Open offices can help spread germs faster than traditional offices where there are barriers between workers.
A study of 1,852 employees found that open space offices caused more sick days.
I didn’t see coming.
A surprising finding in this study was that men, more than women, took more sick days after an office converts to open space.
The Sick Day Problem
Businesses have a significant problem with employees sickness.
If there is a limited number of sick days, then employees will push themselves to come to work and spread their germs to everyone.
If they are under a PTO holiday and sick time structure, the employee will only take a sick day when they have significant trauma (think hospitalization!).
Adding problems with open offices and this sick time issue becomes even more critical.
Disease can spread easier when there is more contact with other workers (think of a big sneeze that is not covered!).
The study also suggested that some workers are faking illness to avoid the unpleasant office environment.
The Bottom Line…
The issue is bigger than open offices.
The problem is that distractions cause enormous productivity loss.
An open office just adds to the distractions.
For some sufferers of ADD, having lots of activity around them is a horrific distraction.
Designers of office spaces should focus on how they can give employees the fewest number of distractions so they can concentrate.