4 Reasons Why Open Concept Floor Plans Are Awesome

There are so many benefits to choosing open concept for your office floor plan. Although an office renovation is frustrating, we decided that the benefits for the transition would outweigh the inconvenience. We transitioned in August 2013 and our company has been reaping the benefits ever since. So why make the change?

1) Collaboration

In a standard office-based workplace people tend to fall into uncommunicative traps. They come to work, shut their doors and keep to themselves. They become unaware of what others are currently working on, their successes and their areas of difficulty. 

Open concept drastically changes the dynamics of the office. Co-workers learn what is happening with the company through community osmosis. The open environment ensures that individuals are constantly aware of what is happening with the company, and they are able to ask questions and lend a helping hand at a moment’s notice. In order for our businesses to grow we need to improve collaboration; success lies in the flow of ideas between co-workers and departments.

2) Remove the Hierarchy

Every single person matters to a business. The idea that people “deserve” an office over others only fractures the collaboration companies are seeking to build. Having offices for specific individuals provides the idea that there is an elitist group within the company. I work in our open concept layout with the rest of the Volaris team and I love it!

3) Communication

Another thing that is great about open concept is that it facilitates communication between people who may not interact on a regular basis. It removes the idea that in order to communicate with an individual you must first speak with their supervisor. To constantly be going through one person in order to communicate with the next is inefficient and only wastes time. At Volaris we strive to have a multi-level, free flow of information between co-workers.

4) Flexibility

Another benefit of an open concept layout is that it enables flexibility. If something is not working properly, or you find there may be a better layout, it can easily be moved. A traditional office-based floor plan is very limiting in this manner.

Remember

The most common apprehension of transitioning to open concept is the limitation of privacy. The truth is that yes, there will be less privacy compared to the traditional office layout. It is a simple trade off – collaboration for privacy. At Volaris we have built a number of meeting rooms in order to provide the space for group discussion and to have privacy if individuals really require it.

It is important to note that this floor plan is more than physical structure, it is a business philosophy and commitment to openness and collaboration. We feel that our company has only benefited from making the change and we encourage other businesses to give it a try.

Your Turn

Has your business tried an open concept layout? Do you know anyone else who is currently doing this? What are your thoughts or concerns? Let us know in the comments below.