Workplaces With Few Physical Barriers And Enclosures Called What?

What Are Open Workplaces (OWP) | Advantages And Disadvantages Of Open Workplaces

The answer is Open Workplaces as in an organizational workplace design,

(i) Free And Open Communication

The open workplace consists of arrangement and configuration of Workspace (WS) among employees where few physical barriers and enclosures exist and they engage in face-to-face communication, share ideas, collaborate with each other. They also learn from each other. They share information with each other. They also make social connect to discuss job task which gives them motivation and satisfaction to perform well in their work tasks.

(ii) Density

In OWP, the density shows how many employees can stay and work within the workspaces. In OWP, the density is low, so more employees can work with little distance to communicate freely and effectively, make open discussions, etc., as compare to high density traditional job workplaces.

(iii) More Productivity

The employees don’t have communication gap in open-to-open communication. They freely talk with each other about a particular job task, so they work better which resulted in the high productivity of job task.

Disadvantages Of OWP

(i) Interruptions

As there are littler physical barriers and enclosures, so there are chances interruptions from each other sides during the conversations and as a result, focus on work may lose during job tasks. So, the manager should provide open WS with adjustable partitions where employees can have privacy but still able to communicate effectively, (both interpersonal and organizational communications) work together and perform well to achieve organizational objectives and goals.

(ii) Lack Of Privacy Concerns

Sometimes, the members don’t want to share private matters with others such as dispute between two members can’t be shared among each member, if these members want to make conversation separately to solve their problems.

Workplace design is the arrangement and configuration of workspaces among employees to improve work performance by creating collaboration, learning and socialization during job tasks.

Workplace Design (WPD) also affects the organizational communication among employees. It also affects the performance of the employees as the workspace among employees in an office affects the communication process created among them. If there are face-to-face communications among employees due to WPD, then the employees can perform four (4) types of work:

(a) Focused Work

When the employees concentrate on a specific work to complete it.

(b) Collaboration Work (CW)

When employees work together to accomplish a job task. They need each other support and collective work efforts to complete the job tasks.

(c) Learning

In learning, the employees engage in training session, coaching session, etc., to learn something new or to enhance their knowledge. It involves both focused and CW.

(d) Socialization

Employees also engage in social connection informally to share ideas about job tasks, experiences about jobs, issues they face during job tasks, etc.

Due to WPD, the work arrangements, office equipment (laptop, mobile devices, etc.) and furnishings are adjustable and customizable. These are adjusted according to job tasks. For example, for call center job, the availability of phones, mobiles and internet connections are provided. In this way, they make better use of organizational resources and communicate effectively to increase sales of the organization.