Use Open Plan Workstations to Improve Office Communication in Los Angeles

Use Open Plan Workstations to Improve Office Communication in Los Angeles

Open offices are widely used layouts, so entrepreneurs and office managers in Los Angeles should know how to use open plan workstations to enhance and improve communication.

Cohesion

An office design has to make sense. It takes the pieces of what makes an environment work and brings them into a unified whole. A cohesive design acknowledges the separate entities that interact. Leadership sets the tone and pace, administration supervises the flow of cash and people, while the technical talent and workers make the products and provide the services.

Open plan workstations fit the needs of a variety of for-profit industries and non-profit organizations. Small teams working within larger companies can use open plan workstations in clusters or pods. A creative team working at a mid-size PR firm in Santa Monica can have one designated area for working while account managers can have their own area. A robust non-profit can have admin centered around one style of workstations while the program team can operate in a distinct, designated area using workstations that have a completely different style.

Collaboration

Sharing ideas face to face is an important form of collaboration. An open plan workstation gives team members chances to have conversations and focus on the ideas that matter. The design and spacing has to work in everyone’s favor.

Critics say that open offices killed collaboration. Reseacher Ethan Bernstein of the Harvard Business School (HBS) tracked workers who moved from cubicles to an open office setting and found that they tried to avoid collaboration rather than seek it out. In a July 2018 article for HBS, The Open Office Revolution has Gone Too Far, Bernstein says that workers who have a constant audience may try hard to look busy, put on headphones and avoid interaction.

Open plan workstations aren’t a one-size-fits-all approach. A variety of configurations are available to match personalities and departmental demands. The Synapse Open Plan Benching by Deskmakers is straight-forward while the Crossroads Workstation is a “revolutionary take on office furniture systems.”  Smart planning will configure workstations to allow for collaboration when necessary and provide space for individuals to focus.

Communication

Office communication is much more than one employee talking to another. Communication includes emails, keeping company social media accounts up to date, and phone calls with vendors, clients and potential new clients.

A growing office is a buzzing place. How do you keep the communication in its proper channels?  In an open office, a space without walls, departments can have their own open plan workstations in well-defined areas. In the center of the floor, create a place for phone calls or in-person conferences using modular walls and focused meeting pods. Shared equipment like copiers can be off to one side that’s easily accessible by each area.

An open office can be a vibrant place that attracts top talent when it’s laid out effectively. Use open plan workstations to not only improve office communication but also support specific goals and objectives.

Image Source: Global Sidebar

Benefits of Benching Cubicles

Benefits of Benching Cubicles

Benching cubicles merge the desire for close collaboration among employees while offering the personal space needed for focused work. An office can still have a friendly, open feel while defining work space.

Selecting Benching Cubicles

A variety of flexible configurations are available for benching cubicles. Guidelines for selecting a design that best fits an office can take traits into consideration like:

  • Collaboration Versus Privacy
  • Personal Storage Needs
  • Interaction With Clients and Vendors
  • Use Of Height-Adjustable Workstations

Benching cubicles can be configured in many different ways. Arrangements are flexible to accommodate either a few people or several employees working in close proximity.

Some cubicles have a minimal design like the Razor Cubicle Height Adjustable Table by Open Plan Systems. Others, like the Initiate Workstation by HON, maximize personal space while using translucent partitions that allow light to filter through the office.

Reasons to Use Benching Cubicles

Setting up and installing a benching cubicle is easy. As a company grows and changes occur, new configurations can happen in a way that’s fluid—no tearing out walls or displacing lots of workers.

This system is a good example of mass customization. The partitions and use of height-adjustable workstations can be customized for just a few employees or dozens of people. A company can use specific styles and office layouts to reflect its brand.

Flexibility and quality materials are one and the same. Today’s systems are designed to last and withstand heavy use.

Secondary Benefits of Benching Cubicles

A clean, well-designed office attracts the best talent on the market and makes workers from all generations feel comfortable. Benching cubicles can provide a logical flow in the workplace while allowing for workers to personalize their space. The feeling of a shared, positive experience or sense of community is important for younger hires.

Benching cubicle partitions, plus accessories like plants and attractive storage units, can absorb sound and create boundaries so private space and workspace is respected. If someone is walking from the front door to a back area, they don’t have to feel like they’re stepping on someone’s toes or invading a personal boundary.

Benching cubicles along with modular lounge chairs can also give workers the freedom to take business calls or work on their laptops in different locations. People don’t have to be tied to a desk. Every workplace has a style that’s unique to the corporate culture.

Image Source: OFS