Can I speak to you in private? Come right over here into my cubicle. What, you don't feel that is private because my walls don't reach to the ceiling and anyone can hear our conversation (unless we whisper sweet nothings into each other's ear)? Okay, how about this conference room over here. It's empty for the moment and has walls that reach the ceiling. Yes, I know, the walls are made of glass but maybe the other employees won't start any rumors about why your speaking with human resources (uh huh..).
The scenario above may remind human resource managers, general managers, and anyone who has attempted to hold a private meeting in an "open" work space of an uncomfortable situation. There is no disputing the benefits of open floor plans and work spaces designed for collaboration, creativity, and unobstructed views. Let's face it though, wide open work spaces are not conducive to privacy in the human resource realm. David Lewis, president of human resource consulting company OperationsInc, recounts in the article "Indecent Exposure: The Downsides of Working in a Glass Office" a situation in which he had to hold a conversation in his car with a client after a first attempt in a stairwell. The client worked in a cubicle and no rooms were available that would protect the client's privacy.
The article also points out that glass walled offices and conference rooms are not great at suppressing sound. "Even when soundproofed, glass walls allow 50% to 100% more noise to pass through, compared with soundproofed drywall" according to the article's author Sue Shellenbarger. In addition (and this is, admittedly, a little funny) there is what is termed "the bird factor - people slamming into walls". Companies address this by adhering decals on the glass at eye level.
What is your perfect office design? You may want to consider the type of work being done and the relationship between various tasks and positions. You may not be able to perform a full remodel of your work area a la HGTV, but you may be able to mitigate issues by adding a tabletop water fountain (muffles low conversations) or by finding creative ways to hold private meetings (Mind if I walk with you on the way to that meeting on the other side of the campus?).
The daily mundane conversations that take place in an office do not really create a distraction to employees who overhear them. However, the occasional emotionally charged conversation prevents employees from achieving their work goals. It is difficult to know when an average conversation will become intense, but a trained employee will be able to defuse heated rhetoric and bring the exchange back to a neutral level.
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