Working in a noisy open-plan office? Here’s how to stay focused and productive.
Noise has been the most prominent complaint about open-plan offices. But it’s possible to perform focused work and improve your productivity. Having some strategies like these up your sleeves rather than throwing your hands in despair can help you succeed.
Physical office workspaces have changed significantly over time. A few decades ago, workplaces were often arranged in the form of cellular offices. But, in the last three decades or so, cellular offices have mostly been replaced with new office designs in many parts of the world. These new designs are typically open-plan.
Research points out the initial shift toward open-plan office design has been influenced by three principal factors: the type of work being undertaken, changes in technology, and cost. Work has become more knowledge based and increasingly complex as machines and technology replace simple labor and tasks require more specialized skill sets. Widespread availability of the internet, affordable portable devices and cutting-edge technologies have meant that much work is no longer restricted to the office space but can be done virtually anywhere. This has seen a rise in the number of workers working remotely, leaving many offices and desks unoccupied during business hours. Finally, open-plan workspaces are argued to more…
