Open Office Case Study

In order to develop the office space strategy for Dillon offices, research was conducted to better understand current trends in office configuration and furniture options The research was conducted by reading articles found on sites such as Forbes, Washington Post and many more. Outlined below is a summary of the options identified and a recommendation based on the findings.
Open Office Concept
The open office concept is something that has become popular over the last decade due to companies like Google. The layout makes use of large open spaces while minimizing or even eliminating enclosed rooms such as private offices. Recent reports have found that this office design actually hurts work place productivity and is negatively impacting the
This may not be an issue for all employees. Secondly it has the potential to put more stress on the administration team as to manage the reservation process unless an automated process is put in place.
Nested Offices
Google introduced the nested office layout which is a work space that accommodates 6-8 people as seen in the illustration below. George Bradt, a Forbes contributor highlighted that the reason for this is that research across cultures indicated that “Groups of this size best reinforce cultural norms and create the strongest trust bonds.” Groups of this size mean that there is no place to hide and both positive and negative behaviors are clear for all to see. In general, this layout creates bonds between team members and promotes collaboration. The potential issue with this layout is that while people have their own space they are still close to their coworkers. This could become an issue with employees who are constantly on their phone for their job. Their conversations could become a distraction for the employees around them. It is also has some of the same drawbacks as the Open Office Concept discussed
• Bringing the outdoors in: Using reclaimed wood and natural green life can positively impact the atmosphere in an office.
• Designated Lounge Areas: Creating spaces for employees to take a break and talk can create bonds. It also provides employees a space to escape from their work for a period of time.
• Collaborative work spaces: Large tables are being used as an area for teams to come together to work and collaborate on projects.
• Offices organized by colour: As seen below each department is given their own colour. The use of colour in an office has been shown to increase a sense of belonging and teamwork leading to increased productivity and