{"id":2166,"date":"2025-11-06T16:10:39","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T15:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lisannco.ch\/?p=2166"},"modified":"2026-07-10T18:39:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T16:39:04","slug":"grossraumbuero-spagat-zwischen-austausch-und-konzentration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lisannco.ch\/en\/grossraumbuero-spagat-zwischen-austausch-und-konzentration\/","title":{"rendered":"Open-plan office \u2013 the balancing act between collaboration and concentration"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Open-plan office \u2013 the balancing act between collaboration and concentration<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Open-plan offices still occupy a large proportion of office space. It\u2019s called space efficiency\u2026 fewer walls, more workstations, greater flexibility. For employers, that sounds appealing: saving costs, promoting collaboration, simplifying structures.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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But efficiency comes at a price. Numerous studies show that open-plan offices make people unhappy and unhealthy. What was once considered the future of work has become a symbol of noise, stress, and overstimulation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Why open-plan offices are unpopular<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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According to the\u00a0HR Panel 2020<\/a> <\/strong>(pages 8-10), the open-plan office is the least popular type of workplace. Too loud, too impersonal, and especially since the pandemic, no longer up to date.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A global study by Crown Workspace (2025)\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>shows:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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91% of respondents would return to the office more often if the spaces better supported their needs.
67% want quiet zones, 77% appreciate personalisable workstations, and 70% consider having their own, individually designed desk essential for a positive office experience.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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That makes one thing clear: employees don\u2019t want constant visibility, but rather autonomy and opportunities to retreat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The\u00a0Harvard Business Manager (2023)<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0even described the open-plan office as\u00a0\u201cthe worst of all office worlds.\u201d<\/em>Studies by the Harvard Business School and the University of Witten\/Herdecke confirm that open offices reduce productivity, hinder communication, and increase illness rates.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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According to one study, face-to-face communication dropped by around 70% after employees moved from individual offices to open-plan layouts, while electronic communication increased.
(Source: Harvard Business School, 2018<\/a>)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Health strain, loss of productivity and identity<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Noise is one of the biggest stress factors in open-plan offices. In many cases, noise levels exceed the threshold for mental work of 55 dB(A) \u2013 a constant stimulus that leads to exhaustion, loss of concentration, and increased error rates.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Furthermore, a lack of spatial separation promotes the spread of viruses and other pathogens, leading to more illness-related absences.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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But the greatest burden doesn\u2019t come from noise alone. It stems from the feeling of having no control over one\u2019s environment.
Light, temperature, movement, retreat\u2026 all of these influence our well-being, often unconsciously.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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According to\u00a0Spektrum.de (2024)\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>, people are happier and healthier when they can choose their own workplace. Meaning they can switch between collaboration and concentration depending on their task.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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At the same time the\u00a0Crown Workspace study (2025)<\/a><\/strong>found that 77% of respondents value a personal, customisable workspace, and 70% believe that an individually designed desk is crucial for a positive office experience.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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That might sound contradictory, but it\u2019s not:
People want\u00a0autonomy<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 the right to have a say in their surroundings.
For some, that means a fixed, personal desk; for others, the freedom to move around.
Both share the need for self-determination and privacy.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Therefore, hybrid working is and remains a central issue for employee well-being. In my article about hybrid work<\/a> you can learn more about the topic.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The conclusion of many experts is clear:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Open-plan offices save space and money, but often at the expense of health, focus, and motivation.
Only when they allow for flexibility, retreat, and individuality do they become places where people can truly thrive.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How to design better open-plan offices<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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There\u2019s no universal solution. But there are smart ways for interior design and organisation to work together in creating spaces that unite efficiency and well-being.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Spaces often influence our well-being unconsciously, but sustainably. You can learn more about this here.<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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1. Acoustics and zoning<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Acoustics are the most important design element in any open-plan office.
Sound-absorbing materials, textiles, plants, or partition walls help reduce noise. An open-plan office will never be truly quiet, but the reverberation can be significantly reduced.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Room partitioning systems, such as shelving and mobile dividers, also help to calm sight lines and minimize distractions. This also creates smaller groups, which contributes to better privacy.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2. Light quality and placement<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Natural light has a measurable impact on concentration and mood.
Workstations should be positioned as close to windows as possible. Ideally no more than 20 metres from daylight.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A well-balanced lighting concept with indirect, high-quality artificial light supports performance. Human-centric lighting can also create scenarios aligned with the body\u2019s natural rhythm, promoting health and alertness.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The quality of light is extremely important, as light influences many processes in our brain. At the same time, individual needs vary greatly depending on age, lifestyle, and job responsibilities. Therefore, everyone should have access to individually controllable lighting.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. Creating retreat zones<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Spaces for phone calls, focus, or breaks aren\u2019t luxuries. They\u2019re essentials.
Crown Workspace<\/a> found that employees explicitly wish for more quiet zones and separated niches.
These spaces should be available in sufficient numbers and easy to access \u2013 not just a single \u201cphone booth\u201d for 50 people.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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You can find a whole article about retreat zones here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Top performance requires top conditions. The same goes for employees as it does for athletes.\nOr do you think Usain Bolt would have won his races wearing sandals?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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4. Flexible spatial structures<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Variety is the spice of life and offices need variety too.
Mobile partitions, plant islands, or acoustic furniture allow for flexible group sizes and support different work modes: from focused solo work to spontaneous teamwork.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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5. Personalisation<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Employees who can shape their environment are more motivated.
Company policies should allow personalisation of workstations \u2013 through small objects, photos, or individual light and temperature settings. Even with sharing desks, this can be implemented thoughtfully.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Organisation & company culture<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Spatial design is only half the story. For an office concept to work, the organisation must also question how work happens.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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