Freakonomics Radio Yes, the Open Office Is Terrible — But It Doesn’t Have to Be
Sep 12, 2019
Ethan Bernstein, an Associate Professor at Harvard Business School, sheds light on the evolution of open office designs from a hopeful ideal to a chaotic reality. He discusses the negative impacts these layouts have on productivity and mental health, stressing the need for privacy. Bernstein explores how unplanned interactions can enhance creativity but warns of the decline in face-to-face communication with open spaces. He advocates for thoughtful office design that balances collaboration with employee satisfaction, questioning if it's time to embrace remote work instead.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Open Office Goals vs. Concerns
- Open offices aim for collaboration, but also raise concerns about employee density and real estate costs.
- Studies explore whether open offices truly enhance interaction or if they primarily serve to maximize space usage.
Anger Against Open Offices
- Ethan Bernstein and Stephen Turbin studied the impact of open workspaces on human collaboration.
- Turbin noted a strong negative reaction to open offices from colleagues following the research's publication.
Privacy's Impact on Work
- Open offices hinder deep work by decreasing privacy and increasing the feeling of being watched.
- Privacy fosters experimentation and continuous improvement by enabling focus and reducing distractions.
