The trend is clear: open-plan offices, divided into working, speaking and quiet zones, have replaced the cell structure with individual offices. Work is carried out in what is known as a multispace, in many places without a permanent workplace and flexible in terms of time. And even if economists regularly declare new forms of work to be the model of the future, the experts still agree on one point: a general return to the individual office is no longer to be expected.

There are three reasons for this: firstly, the cost pressure caused by a lack of space and rising property prices will continue to increase in the future. By switching to open-plan offices with work strategies such as desk sharing or home office, companies can reduce office expenses.

Second: The new architecture reflects new management and cooperation concepts. These are based on open communication, strong co-determination, cross-functional cooperation, more self-determination, trust and flexibility.

Thirdly, the development was only made possible by technological progress: mobility and digitization allow employees to access the data and information they need for work at any time and from anywhere. The office is becoming less important. With the move to open, multifunctional office landscapes, however, employees are confronted with new problems:

 

1. noise

2. individuality

3. inequality

4. privacy

5. Exclusion

 

From our point of view, the most important and also the best approach is still that of individualizing the workplace. Despite the standardization and rasterization of the work zones, there should be space for individual concerns. Different tasks as well as different personalities require different approaches!