A 2009 study by researchers Tonya L. Smith-Jacksona and Katherine W. Kleinb on open space offices concluded that employees working in such locations tend to be less productive for a variety of reasons, including noise and temperature.
According to research conducted by the International Association of Facility Management, 70% of offices in the United States are open, a trend that occurred with the arrival of functions and tasks that required teamwork and large spaces for machinery or equipment, such as workshops, newsrooms, etc.
According to the analysis, managers argue that this type of distribution facilitates collaboration and supervision; however, it is no secret that a facility of this class generates economic and administrative savings at first glance, but taking a deeper look at the situation there are some disadvantages that could lead to significant losses for the company.
One of the most obvious disadvantages is the easy spread of all kinds of viral diseases. In an open office there are 62% more employees with medical disabilities than in companies where employees have their own office. This was confirmed by a study released by the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. The same study points out that these types of offices cause more stress, which in turn weakens the immune system and makes people more likely to acquire diseases.
The conversations and noises of other employees make it difficult to concentrate and the temperature is never right for everyone and is one of the most frequent causes of diseases. According to a study carried out by the Dutch researcher Paul Roelofsen, carried out among 7,000 Dutch workers, the problems derived from the temperature of the office were behind 2.5 days of leave on average per worker.
