Layout

Cellular layout

Individual offices. Number of separate rooms used by individual workers, or groups of workers

Advantages

• privacy

• quiet

• can have different features

• no distractions

• locking

• less illness

• personalisation

• status

privacy

the office can be used to private and sensitive conversations between managers and employees

Quiet

Noisy equipment can be housed away from staff

Different features

Individual offices can have different features which may suit the needs of individual members of staff or teams better

No distractions

Allows individuals to concentrate on their work

Locking

Offices can be locked to prevent unauthorised staff accessing private documents which may be contained inside

Less illness

Infections and illnesses are less likely to spread. Decreased likelihood of employees suffering from sick building syndrome

Personalisation

Ability to personalise the working space and regulate both heating and lighting

Status

Allows people to feel important

Disadvantages

• waste of space

• resources

• isolation

• supervision

• communication

• less flexibility

• disruption to workflow

• demotivation

Waste of space

Space could be used more productively

Resources

Difficult to share resources such as printers

Isolation

Employees may feel isolated and does not promote team spirit

Supervision

Difficult to supervise with everyone in individual offices

Communication

Can make communication and collaboration difficult

Less flexibility

The office cannot be changed to suit different requirements without major renovation

Disruption to workflow

Increased need for the movement of staff and documents around the office

Demotivation

Staff may feel demotivated by feeling that individual offices are cramped

Open plan

Can be totally open with no partition of space at all, or landscaped, meaning there will be plants, furniture and partitions to create work areas within one large space

Advantages

• easier to supervise

• promotes teamwork and team spirit

• resources can be shares, which saves money

• communication and collaboration is easier

• less space is wasted

• more flexibility - space can be changed easily

• improved workflow - ease of travel of workers and information

• staff motivated by spacious, pleasant appearance of office

• staff better supported as they can ask for help

Disadvantages

• Lack of privacy - meeting rooms needed

• distractions from other colleagues

• difficult to suit personal requirements such as heating and lighting

• infections and illnesses are more easily spread

• does not give an individual status

• offices cannot be locked so private information spreads

• Noisy equipment may be housed in the open plan area