OAM NOTES

TYPES OF OFFICE LAYOUT

1.OPEN LAYOUT
What Is an Open-Plan Office?
An open-plan office is a workspace that takes advantage of open space, rather than closing off
employees in cubicles or offices. In an open-plan office, you’re likely to see long rows of
desks with little or nothing dividing them. Open offices also tend to have spaces where
employees can congregate or change their environments, such as lounges with couches, or
open kitchen areas with plenty of seating.

In an Open-Plan office layout, there are no walls or separators between workstations. Instead,

they get defined by furniture in the office area, including cupboards, shelves, cabinets, etc. The
desks may get stacked up side-by-side or replaced altogether with work-tables capable of
facilitating multiple employees at one go.

Pros and Cons of Open Office Layout:

S.no Pros of Open Office Layout Cons of Open Office Layout

1 Economical in Design Noisy set up

2 Productivity remains intact Concentration is hampered

3 Improving communication More chaotic

4 Ideas exchanged Lack of Security

5 Easier Supervision Getting distracted

6 Employee & Employer relationship improves No private space

7 Group projects are easily achieved Prone to infections

8 Recurring expenses reduced Prone to collision

9 Alteration of setup is easier Seniority overlooked

Let’s discuss about open office layout advantages and disadvantages in details as below.

Advantages of Layout Plan of Open Office vs Closed Office:

1. Economical in Design: Open plan vs Closed office space:

In an open plan office design, the minimum space is utilized for the work station by excluding
the formation of separate cubicles which require the engagement of more money. This layout
thus makes the design complete in less money thus proving to be more economical.The open
space office design provides more work place accommodating more people in a smaller area,
thus making it more cost effective.

In a closed office setup, extra money is engaged in the formation of separate rooms with
individual setup for each employee.

2. Productivity remains intact:

In this type of office plan layout, it is studied and found that the productivity of the workers does
not get hampered much, even if the workplace for each individual worker is reduced a bit then
also the productivity remains the same without much alteration in its results.On the other hand in
closed setup, less supervision and individual freedom of the employees may result to less
productivity and more wastage of time.

3. Improving communication:

The absence of walls in between the workers is a very positive point in improving and increasing
the communication between the workers. The open space layout in an office allows its
employees to interact with each other in a more open way.

Everyone being in the same place, not much time is wasted in communicating. In a closed layout
there prevails a distant relationship between each employee, thus making communication more
formal and time taking.

4. Ideas exchanged:

This kind of layout improves the exchange of ideas in a very easier way. In such a layout all the
workers are situated in a closer space which helps in the exchange of ideas among the workers
on a particular topic and also improves the productivity on the topic.In a closed layout office
there is hardly any scope of interaction between the employees and exchange of ideas happen
very less in such a setup.

5. Supervision becomes easier:

With this kind of office design, it becomes easier for the managers and supervisors to supervise
and take care of his/ her team in a more efficient way. As all are closely situated, it is not needed
to run from one office to another for the managers to have a feedback on any issue. This close
supervision also helps in the eradication of problems much faster. Close supervision lacks in a
closed layout office set up. Employees are more care free in a closed setup where they avail full
freedom from close vigilance inside closed doors.

6. Employee & Employer relationship improves:

The relationship and bonding between the managers and employees are improved with an open
office layout since both can easily reach out each other whenever required thus improving the
working environment.If the workers are happy their productivity naturally increases. The
relationship between employer and employee remains very formal in case of a closed office
setup.

7. Group projects are easily achieved:

When the office is working on a particular project it becomes easier for the managers to track the
progress as all the team mates are available under a single roof in a common space.Disbursing
information and getting feedbacks becomes easier since all are easily reachable. In case there is a
need to organize a meeting they may pull chairs and have one rather mailing for appointments
and scheduling for a meeting in a formal manner. Things become easier and faster for execution
in such a closely knit office setup. In a closed office setup, working on a particular project gets
difficult since each employee is placed far from the other and bringing all in a single place
becomes time consuming.

8. Recurring expenses reduced:

It is also economical in respect to the expenses to be made for air conditioning and electricity. As
the whole office is in a common place a low budget centralized AC is enough for air
conditioning the entire office thus lessening the budget to be incurred for a separate office space
division. It saves money of the company in cooling and heating a single space. In case of a
closed office layout, framing the setup is costlier than that of an open office as there are separate
rooms which require separate individual setup where none can share with the other.

9. Alteration of setup is easier:

In a private company, expansion is an inevitable option. It keeps on expanding its workers

strength. In case the office is to accommodate more people with increase in employment, it
becomes easy to alter the interior by only adding few seats and cubicle which turns out to be less
expensive as well. It brings a real headache in case of office expansion when it is a closed office
setup. Here you have to restructure everything, breaking down walls and reforming them, thus
engaging more cost in expansion.

Disadvantages of Open Plan Office Over Closed Work Environment:

1. Noisy set up:

In such kind of open space office, it sometimes becomes very noisy when all employees start
talking together at a particular time. It becomes more chaotic and all the workers being at a
single space can hear phone conversations and personal conversations which can be very
irritating at times.Number of conversations happening at a time in this type of office can easily
become quite noisy and stuffy, whereas in a closed office layout a note of privacy can be easily
maintained with minimum disturbance.

2. Concentration is hampered:

In such an office setup there remains a chance of workers getting distracted easily when lot of
noise happen at a time. This may in turn lessen the productivity of the workers as a whole as it
sometimes becomes challenging to environment. While with a closed setup, the workers are free
to concentrate fully with their work inside their own small cabin till the work is done, thus
maintaining the productivity level.

3. Lack of Security:

Security is also an issue in an open office layout as all are sitting in an open space and the
cubicle setup allows no personal space for each employee to maintain privacy and security.

In a closed setup every individual is entitled to a lockable door wherein it is easy for them to
maintain security, this facility lacks grossly in case of an open space office layout.

4. No private space:

Lack of privacy is another very knocking disadvantage an open layout office setup faces. In case
when there arises to make a confidential talk over the phone or a call to your home is to be made,
you have to move out of your cubicle as there remains a very possible chance for your neighbour
to overhear you, which you may not face in a closed office layout. You may have to leave your
seat and move outside to make a confidential call even though you are in between a very
important work.

5. Prone to infections:

When the flu season starts, you can remain assured to get flu in an open office set up as
infections and sicknesses get spread very easily and fast when you are sitting nearby to the
infected person which is one of the main features of an open office layout. This infection can be
avoided in a closed office layout where you have a personal room and can maintain distance
when required so.

6. Prone to collision due to difference in opinion:

Different people have different need and sensing in response to heat, cold and lighting. You may
feel hotter than your neighbour while others may feel cold with a very little temperature decrease
in the air conditioner.In an open office layout this is very common to happen as all are not same.
In a closed office setup you are free to regulate the air conditioner according to your need.

7. Seniority overlooked:

Those employees who are senior among other staff who deserve a separate cabin dignifying their
hierarchy in the office are missing in an open office layout. This may create a feeling of being
bogged down in them which in turn lessen their productivity. In a closed office design, cabins are
allotted on hierarchy basis thus giving due importance to every employee.

2.CLOSED/ENCLOSED/PRIVATE/ PARTITIONED /CELLULAR OFFICE

LAYOUT

A private office layout uses a cellular style workstation, with the interior walls reach up to the

ceiling. It means that these parts are completely sealed off from the rest of the office floor. It is

the most widely preferred seating arrangement for the senior managers of an organization.

Sometimes more than one manager would share a private office.The other name for closed office

layout is enclosed office or private office layout. This office layout uses cubicles and panels

which help to create a separate office space for every employee working in the office.

In the late ’60s, American designer Robert Propst made an office design and he called it

“Action Design”. In his design, he used panels and cubicles to make separate space for every

employee working in the office.Closed office design can also be stated as an office layout,

where different rooms are given to every department and organization working in the company a

separate space, such that each employee working in the company has a separate working space of

their own.
A closed office is also a portioned or private office, as it gives private space for all the

individuals working in the officeThe concept of closed office, however, has declined over the

years due to the upcoming trend of open office layout. But still, it is popular with those who love

their own space and don’t like to be disturbed while working.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Closed Office Layout:

S.no Advantages Disadvantages

1 Privacy of the employees The problem in supervising the employees

Less communication amongst the

2 Distraction-free work environment
employees

3 Increases creativity of the employees Expensive to build

Might lead to less productivity of the

4 The hierarchical order is sorted out
employees

5 Healthy competition Huge space consumer

Employees can engage in negative

6 Lesser gossip in the office premises
behavior

7 Healthier for the employees The flow of work might not be there

Information might not available to all the

8 Increases concentration
employees

The productivity of the employees also

9 Less unity amongst the workers
increased

10 Increased income of the company Laziness in the employees might increase

No emotional attachment amongst the

11 Less noise in the workplace
employees

An employee can work according to his

12
own style

A healthy working environment in the

13
office
 14 More security for the employees

Advantages of Closed Office Layout:

A closed office layout provides its employees with certain positive impacts that have a great
influence on the productivity of the employees.

Here is the list of certain advantages which can help the employees in their working process.

1. Privacy of the employees:

One of the most important advantages of a closed layout is the privacy it provides to its
employees. The privacy provided by the closed layout allows the employees to have their own
area where they can think and do work without any distraction. The employee does not have to
go out to take their important calls or if they want to have some important decision then they
have their own space.

2. Distraction-free work environment:

The closed layout provides a distraction-free environment to its employees where they can work

without any disturbance from outside.The employees can work without any interruption that can

sometimes make intentionally and can focus more on their work. This helps the employees in

increasing their productivity.

3. Increases creativity of the employees:

Creative work requires a peaceful and calm environment. Those employees who work in the

creative department require a silent and calm work environment so that they can focus on their
work and can give the best results.Other employee’s discussions or gossip might disturb them.

So it’s always suggested that the creative team of an office shall give their own space to work.

4. The hierarchical order is sorted out:

In a closed layout, the hierarchical order is very clear as the better the office, the better the
position of the employee in the office.The concept of ‘corner office’ was introduced very earlier,
where the higher the position of the employee in the office, the better work will be given to him.

5. Healthy competition:

The closed layout introduces healthy competition in the office as it provides a better working

place for those working in a higher position in the company.Thus, all the employees try to work

hard and get a better position in the office.

6. Lesser gossip in the office premises:

Since in an open office area all the employees are working in the same place, thus they get to
spend more time together and thus they can easily gossip about everything.More the gossip in the
office the chances of misunderstanding also increases, which can affect the relationships
amongst the employees.

7. Healthier for the employees:

The closed layout provides health safety for employees because if any employee catches a
communicable disease, then he can work from within his own space without affecting the work
of others.

8. Increases concentration:
A closed layout increases the concentration of the employees as they work from their own place

without any distraction. The employee can work more and meet the deadlines without any hassle.

9. The productivity of the employees also increased:

The employee when works with a free mind increase productivity as they are able to concentrate

better on their work and thus the output of the employees is better.If the productivity of the

employee is better, thus the productivity of the company will increase in totality.

10. Increased income of the company:

If the productivity of the employee increase, then the income of the employee and thus the
income of the company will increase simultaneously.This will allow the company to give better
working facilities to the employee and also better rewards for good work done by them.

11. Less noise in the workplace:

Since employees in the closed layout have their individual space, thus the noise pollution in such
a setup is quite less. People converse in their limited area without disturbing others.

12. More security for the employees:

In a closed layout, there are separate cabins or space which can be locked for all the employees

so from the security point of view it is more recommended.There is some information in every

office that needs to keep confidential so that is more possible in a closed layout.

13. An employee can work according to his own style:

As every employee gets his own space he can work in his own style and can arrange the stuff

according to his likes and dislikes. This way he is able to concentrate on his work and is able to

give better results.

14. A healthy working environment in the office:

As there is no gossip and interaction amongst the employees, the environment in the office is
formal and apt for working.

Disadvantages of Closed Office Layout:

Everything has its advantages and disadvantages and so is a closed office layout. When an office

designed according to the closed office layout, then there are certain problems they have to face.

Listing certain commonly faced disadvantages of a closed office layout.

1. The problem in supervising the employees:

In a closed office layout, the supervisor has to face the problem in supervising the employees as

he has to move from cabin to cabin to know what exactly the employee is doing at that point in

time. This involves wastage of a lot of time and thus more time required in doing the work.

2. Less communication amongst the employees:

There is less communication amongst the employees as they are in a less interactive position

from one another.

Employees work in their own space and communicate with each other only when required. So,

there is a communication gap amongst the employees.

3. Expensive to build:

A closed office layout requires more infrastructure as compared to the open office layout and

thus the cost of building it is more.The quantity of raw materials like wood or stone or electrical

fittings is more so the cost automatically goes up. Only those offices which have the budget can

afford a closed office layout.

4. Might lead to less productivity of the employees:

In a closed office layout where employees have their individual and private space and sometimes

can be misused as there is no direct check on them.

This might lead to lower productivity of the employees and also the work of the company may

suffer.

5. Huge space consumer:

Since a closed office layout separates workplace build for all the employees this consumes a lot
of space. This can affect the number of employees hire, as a separate working space for all the
employees needed.Whereas in an open office layout more employees can hire as the space for all
the employees limited.

6. Employees can engage in negative behavior:

Sometimes the employees may take advantage of separate space and can easily engage in

negative behavior such as office romance. This may disturb the working environment in the

office and the employees might get distracted.

7. The flow of work might not be there:

In a closed office layout if the employees have to communicate with each other they have to
move from cabin to cabin.Sometimes in a hurry to meet the deadline, some employees might
leave and thus the flow of work might be disturbed.

8. Information might not available to all the employees:

As all the employees have their own workplace, there are chances that some information might
not be able to pass to all the employees and they may remain unaware of the affairs that are
going on in the office.

9. Less unity amongst the workers:

Since there is no communication amongst the employees in the company, there is no friendship

amongst the employees and they are less united.This is a major drawback as lack of unity may

sometimes become the cause of the delay of work in the company.

10. Laziness in the employees might increase:

When an employee in the office has its own space and knows that there is no random check on
his working this might make the employees lazy. This has a direct relation to the productivity of
the employee.
11. No emotional attachment amongst the employees:Every human being requires some
friends and some moral support to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. There is a
human tendency to depend on others for some of the other reasons.

But, this factor is missing from the closed office layout as there is less communication amongst

the employees.

3. Cubicle Office Layout

A cubicle office layout is the most used type. It is a type of open plan layout where the
workspaces are separated from one another using partitioning walls to form a shape of a cube,
hence cubicle. It is the most cost-efficient type of office layout. You can see this type of plan in
combination with private offices for senior staff and built-in meeting rooms.

Pros & Cons:

Image Source: gstatic.com

4. Co-Working Office Layout

It is one of the greatest innovations in office layout designing in this century. These plans are
best for the self-employed who generally are mobile with their work. What’s more, is that you
don’t need to create this workspace; but pay a small fee and find a workstation you like or a spot
on the lounge.

Pros & Cons:

5.Group layout:
In this type of office layout, workers and persons performing similar activities are engaged
together. For example, all typists are put in the typing pool and all accountants are placed in one
room.

6. Process layout:
In this process, a layout is placed in such a manner that the men and machines are arranged on
the basis of sequences of operation, for example the filing section may be placed next to the
despatch section, and so on.

Importance of Space Layout in an Office:

The importance of space layout can be gauged from the fact that:
1. It Ensures Proper Utilization of Floor Space:
To make sure that the floor space is adequate for placing furniture etc., proper utilisation of floor
space is necessary.

2. To Ensure a Smooth Flow of Work:

To see to it that the office job moves ahead without delay and manual interruption a proper
layout is important to ensure smooth flow of work so that the administrative management cost is
reduced.

3. To Facilitate the Supervision:

A proper supervision of office work is essential for the proper running of the office. Layout
facilitates the task of supervision and it cuts down its cost.

4. To Create an Impact on the Visitor and Customer:

The well-being of a modern business organization depends much on the goodwill of its visitors
and the customers. Office is one such means of projecting the image of the organization. Hence
the importance of office layout is to achieve this objective.

5. To Facilitate the Communication:

To run an office smoothly and to be well-versed of the happenings of the office, an adequate
inter-communication is required. This is facilitated by a good office layout.

6. To Ensure Comforts and Promote Morale of Workers:

The importance of a proper office layout also arises from the fact that the workers must feel
comfortable while at the work so that their morale is good. A good office layout aims at
providing the best working condition.

7. To Ensure a Better Usage of Office Equipment:

To reduce per capita cost of running the office, it is necessary that the office machines and the
office equipment must be put to the best of the use. This is possible if the office layout is proper.
It helps in centralizing certain office machines, like the Xerox machines, while other like the
type-writers are movable and decentralized.

Principles of Office Layout:

There is no hard and fast rule about what could be the way of office layout and how should it be.
However, it will be better to have a proper office layout following certain principles.

An attempt is made here and enumerated:

1. Good Ventilation:
It allows flow of sunlight from the top beside outflow of bad and polluted air.

2. Work:
Flow of the work should be very smooth. Whatever the shape of the department, the movement
of the papers and the people should be minimum.

3. Lighting:
The maximum space and the work and the corner of the floor should receive bright lights,
whether from the sunlight which passes through ventilators, or from the lamps, bulbs and tube
lights.

4. Movement and Observation:

While laying an office and choosing the space the concept of the movement of the people should
be borne in mind. It facilitates the movement of files etc.

5. Furniture Arrangement:
Furniture should be arranged in a manner that they face the same way according to a standard

6. Supervision:
The layout should be such that it should help and facilitate proper supervision.

7. Placement of Equipment:
Certain equipment like racks, filing cabinets etc. occupy large space and these equipment are
often used by the office staff. Hence planning of office layout should be such that it
accommodates these.

8. Flexibility:
Layout should be such that it should allow certain changes for the future because the office is not
static. It changes with the change of time, and it expands—if needed.

9. Cost:
The office space should be utilized to its full capacity so that the carpet cost, i.e., cost of the
space used, is always minimum; however, while doing so, it should be borne in mind that
maximum freedom for allowing each and every worker to move should be the principle kept in
mind because then the efficiency of the work is kept constant.

10. Principle of Balance:
This is necessary as the balance gives a sense of responsibility and pleasing appearance of the
office attracts more and more customers and thus improves the image of the enterprise.

Advantages of a Good Office Layout:

1. Better Goodwill:

A better planned layout projects an image of efficiency to the visitor. This results in greater

goodwill in the mind of those who deal with the office.

2. Economic Stabilization:

It relates to reduction of the office cost. A good office layout aims at making the most economic

and effective use of the available floor space.

3. Better Morale:

A well-planned office layout increases the morale and comfort of the workers. It is conducive to

better productivity; on the contrary a badly planned office has an effect on the mind of the

worker.

4. Promotes Efficiency:

Efficiency automatically improves if a office is laid out properly. The path of the documents

move in a manner as one would like then to move effectively for taking well-constructive

actions.

5. Reduction of Cost in Office Maintenance:

The lighting, cooling, heating and the air conditioning costs are mounting day-by-day. A

properly laid out office reduces the cost of permanent fixtures and equipment. Besides, the

maintenance and the running cost of these systems are reduced.

6. Enhances the Quality of Supervision:

A good office layout makes supervision more effective. In fact, the amount of supervision

needed would be reduced to minimum, the burden of supervision gets reduced and there is a

saving in cost of supervision.

7. Speeding of Inter-department Communication:

In an office, which is laid out adequately, keeping in mind the interaction that it would have to

do with its various departments, the communication system is speeded up. It is because the

various units of the office and the departments are placed in a sequence. The inter-

communication follows the shortest route.

8. Optimum Uses of Machines and Equipment:

Every office uses various machines and equipment’s and consequently the layout provides for

the joint uses of equipment and machines. This, incidentally, reduces the amount of investment

in them.