The open-plan office started with such promise.

When we saw the cool, minimalist design and freedom of the open office, we dreamed of spontaneous collaboration, deeper connections with co-workers, and enhanced performance.

The reality? Too often the open office is a sea of distractions.

Loud talkers. Barking dogs. Mike from Marketing who won’t shut up. If you’re working in an open-plan office, these perils are just the beginning.

Despite the fact that leadership at some companies think employees only care about bean bag chairs and free food, surveyed workers* say that the ability to focus without interruptions ranks #1 on their workplace wish lists. Productivity trumps tacos. Who knew?

Those same open office workers reported that blocking out noise and distractions will:

  • Increase their productivity (64%)
  • Reduce errors in their work (52%)
  • Allow them to focus on the task in front of them (48%)

The open office isn’t going anywhere. But technology can swoop in and save the day.

Equip your teams with huddle, collaboration, on-the-go, at-your-desk, chaos-proof solutions, and they’ll get more done. And they’ll be happier while doing it. The happiness factor is crucial when you think about the issue of constant connectivity and the threat of burnout. Happier employees are less likely to turn over or tune out.

With a few technological tweaks, open offices can push back against the chaos—helping workers stay happier and more productive, even in the middle of Taco Tuesday.

Start with your huddle room. Put boardroom quality into your smaller spaces, make it easy to use and flexible with USB connectivity, and voilà! You’ve created an oasis for collaboration. The Polycom Studio USB video bar helps you upgrade your small room for teams to share big ideas.

But that’s just the beginning.

Ready to find out more? See poly.com/perils.

#collaboration #productivity #workplace #solutions

*Source: “When the walls come down: How smart companies are rewriting the rules of the open workplace,” Oxford Economics