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The open-office bashing has begun. Again. It's starting to feel like GroundHogs Day. This time it was fueled by an article in Harvard Business Review (December 2019) that claims it reduces collaboration. There are so many things wrong with the research we felt compelled to share them here. For starters: - Only 150 people were involved in the two experiments on which the conclusion was based - The author of the article owns the company whose technology was used to measure collaboration - The term 'open office' was not defined - No information was provided about how the change was managed Wouldn't it be nice if the media actually read what they're reporting on before pounding out their sensational headlines? Perhaps what's most frustrating about this new round of sensational headlines decrying the open office is that the industry moved on years ago. We know open office environments can work when properly deployed and when occupants are given a choice of spaces and places to work. Read my full article about the HBR research here: https://lnkd.in/gaUJY_m Kate North Chris Hood Cheryl Duvall Janet Pogue McLaurin Kay Sargent Kati Barklund Eric Johnson Rex Miller
Spot on, Kate. There is a yawning gap between what this small sample of people do when they are in the office and what infrastructure was provided for effectively doing those activities after tearing down all the walls.
Ellen Cook
4y
Thank you so much! I have been asking the design and research communities for an educated and professional discussion of the now naggingly infamous HBR article. Anyone with years of knowledge and hands on experience in workplace design knew years ago, as Kate states, that an “all open” office is sub-optimal for most companies. That clarification or description is never made in the article and countless hours of discussion have resulted in my universe merely based on the fact that HBR was the source of this poorly researched and written article. Thank you for also making the point about responsible research and reporting. Excellent work!
Kent Reyling
4y
Well done Kate as always. Seek first to understand. "Open office" is excellent when applied correctly. As Glenn reinforces...it is a lot of hard work, but well worth it.
Glenn Dirks
4y
Kate, Excellent response to the HBR article. You hit on all the critical issues associated with implementing successful work environments; importance of different types of spaces offered, ability to choose when and where one wants or needs to work, communications and change management and, the reality that workplace projects are very complex. Let's face it, successfully designing and managing new work environments is a lot of hard work.
Thanks Kate! This is a great clarification of the Open Office issue. The way office space is designed today is very different from what was defined in the HBR Article. We need more articles that provide great examples of great places to work. Organizations should realize that the the design of space is an opportunity that should be custom tailored to their needs and not simply apply someone else'es standard.
Great piece Kate! This is, and will continue to be, an ongoing debate. We need to weigh so many issues when it come to the most conducive workspace for all. Thin research doesn’t help.
Great summary Kate Lister. I agree on all points and it's too bad such a sensational headline is featured in HBR. You raise a lot of valid issues with the research, which may be why we generally see very different results from client implementations of "open" office -- not just with team collaboration, but manager-team relationships, speed of decision making, access to information, etc. As others have noted, there are many design decisions across space, technology, and work practices that lead to the type of workplace that creates great employee experiences as well as quantifiable business outcomes. We probably need to do a better job as a community to share the real research results and better inform clients on the underlying drivers of success.
Chris Kane
4y
Hi Kate - what an interesting debate. It is sad that journals such as HBR and others choose to print unreliable (in our option) points of view. One must always respect the fact that paper never refuses ink and journalists need to eat. So trying to refute this stuff may be pointless? Rather than adding more commentary to the already useful and coherent points made so far maybe we should take a step back and reflect on why this has happened? Firstly I contend that collectively we have not done a good job at either educating nor informing the C-Suite. nor the wider business world. Secondly, it is all a matter of perspective and perception which is reflected through the relevant position of each stakeholder - we all need to try harder to understand this and build empathy with those who have a different point of view or set of beliefs. Thirdly, as a sector we lack coherence given a plethora of nomenclature, multiple definitions, prescribed 20th century approaches and a legacy of fragmentation. 2020 marks the start of a new decade the third in this century - maybe it is time to think afresh rather than continue talking in an echo chamber?
Shortly before the holidays, I caught up with a design friend I hadn't seen in 7-8 months. One of the directions our conversation went touched on his sharing the question he poses to each prospective client of his, specifically, "What's the correlation between your success and good design?" I have thought of it multiple times since and find it to be a simple but powerful question -- because it applies in so many facets of design, including the design of place! Workplace design, as Kate Lister, Luc Kamperman point out here (and so many others know), makes an enormous difference on the continuum of success for the business. When regarded as just a cursed but necessary overhead, place design is approached generically and casually but when place is recognized as a strategic tool, and approached thoughtfully and specific to a particular culture (the broader organization, and down to teams), you have yourself an asset! An asset that HELPS business drivers including attraction and retention, and collaboration among others.
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4yKate- brilliant and thank you! Absolutely true. In our experience, we recommend multiple types of space within a single office to maximize productivity, engagement, attraction and retention. Whether it is a corporation or a revenue-focused coworking/flexible workspace, humans like choice: focused work, socializing with others, meeting space and multiple postures. We've absolutely moved on from one size fits all.