Open concept office spaces can be aesthetically pleasing and inviting—clean and modern design, more natural light, and ease of communication and collaboration for workers. However, this openness can also lead to noisier and even distracting environments, particularly for workers who crave quiet focus. And where do you take a client call or hold an interview?
If only there were a way to get the best of both office worlds. But your office space can have it all—collaborative openness and quiet, too, with privacy pods!
In this Working Spaces blog, we’ll explore how integrating privacy pods into your open office plan can enhance employee productivity and satisfaction while adding greater functionality and versatility to the open office design you love.
Benefits of Privacy Pods
The benefits of privacy pods go beyond providing a quiet place to work, make calls, or hold a meeting. These practical considerations can lead to long-term benefits for your employees and your business.
Enhanced Focus and Productivity
In an open office setting, noise and interruptions can disrupt worker concentration and productivity. Privacy pods offer a quiet, isolated space where employees can focus on their tasks without distractions, leading to greater worker efficiency and satisfaction. Providing the option of privacy pods in an open office gives employees more choice in how and where they do their work, making for more productive and happier employees.
Improved Employee Wellbeing
While many workers thrive on the buzz, conversations, and collaboration an open office encourages, for others, the continuous noise and interruptions can lead to stress, frustration, and decreased job satisfaction. More than a space for focused work, privacy pods offer a quiet break spot where employees can decompress and recharge, contributing to better mental health and overall wellbeing. Providing your employees a space where they can escape the din of a bustling office (not just to take a call) demonstrates commitment to their health and happiness—and optimal performance.
Ensured Confidentiality
An open office environment not only makes it challenging to focus on work, but it can also make it challenging to work on confidential projects or have confidential conversations. Privacy pods offer a secure space to ensure that new product concept stays protected or for a manager and employee to have a sensitive conversation. This is particularly important for departments like HR, legal, and finance, where private discussions are often necessary—and required by law.
Versatility and Flexibility
Privacy pods come in a variety of sizes and configurations, from one-person booths that can be used for individual work and calls to small meeting nooks, quiet break rooms, or even temporary offices. This flexibility means you can adapt privacy pods to meet the specific needs of your workers and your office space. Instead of slicing up areas of your open floorplan for private offices or meeting rooms, privacy pods provide similar functionality within a smaller footprint. You can have your open office and private spaces, too, making your workplace even more versatile.
How to Seamlessly Integrate Privacy Pods Into Your Office Space
Whether you are looking to design a new office that balances openness and privacy, or want to integrate privacy pods into an existing open office space, you can ensure they fit seamlessly into your plan by keeping these three things in mind:
Placement
Privacy pods should be strategically placed to optimize the available office space and where there is the greatest need. For example, placing them in areas where noise and activity levels are high, such as near collaborative zones or common areas, ensures employees have quick and easy access to a quiet space. If your building floor plan has odd angles or current “wasted space,” placing privacy pods there can turn these into multifunctional areas workers actually use, making for a more efficient and effective office layout.
Accessibility
Ensuring that privacy pods are easily accessible to all employees goes beyond placing them in convenient or high-traffic areas. Accessibility also means making sure the pods are compliant and equipped with the right amenities. While some privacy pods are designed for just one person to work in or take a call, these should still be large enough to accommodate a wheelchair, have easy entry, and not leave workers feeling claustrophobic or jarring for those with sensory disorders. Your privacy pods should have sufficient lighting, inviting textures, proper ventilation, comfortable seating, and meet the technology needs of your workers. If a privacy pod makes workers feel like they’re trapped in a bland, stuffy box, they won’t use it.
Usage and Reservations
With your employees excited to use these private workspaces, you’ll want to be sure you have a fair and equitable way for everyone to take advantage of them. You need a reservation system to help manage and facilitate employee usage. An online system allowing employees to reserve a pod in advance ensures that they have the space when they need it—with no “we were here first!” arguments breaking out. A reservation system can also provide valuable data insights on how and when employees use the pods, helping to identify peak times and the potential need for more privacy pods.
Privacy Pods From Working Spaces
At Working Spaces, we understand the importance of creating a balanced office environment that fosters employee productivity, collaboration, and wellbeing. Our team of experts can help you integrate privacy pods seamlessly into your open office plan, ensuring you have the ideal workspace to enhance your employee experience and achieve your business goals.
Contact us today to see a range of customized office design solutions. Let Working Spaces turn your dream workspace into a reality!