Open Office or Private Workspace Design: Which One Is Better?

Open office plans have been a recurring modern theme for many years now. They create more space, encourage communication and generally actively encourage collaborative innovation.

This layout, however, isn’t the only opportunity you should be considering if you’re about to modify the interior design of an office. A traditional layout that features cubicles or closed spaces could be a good choice for your business.

Considering the different layouts and selecting an experienced Singapore interior design team will help you pick the execution that makes the most sense for the kind of work you do and the specific interactions taking place in the workspace.

The Benefits of the Open Office Layout

Open office layouts have been very popular and they’re still very much considered the trend of the future because they bring a number of important advantages to the table.

For a start, it’s much easier for people to feel a part of the team when they’re surrounded by workmates and they can visually identify everybody else within the office.

Open office designs are also ideal for collaborative work. A worker can easily approach their colleagues when in need of assistance. Communication is effortless and simple, which means that the productivity level might also be high.

According to reports, open office designs help for faster problem solving and a quicker response from all parties involved in a specific work process. Because of these characteristics, companies from different industries in Singapore have started opting for open office layouts.

The Benefits of a Traditional Office Layout

Traditional office layouts aren’t outdated because they have their specific range of merits.

A traditional design does not necessarily need to involve cubicles. There could be rooms and closed sections used to concentrate and do work.

The traditional layout is a good idea for professionals who have to complete challenging intellectual or highly specific professional tasks. In such instances, having everybody in the same room isn’t going to make a lot of sense because of the possible distractions.

People will also feel like they have their own space that cannot be invaded by others.

The traditional office deals with the common problems that stem from open office layouts – too much noise and the lack of privacy. At times, these could get to be so overwhelming that they could potentially reduce productivity.

Traditional layouts, however, could result in feelings of isolation and the lack of team establishment. If people are stuck in their own little space from 9am to 5pm, will they ever go out to spend quality time with coworkers?

Both open office and traditional layouts have their supporters. It’s impossible to tell whether one option is better than the other. Thus, consulting an experienced interior design firm in Singapore is very important. Based on the available space, the size of the team and the type of work you do, the interior designer will be able to give you a good lowdown on different options that are appropriate for your business needs and office culture.

A Hybrid Approach Could Be the Answer

Just because open-floor and traditional layouts are quite popular does not mean these are the only options out there.

For many Singapore businesses, a hybrid approach towards layout creation will deliver the best results catering to both introverts and extroverts.

This means taking the best aspects of both layouts and bringing them into the office.

Diversified spaces with varied level of privacy are ideal for most types of businesses and regardless of the company size. Such offices can have their own little concentration hubs, brainstorming areas, chill out spaces and open floor sections where multiple desks will be placed.

Flexibility is the key to making the most of the available office space. If people can use a certain part of the office that corresponds to the nature of the task at hand, they will be more satisfied with the work area and they’ll also be more likely to do a good job.

Many of today’s most innovative companies prefer a mix of open and closed design. Very often, employees are also included in the renovation process because their feedback provides invaluable information about how the office space is used and what the biggest challenges are.

An office design does not have to be fixed. In fact, interior designers in Singapore today give their clients flexible and practical solutions that enable the transformation of an office within minutes. Movable panels and acoustic barriers, for example, can easily be set up to transform the open floor layout and create a sense of privacy for a team that needs to isolate itself.

Human interactions are incredibly difficult and basic solutions or assumptions are not going to work for the dynamic companies of today. In addition, businesses tend to grow and evolve rapidly. An office layout that was practical two years ago could be completely impractical for the current team or the manner in which work is done.

To sum it up, it’s difficult to pinpoint the best office layout. Maintaining degree of flexibility when carrying out a renovation project will always be the best approach.

To carry out such a project, you will have to pick interior designers who have the experience and who know how to bring such conceptual work to reality.

Home Guide is one such team.

With over 26 years of experience in the world of corporate interior design, Home Guide has the know-how to suggest and execute the best layout for your needs. Even if you’re looking for a hybrid, innovative office solution, we can help you elevate the concept and create the perfect workspace for your team.

All of our work is tailored to the specific needs of the client and the characteristics of the available space. We will do our best to understand your work and your team. This understanding and personalization will be evident in the project we create for you. Contact Home Guide today to modernize your office and give your employees the best possible workspace experience.