The lovers always use what I consider the same shallow auditing companies formatted arguments: "communication".
While the haters tend to show a wider set of arguments, showing some more free thinking?

In my opinion, the first argument that it emulates information sharing and team-spirit buildup is the worst one.

During my 40+ years career, I was brought to work in different organizations, public administrations, international organizations, startups, corporations, I have observed that the only information shared in open-spaces is yesterday's evening party with your beer buddies, football and your vacation.

The only real space to emulate information sharing, team spirit building, is the only space where projects move forwards, where ideas are exchanged: the cafeteria.

No, not meeting rooms which are the modern temples of waste of time and resources, but the cafeteria.

Why is that? Because people meet in an informal manner, without pressure and while chatting, they also hear about other's work, needs, requirements, what they can provide, in what field they are knowledgeable. That's where socializing works at its best.

Along the course of my career, absolutely 100% of the projects I have seen delivered or make significant progresses, were delivered thanks to the tremendous work done in cafeterias.

I have countless recollections of people spending 5 hours at a table in a cafeteria, exchanging ideas, giving answers to other's challenges, taking notes, sharing experience and knowledge. I have NEVER seen anything like that in open-spaces or in a meeting room.

In those years, I attended only 2 useful meetings (yes, TWO, in 40+ years). Both were held by a Japanese company. Probably because they have a more mature culture on efficiency. And both were organized in a hotel lobby, ... around a coffee table.

The thousands of official meetings I attended in a conference room were all a total waste. Nothing was coming out of those meetings, except self-congratulating project managers patting themselves on the shoulders.

Now, if you want employees to work efficiently give them an environment where they can thrive, not a place where they feel miserable. It's like providing them a small desk in the middle of New York Central Station hall at peak hours.

Today, a new market is emerging: co-working. Isn't this the same as an Open-space office after all? Isn't this proof that people absolutely love these environments and promiscuity?

No, I don't think so.

The business model of the WeWorks and the likes is totally different. It's organized as a well-thought cafeteria, where people can meet and can work, share desks, etc... if they want to. Nothing is imposed on them, it's their choice. Nobody is overlooking over their shoulders.

Depending on what I work on, I actually love to go to places like that, but I always first check on the environment, how desks, visitor routes in the place are organized, the level of potential disturbances, and then I decide whether I skip the place and head to another one, or if I open the door and start working. But it's my choice. And it has not be dictated and imposed on me by a trend artificially created by auditing companies to make you feel and look like you are a pro.

Give a choice to your employees. After all they work for you. You picked them. If you feel that they're not professional and abuse the system, and you have to place them in an open-space in order to monitor them, you're at fault, you picked the bad apples. It happens to anybody. But why should everybody pay the price for that?

To the ones not at ease with such an environment, open-spaces carry wrong messages: you're cattle, we don't trust you, if you're not happy then leave.

Give them a voice. If some actually like the open-space, build one for them. Even better, build one WITH them. And give separate offices to the other ones. A small one will do, you don't need to have lavish offices. You don't need more square-feet and real-estate. And the R.O.I for your business will sky-rocket (productivity increase).

Flourishing businesses are the ones showing respect towards their employees, showing them that they matter and that they are heard. Open-spaces are an insult to that respect.

A few links: