Here’s proof that open office layouts don’t work, and how to fix them

The basic logic behind the open offices is that tearing down physical barriers inspires communication and collective creativity.

But there is little evidence to support these widespread claims — and some surveys show the opposite: declines in employee satisfaction and productivity.

Now, two behavior researchers from Harvard University have tackled this problem head on, by directly measuring more than 100,000 face-to-face conversations at two Fortune 500 companies — before and after their global headquarters switched to open office layouts.

The team found open office layouts dramatically cut employees’ face-to-face conversations at these companies — by as much as 70 percent.

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