Open Offices Are A Disaster

As a former Microsoft employee, I was thrilled in 2001 when I first joined the company to see every employee had a private office. Having a private office was beneficial in so many ways. I could do meetings in my office with up to 4 people, so no need to book a conference room. I could take a personal call with no problem. I could close my door and deep focus on my work and limit outside distractions.

Unfortunately, the open office floor plan has become increasingly popular over the last two decades in the tech world. In my opinion, the open office is a disaster for employees, employers and the end customers.

The open office plan, which has been the standard for many tech companies in recent years, has often been hailed as a way to promote collaboration and creativity. However, studies have shown that these benefits may come at a significant cost. One study found that employees working in open office spaces experienced more interruptions, had higher levels of stress, and were less productive than those who worked in private offices.

Another study found that employees in open office plans had 62% fewer face-to-face interactions and spent 73% less time communicating with their colleagues than those who worked in private offices. This lack of face-to-face interaction can lead to a decrease in collaboration and creativity, which are often cited as benefits of the open office plan.

Moreover, open office plans have been found to have negative effects on employee well-being. A study conducted by the British Psychological Society found that employees in open office plans reported higher levels of dissatisfaction with their work environment and more health problems than those who worked in private offices.

Additionally, a survey conducted by the design and architectural firm Gensler found that employees who had access to both private and collaborative spaces were the most satisfied with their work environment and had the highest levels of productivity.

In fact, when I was touring Bell Labs and seeing how the labs themselves were setup, I found that each team of scientists had a dedicated lab for them to do experiments, tests, in a collaborative space. However, right next to their lab, each one had a private office. If Bell Labs, where dozens of nobel prize winners worked and several world changing technologies were invented, knew the benefits of private office + collaborative spaces, maybe more companies should look at this approach.

Microsoft, by providing every employee with a private office, created a more focused and productive work environment. Allowing it to become only one of three companies in the world valued over $1 Trillion!