce face-to-face interaction by about 70% and increase email and messaging by roughly 50%.

Despite this, open-plan offices are still being designed and built, probably because it would cost more to overhaul an entire floor with private offices for teams of people. That said, there’s a fix for this modern workspace problem.

WHAT EXACTLY IS AN ACTIVITY-BASED OFFICE?

Yes, our offices have changed, but this change stems from the way we work. We aren’t just sitting down at desks anymore.

While today’s technology has enabled us to collaborate through the cloud, we still get pulled into meetings and brainstorming sessions. Sometimes, we have to build prototypes by hand instead of using a virtual tool. Unfortunately, not every office is built to support these activities. The solution: make it flexible! Build out your office space based on the sort of activities you and your team will be doing on the daily.

Not only will an activity-based workspace make your office design more interesting, but it will also take into consideration the effort your team makes to support your business. After all, without such hard workers, where would your company be? Give back by providing them with the space to spread their wings, so to speak.

THE BENEFITS OF AN ACTIVITY-BASED OFFICE

Activity-based offices take your team’s needs into account. In a flexible workspace, people have the option to choose between a quiet space or a collaborative area. They aren’t stuck sitting at a desk all day or cooped up in a tiny meeting room for hours.

See why it’s important to have activity-based office spaces in your business. Below are some of the reasons:

• Better working experience

First, you provide your team with the basics: a computer, a reliable internet connection, and snacks and refreshments. Next, set them up with the right space for their working style and preference. Make day to day tasks as unhindered as possible so your team can simply focus on what are required of them.

When your team is well-equipped and fully-supported, they’ll be ready to take on the world. A fulfilling experience doesn’t just uplift and motivate your team; if they have the right space for it, they’ll be free to concentrate on either getting their individual work done or collaborating with each other without disturbing others. Plus, if they love where they work, they wouldn’t have to look elsewhere.

• Design to impress

Building out an activity-based office takes more than just creating Pinterest boards of the office style you want to imitate. An office that emulates your company’s personality and culture can inspire and remind you of your collective goals — which you’ve established beforehand, of course.

Activity-based workspaces call for only the best innovations to date. After all, the most efficient equipment enables your team to build and provide bigger and better products and services. And while these don’t need to be expensive, you also shouldn’t hesitate to spend money on things that you and your team need.

Also, consider this: a workspace that truly reflects your business is an advertisement in itself for any potential client that catches a glimpse of it. After all, what’s a more effective business card than real estate?

• Saves on cost

In efforts to figure out who you are as a company and the direction you want to take in the next five years (at least), you discover the finer details on how to bring the company forward. Who are the people that you need to hire? How many will they be? What sort of space do they need to do their work?

Once you’ve outlined these ideas in detail, you won’t have to spend time, effort, resources, and money to produce unnecessary fluff. An office build-out doesn’t exactly come cheap, so be prepared from the beginning can save you the trouble of spending funds to correct mistakes made in a mad dash to get something done “yesterday.”

THE MAKINGS OF AN EFFECTIVE ACTIVITY-BASED OFFICE

• Space for synergy

There’s an open space with enough room to spread out and stretch your legs. This can be an activity area where people can work on hands-on tasks, such as building physical prototypes or creative crafts and projects.

Expect this space to be a bit rowdy and messy; definitely not a space for knowledge work.

• Huddle rooms for brainstorming

Not exactly a meeting room but around the same lines as one, your team can use a huddle room for short, mostly informal discussions. It’s also great for end-of-day tête-a-têtes, short orientations, or training sessions.

Huddle rooms are private and considerably quiet. When not in use for group activities, it can be used as a lounge or a free space for focused peeps.

• Nooks for peace and quiet

No, dedicated tables in an open plan space definitely do not count. A quiet nook is something comparable to a library where people can expect silence; that is, aside from keyboards clacking or fingers tapping on a desk.

One of the reasons why there’s a lot of hate against open-plan offices is that there are barely enough private places for people who prefer to be by their lonesome. Consider providing work pods, phone booths, and isolated corners in your office.

• Lounge areas for casual powwows

Something in between an activity area and a huddle room, a lounge can be a space for the semi-focused workers.

Imagine bean bags, couches, or even a stair workspace; this is where people aren’t too concentrated on their work and others may approach to make conversation. That, or they just want to stretch out. How you use this space is up to you.

• Break rooms for downtime

You’re probably familiar with the phrase, “all work and no play.” If so, you know better than to skimp on a relaxing space for your team. Whether it’s a kitchenette, a game room, a sleeping lounge, or all of the above, make sure it’s available and accessible in your office.

All this taken into consideration, the open plan office isn’t a big bad wolf. Like anything else, it’s got its pros and cons. At the end of the day, it’s up to us to use the space the way we like it. What makes activity-based spaces superior is its respect for other people who use the same spaces we’re using.

If you’re looking for a flexible workspace, a serviced private office, or even a custom buildout HQ for your team, check out Loft Spaces.

We’re all about providing a variety of options for your productivity. Reach out to [email protected] and book a tour with our community managers today. Hope to see you soon!