An employee’s workspace matters. This seems to be the bottom line of two new surveys from staffing firm Robert Half.
The surveys, developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms, include an HR managers’ survey with responses from more than 300 HR managers at U.S. companies with 20 or more employees, and a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers employed in office environments.
Open Floor Plans
Oh, and those open floor plans? Not so popular with employees.
Employees responding to the Robert Half survey say open floor plans are among the least productive and most stressful work environments.
Aiming for Collaboration
Nevertheless, open office environments are becoming more popular. Fifty-six percent of HR managers whose companies have changed their workspaces in recent years say their companies moved to an open floor plan to enhance collaboration.
Yet, while 65 percent of workers surveyed concede that open floor plans help with collaboration, they also say that other office configurations, including private offices (60 percent), semi-private cubicles (68 percent), and a combination of open and private spaces (69 percent) can be collaborative.
Privacy and Productivity
When it comes to productivity, employees who work in open and semi-private office environments report the lowest productivity levels due to their workspace; 32 percent and 35 percent, respectively, say their current workspace hinders productivity.
Meanwhile, 5 percent of workers with private offices say their current workspace hinders productivity, while a full 86 percent say their private office helps with productivity.
Less Stress
Only 1 percent of employees with private offices report feeling stressed as a result of their work environment, while 59 percent of employees in private offices say they feel relaxed at work.
By contrast, 31 percent of employees in semi-private cubicles and 25 percent of employees in open floor plans say their workplace configuration makes them feel stressed.
Consider Findings
Employers planning to refigure their offices may want to consider findings from these surveys.
Design should take into account collaboration and productivity. Likewise, stress levels matter, to employees and companies wishing to retain them—and job candidates and companies wishing to attract them.
“It’s not practical for every employee to have a private or even semi-private office, but employers should pay attention to the overall workplace design to ensure there are both collaboration spaces and places for employees to quietly get work done,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director for Robert Half. “An attractive office setting could be a deciding factor for a candidate during the hiring process.”