An open office layout emphasizes a communal work environment, favoring shared workspaces rather than segregated offices. It’s an egalitarian concept that’s meant to foster better communication, culture, and trust.

An open-plan office is a workspace that takes advantage of open space, rather than closing off employees in cubicles or offices. 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.

Google offices are currently open and are allowing people to come back on a voluntary basis. Pichai said the extension of the company’s return-to-office date will give employees more flexibility when coming back.

Experts say that the open office was never very positive for employees, who reported feeling less productive and more distracted, got sick more easily, and felt pressured to work longer and harder because of their lack of privacy.

In a recent study funded by Harvard Business School, findings showed that open office spaces with limited spatial boundaries, actually decreased the volume of face-to-face interaction significantly, by approximately 70%. And virtual interaction, via email and instant messenger, increased.

A closed office offers relative privacy and quiet. An open office is where an entire floor, or certainly a large room, holds all of the firm’s employees, separated only by desks, with the workers generally sitting alongside one another. There are no internal walls in an open office, and consequently, no barriers.

What are open office pros?

• Better communication between workers. When an office lacks physical barriers, employees are more likely to communicate with one another and work as a team.
• Cost-effectiveness.
• Flexibility.
• Better aesthetics.
• No more barriers.
• Trendiness.
• Distractions.
• Lack of privacy.

Apache OpenOffice is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers.

Comment: Making matters worse, found the researchers, cubicles create the illusion of privacy, so some employees feel free to have long, loud phone or face-to-face conversations that distract others. …

For instance, Facebook’s new office — first announced in 2012 — includes two cafes, a burrito bar, a pizza window, a sit-down restaurant and several different kitchens. It even has its very own coffee shop! This helps to cultivate an environment of collaboration and comfort that extends well beyond the desk. 2. Balance between openness and focus

In fact, many small businesses are opting to rent fully furnished private offices with open office layouts located inside dedicated work space buildings. These types of office spaces already include access to high-speed internet, multifunction copiers, common areas, free refreshments, and professional cleaning services.

The new campus integrates urban elements into its overall design, creating a community rather than just a workplace. For instance, Facebook’s new office — first announced in 2012 — includes two cafes, a burrito bar, a pizza window, a sit-down restaurant and several different kitchens.

The open-office concept continued throughout the 20th century, but it really took off in the 2000s, thanks to tech giants like Google, Apple and Facebook embracing the open layout. When Facebook unveiled its new campus in 2012, Mark Zuckerberg claimed it would be “the largest open floor plan in the world.”