Do you work best when you’re closed off, or do you thrive in an open office space?
The idea of having an open office space is to create a more welcoming environment for staff. It also aims to boost collaboration, increase efficiency, and allow staff members to feel more inclusive.
But, once you open up a space completely, it leaves little room for quiet and privacy and brings in more noise and distractions. This can make things quite difficult when it comes to holding meetings.
This article helps address these issues so that you can conduct more effective meetings, all while maintaining the benefits of an open office.
Benefits of an Open Office Space
Many people prefer an open office space to working in a closed office or cubicle. It means they feel more involved with the team, it’s easy to work together more, and it creates a better sense of well-being.
While that’s all good, it’s not for everyone. Some people work better alone or in peace and quiet. And you may not want to be visible all the time and need your own space. Then when it comes to meetings, privacy and quiet are essential to make it productive.
Creative Spaces
If there’s a closed-off room within the office, of course, this is best and could involve booking a time slot for when it’s needed. But if such a space does not exist, you’ve got to get creative.
Many open-plan offices construct a ‘break-out’ area. This could be a corner in the room that is quietest and as far away from the rest of the team as possible. It can be sectioned off by a wall, bookshelves, or filing cabinets to form a partition. It might not seem much, but it does separate the space enough to remove distractions and make it more private.
Free-Moving Furniture
If staff members are absent or on leave, their space can be quite sought-after. And the benefit of an open office means people can move about more. So it makes sense to make your furniture movable by making it lightweight and with coasters. Then whenever you need a make-shift meeting space, it’ll be a breeze to set up in no time.
Use Assistive Technology
For those who need to focus without distractions, you can provide them with noise-canceling headphones. This will allow you to hold a meeting close by without distracting them too much.
Alternatively, you could create a plan for hot-desking staff members, so that they can move about the office more. This allows you to create schedules for particular spaces and reserve them for focused work or meetings. This solution works great for doing that, so people know exactly where to be and when.
A More Effective Open Office
These tips should allow you to create a much better environment for conducting meetings in an open office. The good thing is that they won’t disrupt or inconvenience other staff members either.
Keeping organized and making sure staff abide by the rules is a sure way to keep it all running smoothly. An open office space means more freedom for everyone. To move about, to hold meetings, and to focus on tasks with efficiency. That’s what a productive workspace is all about!
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