Since the open office layout was first introduced to the United States in the 1950's, it's been widespread. By definition, an open office is a type of office where various employees work together in one room. The advantages and disadvantages of this type of layout are evenly matched. The two suites have a complicated history — LibreOffice was formed by OpenOffice programmers after OpenOffice was acquired by Oracle — but for the purposes of this article we’re treating them as, more or less, the same. Despite their rising popularity, research has shown that open offices tend to have more drawbacks than benefits. In the coming months and years, small businesses will take less of an all-or-nothing approach to the question of cubicles or none and will adopt a fusion of the two styles influenced by the type of work being completed. Now, 70% of American workers spend their workdays in open offices. An open office design offers improved worker communications, improved productivity, better Wi-Fi, more natural sunlight, and cost-savings benefits. Open Plan Office: Advantages and Disadvantages of the Open Office. An open office space or open-plan workspace has both advantages and disadvantages to both individual employees and the organization in general. Unless you design your open office correctly, the disadvantages of open offices may very well outweigh the benefits. The open-source philosophy is about more than software. Disadvantages: * Some formats like *.docx are not compatible. OpenOffice and LibreOffice are the two most popular open source alternatives. It is born out of a deep distrust of large corporations, an enthusiasm for individual innovation, and a belief that community action is effective in solving problems. How an office space is laid out holds a number of vital implications for your business, including culture, cost, communication and privacy. For the rest of you, each model has tangible advantages and disadvantages that we'll look at in closer detail." What are open office pros? The long-lasting debate concerning open office plans versus closed office spaces has many businesses considering important factors when deciding on the type of layout that will best suit their needs. Continue on to learn the top advantages and disadvantages of an open office layout. Based on the discussion above, the only notable benefit of this floor plan configuration is that it is cost-effective for small organizations with limited office space and a tight budget. One or more gangways throughout the whole floor may be provided and desks may be arranged facing one way so as to facilitate supervision and easy process. However, with a closed office plan and an open office plan, you will find supporters and people who are against both. Though most of the formats you will ever use can be opened easily. In an open-office environment, employee workstations are located together rather than in individual cubicles or private offices. In fact, the tools all share the same names. * Some advanced features of MS office are missing in Open office. Before switching to an open design in your office, you should consider its advantages and disadvantages. Open Office Workplace Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages Agenda Communication is easier between work stations and departments Employees are able to reach and communicate with management more quickly and deal with issues. Still, this research doesn’t negate the open office’s strengths. Image: Open office – Meaning, Advantages and Disadvantages An open office is often demarcated by counter high filing cabinets or shelves. Overhearing the conversations of others is often They're cheaper, but may be stress-inducing as well, according to Quora. Advantages: * Free & open source * Decent clone of M$ office. There are advantages and disadvantages to an open office plan, and normally the risks need to be assessed and the pros and cons weighed against each other before a decision is made. Before we move on to the advantages and disadvantages of the open plan office, let us first take a moment to find out what an open plan office is.