Open offices were supposed to make teams more collaborative.
But here’s the weird thing. Despite their intentions, most shared workspaces are silently destroying focus, sabotaging relationships and obliterating productivity. Numbers don’t lie.
Here’s the good news:
Leading teams that work in shared environments doesn’t have to be complicated. With some thoughtful strategies (and helpful tools such as sound dampening desk dividers), any team can make their open office a great place to work.
Let’s dive in.
What’s inside:
- Why Team Dynamics Break Down In Open Offices
- The Real Cost Of Poor Workspace Management
- 5x Ways To Manage Team Dynamics In Shared Offices
- Tools That Actually Help
Why Team Dynamics Break Down In Open Offices
The biggest selling point of shared offices? Increased collaboration, communication and camaraderie between employees.
The reality? Not so much.
Research published on The Conversation revealed that shared office spaces cause people to be more distracted, uncooperative and engage in more negative relationships with others. Friendships with co-workers were actually lowest quality in hot-desking and open-plan environments.
Think about it:
Interrupted people are irritated. Irritated people are unhelpful. When everyone is unhelpful, team chemistry suffers. Each “moment check” from a coworker erodes attention. Every phone ring at the desk behind you distracts.
That’s why intelligent teams are looking into purchasing workspace dividers and noise reducing desk screens to create havens of silence without sacrificing the open feel that allows collaboration to happen at all.
The Real Cost Of Poor Workspace Management
Poorly configured open offices are not just annoying. They’re a legitimate business issue.
Poor team dynamics in shared spaces lead to:
- Missed deadlines
- Higher staff turnover
- Reduced engagement
- More sick days
- Lower quality work
Here are some statistics. According to a Steelcase global workplace survey, office workers in open offices can lose up to 86 minutes of productivity every day because of noise and distractions. That’s almost 8 hours per week wasted. When you start adding that up over a team of 10…
According to a survey by Gensler, 70% of employees stated that they are frequently interrupted by office chatter and noise pollution in open-plan environments.
Here’s the kicker:
Leaders attempt to correct these issues with layers of meetings, trainings and retreats. None of that matters if you walk into an office where the space itself doesn’t support focused work. Address the space.
5x Ways To Manage Team Dynamics In Shared Offices
OK now on to the fun stuff. These strategies actually work to help teams collaborate effectively in shared and open environments. Choose one or two, implement them, and feel the energy of your team change.
Create Zones For Different Types Of Work
Not all work is the same.
Sometimes you need heads-down concentration. Sometimes you need to brainstorm. Sometimes you need to have quick meetings. When you treat every workspace as all-of-the-above, none of them work well.
A well-zoned office should include:
- Quiet zones for deep work
- Collaboration zones for group discussions
- Phone booths for calls
- Break-out spaces for informal chats
- Meeting rooms for formal sessions
Define zones and communicate them. Watch as people self-organize and utilize the appropriate space for the task at hand. Team dynamics improve immediately.
Use Noise Reducing Desk Screens
Noise is the single biggest destroyer of concentration in open plan offices. Anything that lessens noise will enhance productivity.
Noise reducing desk screens are about as easy and cheap of a solution as you can get. They:
- Absorb sound between desks
- Reduce visual distractions
- Give each person a small sense of privacy
- Keep the office feeling open (not closed off)
The best part is they can be installed in just one afternoon. No construction. No downtime. Simply instant elevation of the space for your entire team.
Set Clear “Focus Time” Rules
Every team needs uninterrupted focus time.
Without flow, deep work can’t happen. And when deep work can’t happen, people give up. They just respond to emails all day and fake productivity.
A simple fix is to introduce focus blocks. For example:
- 9am to 11am: no meetings, no interruptions
- 2pm to 4pm: collaboration hours
- 4pm onwards: catch-up and admin
If focus blocks are honored, tasks get completed. When tasks are completed, morale improves. When morale improves, team dynamics will follow.
Manage Conflict Fast
Shared offices can breed small conflicts.
Someone blasts music. Someone takes too many calls at their desk. Someone leaves food on the common table. By themselves small annoyances. Together they become colossal grievances. Team chemistry plummets.
Excellent managers recognize these conflicts early on and address them immediately. Have a private conversation. Reset expectations. Let it go.
Don’t wait until your yearly review to mention it. By that time it’s too late.
Invest In Ergonomics And Comfort
People are more patient with their colleagues when they feel comfortable.
Hard chairs, glaring lights and stagnant air all irritate people. Irritated people don’t work well together. There you have it.
Focus on:
- Adjustable chairs
- Proper lighting
- Good airflow
- Standing desk options
- Personal storage
Small comfort upgrades pay off big in team harmony over time.
Tools That Actually Help
There are tons of products available that claim to fix open office distractions. Many are useless. Some work.
The ones worth looking at are:
- Noise reducing desk screens for acoustic control
- Sound masking systems for larger open spaces
- Booking apps for hot-desks and meeting rooms
- Time-tracking tools to protect focus blocks
- Communication tools that reduce shoulder taps
Begin with soundproof desk partitions if noise is your primary concern. They are by far the most economical and immediate solution for noticeable team concentration improvement.
Bringing It All Together
Managing team dynamics in shared and open offices comes down to two things:
- Fixing the physical space
- Setting the right team habits
When done correctly, both private and collaborative workspaces can be incredible. Mess either one up though and watch it crumble.
Start with the small wins:
- Add noise reducing desk screens between desks
- Create zones for different work types
- Set clear focus time rules
- Handle conflicts fast (before they grow)
- Keep comfort levels high across the board
None of this requires a huge budget. It just requires some thought and some effort from leaders.
Happy teams are productive teams. And it starts with their environment.
