The ‘unspoken’ reality of open-plan offices

These days, more companies are looking for offices that can work with an open floor plan. Commonly believed to foster collaboration and stronger relationships with co-workers, these offices have gained significant popularity in recent  years, according to Entrepreneur Magazine.

While this may be the office plan of choice among technology companies in Silicon Valley, more businesses are beginning to realize that sharing desk space with one another may not enable productivity after all. Research has shown that open-plan workspaces may cause staffers to get sick more often or leave them incapable of completing as many tasks in a given workday.

NEAD App Development is one of the many organizations that fell for the allure of open floor plans. CEO T.J. Sokoll was given the opportunity to purchase a 4,000 square feet office for 69 cents per square foot instead of lease a typical office for $2.50 per square foot, Businessweek explained. After a year of operations, it turned out that all the extra space was unnecessary and the open floor plan reduced productivity.

"I worked out of there two weeks solid and got done half of what I would have accomplished at home," NEAD Marketing Director Carolyn Smuts told the source. "Even trying to answer e-mails there, somebody would hit me in the back of the head with a Nerf dart."

The company has cut headcount down to eight and moved back to a smaller, conventional office. Small businesses that are looking to save money may be better served by turning to On Point Executive Center. Our private offices and conference rooms can provide you with the quiet space you need to get your work done. Setting up a virtual office, which allows professionals to take advantage of our full range of business services while working from their home office, is also an option.

"This is the best virtual office you will ever find in Tampa Bay. Here you will find excellent professional customer service that matters with many different packages that will fit your needs with affordable prices," On Point client, Elizabeth C. Valiente of Affordable Insurance Solutions said. "If you are looking for a beautiful location to meet with your clients or to take a ride to pick up your mail, this is the place!"