The Office Revolution in the Wake of COVID-19

The workplace has undergone multiple redefinitions and updates throughout the decades. Although most people assume the open floor office plan is a recent ‘invention’ it actually originated in the 1940s where a large space was populated by typists and secretaries. Later on, the open floor plan (at least symbolically) became proof of an ‘open door’ progressive management style. This floor plan claimed to increase communication amongst employees and encourage collaboration. The digital age we live in brought its own addition to the open floor plan - hot desks or first-come, first-serve desks. This model is said to be perfect for a dynamic workforce that combines remote with in-office work.

And the pandemic has proven that an open floor office plan is fundamentally flawed.

Why the Open Floor Office Plan is Fundamentally Flawed

Companies are increasingly returning to aluminium office partitioning and aluminium doors like the ones offered by City Aluminium because open floor plans are proving more and more that they are ineffective. According to a Harvard Business Review Article¹ a study found when two Fortune 500 companies transitioned from a cubicle based floor plan to an open floor plan, face-to-face interactions dropped by 70%. Studies have also shown that employees report a loss in productivity due to increased noise and distractions.

How COVID-19 Forced a Necessary Office Space Revolution

More significantly, studies have reported an increase of sick days logged in companies that use an open floor plan, compared to those that have aluminium office partitioning and aluminium doors like the ones offered by City Aluminium.

If you have worked in open floor plan office, this will be a familiar scenario - one co-worker gets a cold or the flu, and in short order, your entire department is sniffling and sneezing.

Of course, this situation has become much more dire since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why City Aluminium has seen a substantial increase in aluminium office partitioning installations since the beginning of the year.

The aluminium office partitioning and aluminium doors offered by City Aluminium can help protect your team, and sustain productivity while we move closer to a solution for this extremely challenging global problem.

Aluminium Office Partitioning, Aluminium Doors by City Aluminium

If you are in the process of remodelling your workplace to meet the current circumstances, it’s a good idea to look at other potential inefficiencies of your space. Aluminium doors and aluminium office partitioning are more energy-efficient than wooden or steel solutions, they require much less maintenance and offer high aesthetic value. Breaking down your space into smaller areas with aluminium office partitioning and aluminium doors can allow you to climate control specific zones - bringing down overheads and hopefully lowering your operation’s bottom-line.

Beyond the apparent benefits of aluminium office partitioning and aluminium doors, City Aluminium can enhance and update your space.

1. Source: https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-truth-about-open-offices