Working in an open-plan office: a nightmare?
11 February 2013
Read by 1739 persons
More and more employees work in open-plan offices, often without having chosen to. Some simple changes can improve cohabitation.
In a survey published in "Journal du Net", an online magazine dedicated to economics and management, 63% of respondents said it was "rather annoying", or even "clearly unbearable", to work in an "open space", an open workspace. If they could, 72% would want to work in an office, alone or with others.
Unfortunately for them, the trend is not towards partitioned offices. The main reason: its cost. On an open floor, you can fit 25 to 30% more workstations than in a space divided into offices.
Improvements for better living in open-plan offices
So, are we condemned to endure this proximity without being able to change anything? Not exactly. "There are a number of improvements that can address the three recurring complaints: noise, lack of privacy, and traffic flow, which are responsible for the physical and mental fatigue of employees working in open-plan offices," says Elisabeth Pellegrin-Genel, architect and work psychologist, specialist in office spaces (author of "25 office spaces" published by Le Moniteur).
Respecting certain rules
Regarding noise, she advises recalling the general rules of respect for others. Some companies display them in their premises, such as Sodexo, a collective catering company.
Its "Issy well-being charter" (Sodexo's headquarters is located in Issy-les-Moulineaux, in the Hauts-de-Seine department) sets out a series of simple rules: reduce phone ringtones and forward lines in case of absence, move instead of calling a colleague, only use hands-free mode in meeting rooms, or moderate your voice volume. If you want to talk, go to the meeting rooms. For more privacy in unavoidable private conversations, mobile phones are the first resort.
Dossierfamilial.com
Posted online February 11, 2013
In a survey published in "Journal du Net", an online magazine dedicated to economics and management, 63% of respondents said it was "rather annoying", or even "clearly unbearable", to work in an "open space", an open workspace. If they could, 72% would want to work in an office, alone or with others.
Unfortunately for them, the trend is not towards partitioned offices. The main reason: its cost. On an open floor, you can fit 25 to 30% more workstations than in a space divided into offices.
Improvements for better living in open-plan offices
So, are we condemned to endure this proximity without being able to change anything? Not exactly. "There are a number of improvements that can address the three recurring complaints: noise, lack of privacy, and traffic flow, which are responsible for the physical and mental fatigue of employees working in open-plan offices," says Elisabeth Pellegrin-Genel, architect and work psychologist, specialist in office spaces (author of "25 office spaces" published by Le Moniteur).
Respecting certain rules
Regarding noise, she advises recalling the general rules of respect for others. Some companies display them in their premises, such as Sodexo, a collective catering company.
Its "Issy well-being charter" (Sodexo's headquarters is located in Issy-les-Moulineaux, in the Hauts-de-Seine department) sets out a series of simple rules: reduce phone ringtones and forward lines in case of absence, move instead of calling a colleague, only use hands-free mode in meeting rooms, or moderate your voice volume. If you want to talk, go to the meeting rooms. For more privacy in unavoidable private conversations, mobile phones are the first resort.
Dossierfamilial.com
Posted online February 11, 2013
