The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is transforming the workplace.

One of the emerging areas of interest within the ADA is the topic of psychiatric disabilities – conditions which require a variety of solutions to help employees reduce noise and light, and increase privacy.

The Department of Labor provides some guidelines for an ADA-compliant workplace for psychiatric disabilities.

“Many employers are aware of different types of accommodations for people with physical and communication disabilities, but they may be less familiar with accommodations for employees with disabilities that are not visible, such as psychiatric disabilities,” their website says. “Over the last few years, increasing numbers of employers have expressed a desire and need for information and ideas on accommodations for employees with psychiatric disabilities.”

Fortunately, the solutions for employees dealing with psychiatric disabilities are simple and cost-effective.

Privacy Panels for an ADA Workplace

One of the details in the ADA regarding effective workplaces states that an easy modification for an ADA-compliant office would be to reduce and remove distractions in the workplace.

In offices where open spaces dominate the work area, OBEX privacy panels provide the privacy needed to decrease sound and noise. The panels can be installed within minutes without interrupting workflow.

This means that your business can conform to ADA guidelines without lost labor or interruptions that could compound an employee’s anxiety and stress.

Our privacy panels provide significant sound reduction along with increased visual privacy. In addition to that, we provide a variety of configurations, colors and materials that can mesh with the current visual design of your office.

Cubicles for an ADA Workplace

Another recommendation from the Department of Labor is for offices to add “room dividers, partitions or other soundproofing or visual barriers between workspaces to reduce noise or visual distractions.”

An excellent solution for this is cubicles, which provide a sufficient reduction of noise and sight distractions. If your office has adopted an open work area, cubicle-style walls and partitions can allow you to reduce sound, sights and light without needing a major overhaul of your existing work areas.

These private workspaces not only comply with ADA suggestions but they have many benefits for productivity and focus. The research is clear that employees work best when their mind has enough spatial privacy. This sense of privacy allows the mind to be more creative and focused, leading to better production and outcomes – and it can bring your office in line with what the Department of Labor says about making your office ADA-compliant.

“The majority of accommodations can be made for minimal (if any) cost and a small investment of time and planning. Moreover, effective accommodations can be good for business,” the department notes. “They help employees return to work more quickly after disability or medical leave, eliminate costs due to lost productivity and can be key to recruiting and retaining qualified employees.”

Other Suggestions for an ADA Workplace

Making your workplace a comfortable place for those with psychiatric disabilities extends beyond privacy panels, cubicles and other sight and sound reduction methods.

One of the keys to providing a proper workplace for those with disabilities is to be in communication with them about what they need to be efficient and focused in the workplace.

“It is important to remember that the process of developing and implementing accommodations is individualized and should begin with input from the employee. Accommodations vary, just as people’s strengths, work environments and job duties vary,” the Department of Labor notes.

Other tips for creating a welcome and productive ADA workplace are as follows:

• Schedule breaks according to what the individual needs.
• Be flexible with therapy appointments and other mental-health-related medical visits.

Boston University’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation is also an excellent resource for learning how to create an ADA-compliant workplace for employees with psychiatric disabilities.

Finishing out the final two weeks at your job can be a tough task but, handled the right way, you can use it as a way to launch yourself into your new position with momentum and confidence.

In our first post in this series, we pointed out that experts emphasize offering your support by helping transition in your replacement or drafting a summary of your daily duties. A transition plan can be a helpful tool for your employer, as well as a mindset of maintaining bridges when you leave, not burning them.

In this post, we’ll continue offering the insight of workplace experts whose advice can help you turn your final two weeks into a success story.

Finish Up Any Remaining Tasks You Have

Ryan O’Neil, funder of St. Louis-based Curate, an event software company, says your final two weeks should be a time for you to finish out your remaining workload. Don’t assume you can brush off the work you committed to do before leaving.

“If someone gives their two weeks, that’s totally understandable especially in situations where we’re too small of a company for a particular skill set,” he said. “But, if you really work hard to finish off any remaining tasks you have on your list and help create a transition plan, you better believe I’ll recommend you at a later day or even hire you again as we grow.”

This advice is something we also heard from Philip Livingston, a digital marketing specialist at Condo Control Central.

“I strongly believe you should work harder than you ever have in the final two weeks, so that when you leave everyone will have a good last impression of you,” he said.

Resist the Urge to Live Out a Rage-Filled Quitting Fantasy

Most of us have had that frustration-fueled fantasy in which our last day of work ends with leaving the building in a blaze of disgruntled glory.

Resist the urge, said Elene Cafasso, founder of Enerpace, Inc. Executive Coaching.

“As tempting as it may be to tell people what you really think of them on your way out the door, please don’t do it! If you really need to get it off your chest, write a letter at home and don’t send it,” she said. “You can symbolically let go of all your negative emotions towards the prior firm or boss by destroying the letter in whatever way most appeals to you.”

As far as how you should handle your goodbyes, Cafasso says the safe way to go is to wish your coworkers the best.

“No more is necessary,” she said. “If you had a positive relationship with the person, ask if they’d like to connect via LinkedIn. If you were friends, see if they’d feel comfortable staying in touch on Facebook.”

Set Up Lunches or Drinks with the People You Want to Maintain Friendships With

It can be hard to set aside time with your best work friends as you’re getting ready to transition to a new job, but it’s worth it to be intentional about meeting up with them before you leave, said Anna Hunter, founder at ArcVida,

“Ask yourself: Whom do you want to be able to email in a few years knowing they’ll respond? Who is excited about the same things you’re excited about? Who has the kind of positive energy that means they likely have a powerful network of their own,” Hunter asked. “Those are the people with whom you want to schedule time out of the office.”

Not only will these last few meet-ups help you gain a sense of closure, but they’ll also increase your network, which could come in handy further down your professional journey.

“The last two weeks in any job are a great time to strengthen relationships so you leave the company with a stronger network than when you came in,” Hunter said.

Wrapping Up the Series: Some Final Reminders About Finishing Strong

Handing in your two-week notice is a freeing thing to do because it means you’re moving on by virtue of your own decision. In some cases, you’re leaving because you can’t stand your current position. In other cases, the move is the beginning of a new phase of your career. Either way, how you leave will say a lot about your character as a professional.

Try your best to put your former company in the best possible position when you’re gone. Provide a transition plan and finish work you’re able to reasonably complete before you go. Avoid burning bridges out of bitterness and, when you can, spend some time with your favorite coworkers before you go.

Link to Part 1

Americans are quitting their jobs at the fastest rate in nearly 20 years.

And, according to the U.K.’s HR Magazine, January is the most popular time of the year for quitting. Regardless of the reason, most of those who decide to make a career change share one thing in common: two weeks’ notice.

Depending on your work situation, you may view these two weeks as your chance to burn bridges and move on to bigger and better things. Or, if the job change is a positive one for everybody involved, it can be a pleasant end to a great story.

Whichever the case, the last two weeks at your job is an important time not only to prepare for your big change, but also to leave the right way.

Be Supportive

Petal Bovell-Proffitt, a consultant with HR firm DISC Bodhi, encourages employees on their way out to support their company by tying up loose ends and delegating in-progress tasks to ensure a smooth transition.

“It’s easy to take the easy way out and sail through your last two weeks, however, your manager and team may still need you to be present and supportive,” she said.

In her opinion, “support” means meeting with your managers and helping them see what your role is in current projects and what needs to be done to make sure nothing falls through the cracks when you leave.

“Help your manager and team to understand your work projects, where you are in the process, and the next steps for completion. Create a cheat sheet to make life simple for the team. Identify all outstanding projects,” she said. “Help them locate essential documents and files by sharing where it is located, or even better, create a folder with all projects, files, and critical resources.”

Present a Transition Plan with Your Notice

The first step to supporting your employer on your way out is to provide a transition plan with your two weeks’ notice, said Laura Handrick, a career analyst at Fit Small Business.

“The best thing I’ve done and seen others do is to provide your employer with a transition plan at the same time as you give your two weeks’ notice,” Handrick told us. “What that means is that you give your employer a document that maps out all the activities you currently do, and then describes who those activities should likely transition to, and how you will prepare that person, or that job task for the transition.”

This will balance out the suddenness of your exit and will reflect well on you should a future employer want to contact your current one. It never hurts to be as professional and helpful as possible, no matter what the situation.

Focus on Maintaining Bridges, Not Burning Them

Philip Livingston, a digital marketing specialist at Condo Control Specialist, said the final two weeks at a job can be a relational strain. In his case, the final two weeks at the last job he left were uncomfortable.

“It was a bit awkward interacting with other employees leading up to my departure,” he said. “They made it seem like I was betraying them, or I was wrong for wanting to further my career.”

Your instinct might be to return their disdain or disapproval with your own salvos of frustration but, Livingston said, push through the weirdness for the sake of the good relationships you have among the awkward ones.

“Try your best to leave on a good note and resist the urges to not come into work or to be rude to your colleagues,” he said. “It was tough for me to say goodbye to everyone but, at the very least, I tried to stay in touch with those I considered friends.”

Be Prepared to Stop Working the Day You Give Your Notice

Most of us assume that our two weeks’ notice means that we’ll be at the company for two more weeks. After all, you’re giving your employer enough notice to find someone to replace you. However, that doesn’t mean there are things going on behind the scenes that would make it more beneficial for the employer to let you go the day of your resignation.

“Even if you map out your last two weeks’ activities in detail, don’t be surprised if your employer offers to pay your last two weeks and subsequently asks you to exit the office the very day you provide notice,” Handrick said.

If you’re a well-liked employee, there’s a good chance your bosses won’t want to upset your colleagues and they may ask that you keep the news private.

“It’s not about you per se, but they may not want the work environment disrupted as employees, sad to see you go, stream into your office in tears upon learning about your departure,” she said.

Link to Part 2

The job market is brimming with opportunities.

To convert those chances, you’re going to have to change the way you approach how you present yourself in all aspects of your life, from social media to the way you dress to what you do for professional development.

In our first post in this two-part series on making yourself a valuable hire, we covered a good mix of tips, including committing to networking, uploading a video resume to your LinkedIn page and doing a social media audit of your accounts.

This second and final installment of the series covers a few more bits of expert advice for increasing your hire value.

#1 Use Your Interview to Talk About the Value of Your Past Contributions

If you’re lucky enough to get an interview for an open position, you need to go into the interview with a plan. If that plan lacks communication of how your previous initiatives and ideas positively impacted your companies, you might miss out on a chance to put yourself ahead of other candidates.

Nicole Littmann, founder of Aurelian Coaching, said you have the responsibility of not merely talking about what you’ve done, but how what you’ve done reverberated throughout your previous company or companies.

“Don’t just talk about what you did. Talk about the impact it had. This goes for both your resume and your interviews,” Littmann said. “Because you did what you did, the team was able to avoid a bad outcome, or the process was consistently and reliably executed, or your manager was able to make an
informed decision.”

#2 Get Extra Training Outside the Workplace for Skills You Can Use Inside the Workplace

Because the job market is thriving, there are great positions to be had. And, as a result, you’ll face some tough competition from candidates who may have identical experience and education. Yes, you can set yourself apart during your meet-and-greet and interview.

However, you need to go beyond that in order to make yourself stand out, says Whitney Joy Smith, president of Smith Training Centre in Ontario, Canada. Affordable online classes are one of the easiest ways to do that.

“You need to have experience with a variety of different fields and gain multiple skills to stand out from other applicants. The easiest way to do so is with online classes,” Smith said. “They aren’t typically too expensive and you can do them at your own pace. Think of the skills that would be an added bonus for the job you want and take a course on it.”

Udemy is a great place to start. It’s a substantial collection of online courses that can cost as little as $10.99

#3 Leverage Your LinkedIn Connections

As we mentioned in the first post of this series, LinkedIn is a non-negotiable for your quest to make connections, network and find the right job openings.

Donna Svei, a resume expert, consultant and founder of Avid Careerist, recommends using LinkedIn as a way to connect with people who already work where you want to get hired.

“Figure out who you know who already works for your target employer. LinkedIn is great for this,” Svei said. “If you strike out, look for second level connections.”

How do you go about working that connection without sounding like you’re spamming them for a job?

Here’s how Svei suggests you proceed:

“Reach out, explain your interest in the company, and ask for an introduction to the person who heads your area of interest. Studies have shown that employers prefer referred candidates over all others.”

We also heard this advice from Apochromatik’s Amy Gardner, who said you’ve got to work those connections on LinkedIn if you want to increase your chances of an interview.

“Having a personal connection is generally the best way to increase your odds of an interview and eventually the position, but you need to start with your online presence first,” Gardner said.

#4 Clean Up Your LinkedIn Profile

We’ve mentioned LinkedIn a few times in our posts, and for good reason. It’s the preeminent networking site for professionals.

And, Gardner says, it’s for this very reason that you need to make sure your profile is up-to-date with relevant positions, projects and skills. Here are a few updates you can make in a matter of minutes, Gardner said:

• Make sure your profile photo is updated
• Verify your employment history is congruent with your resume
• Add recent honors, published articles or videos you’ve been in
• Ask your coworkers for skill endorsements and to write a recommendation

 

Ways You Can Make Yourself More Hireable: Part 1

The economy is alive and well in America.

The unemployment rate is low and the stock market is high. However, that doesn’t mean that every qualified professional has a job and it doesn’t mean that everyone is happy where they’re are at.

There’s no time like the present to hone your skills, build your resume and make yourself marketable for your next job, whether it’s the ideal position or a temporary gig to tide you over until you find your dream job.

This post is the first of a two-part series covering practical ways that you can boost your market value.

#1 Commit to Volunteering

It’s hard for a hiring manager not to like the fact that you sacrifice your time for a cause you believe in. It exhibits selflessness and commitment volunteer work is often devoid of glamorous trappings.

Gene Caballero, founder of Uber-style lawn service GreenPal, says the benefits of volunteering go beyond the satisfaction that comes from giving your time and energy.

“This can have positive effects on the growing of your network and also looks great on a resume,” Caballero said. “Since these are normally free gigs, you can be selective and volunteer in the vertical of your degree, the industry that you want to pursue, or for a cause that you feel strongly about.”

#2 Expand Your Network

You might bemoan networking for all the small talk, elevator pitches and cocktails it requires but it’s worth it, said growth marketer and social strategist Crystal McFerran.

LinkedIn is the de facto place to start. Find groups related to your professional expertise and interest. Participate in discussions. In most cases, the more valuable the insight you offer with your comments, the higher the chance that fellow professionals will look at your profile.

Don’t be afraid to join face-to-face professional networks in your area, either. Do a quick Google search for groups that meet near you, or head to Reddit to ask for tips on professional/networking groups that are worth your time.

#3 Post a Video on Your LinkedIn Page

McFerran was looking for new opportunities when we created this post. One of the key choices she made to increase her hireability was creating a video for her LinkedIn page.

The video detailed her qualifications and which types of jobs she was looking for. It also included a call to action in which she asked interested employers to send her a message. The video was brief: 44 seconds.

“Step outside your comfort zone and post a video on LinkedIn! Most resumes are never viewed, so this provides a great opportunity to leverage your network,” she said. “Share a very brief overview of what you’re looking for. I’ve been on both sides – a recruiter and a job seeker –and I can tell you, nothing I’ve ever done has been more effective than this.”

At the time of publishing, LinkedIn users viewed the video more than 330,000 times and left more than 90 comments, many of which included, McFerran said, “introductions, interviews and offers.”

#4 Clean Up Your Social Media

Yes, your future employer is going to look at your social media accounts to get a sense of who you are outside of their interactions with you.

Dana Case, director of operations at MyCorporation, recommends doing a sweep of your social media and deleting any questionable material that might make your employer question your professionalism or self-control.

“Conduct a social media audit. Delete posts that show you in a less than flattering light: i.e. swearing, getting extremely drunk, anything that could be looked at as inappropriate or controversial,” Case said.

#5 Clean Up Your Appearance

One thing you might not anticipate is that your body and your style have changed since last time you went through rounds of job interviews.

What was acceptable for professionals back then may no longer be acceptable. And, trends and styles aside, you can never go wrong with a clean-cut appearance, Case told us.

So, go through your wardrobe and figure out what you need to refresh. Head to the salon or barbershop and get cleaned up.

“Invest in a great interview outfit and shoes,” Case said. “Groom yourself. Your dream interview could be tomorrow, and you might be overdue for a hair trim or getting your nails done!”

Part Two: More Advice for Making Yourself a More Polished Hire

In the second post in this series, we continue with more tips about what you can do to increase your chances of getting hired. Click here to read more.

In the wake of studies pointing to the dangers of sitting at a desk too long during the day, proponents of standing desks have hailed it as the antidote to the sedentary lifestyle that some have deemed, “the new smoking.”

As is often the case in the office world, novel ideas that progressive thinkers latch onto don’t always turn out how you’d expect.

In the first part of our two-part series on the pros and cons of standing desks, we provided four different examples of people who use standing desks in their workplace and love them.

One employee noted that her standing desk helped alleviate back pain and fostered more focus than what she’d have at a sitting desk.

However, not every standing-desk experience is a positive one. When we reached out to companies across the country to get their thoughts on standing desks, we received multiple responses from those who disliked their standing desk experience.

“I personally dislike standing desks.”

The studies on sitting at a desk aren’t knocking traditional desks and praising standing desks. Rather, they call to attention the importance of getting up at least once an hour to move your body and get your blood flowing.

For some employees, taking a brisk walk around the office every hour is better than a standing desk of one simple reason: Standing can wear you out and hinder your ability to zero in on the task at hand.

This is something we heard from Stacy Caprio, founder of Accelerated Growth Marketing.

“As an employee, I personally dislike standing desks, as they make me tired, which takes away my focus and concentration from what I’m working on,” Caprio said.

Caprio said she prefers sitting at a desk because it helps her focus on the moment and task at hand.

“I’m able to be more fully present and focused when sitting, as long as I take ample walking breaks during the day,” she said.

“They are overrated.”

Sometimes an office will find itself in a situation where they’ve committed to a change in their workspaces, only to find out that those changes don’t quite work out as expected.

Jessica Landon, an SEO specialist at an Idaho-based marketing firm, said her company brought in standing desks and now about one-third of them are actually used, she said.

“I think, overall, they are overrated. I’d say roughly that only a quarter to a third of the employees here actually use them,” she said.

She went on to say that the desks they have are great, in theory, because they’re programmable, which means you can set them to adjust to different heights during the day. But most of them aren’t being used to stand.

“I do think they are a genius idea, they are just underutilized, in my opinion, here in our office,” she said.

“It just sits there gathering dust.”

Bernard Meyer, a digital marketer and content creator at Meyer Food Blog, said his office brought in standing desks. Everyone was enthusiastic about them.

“In my previous job, we had standing desks brought in. We were all quite excited about being healthier at work, since we had read about the dangers of sitting too long,” he said.

It only took a week for the novelty to wear off – employees became tired of standing.

“A few weeks later, we’d just stopped even bothering to lie to ourselves that we’d used it. It would just stand there, staring us in the face,” Meyer said. “It’s like a treadmill you buy for your home. You use it for one week, and the rest of the time it just sits there gathering dust.”

“It was nice at first.”

Another complaint we heard is that standing may relieve back pain, but it can affect other joints that aren’t used to being in a standing position all the time.

David Waring, co-founder of FitSmallBusiness.com, said he switched to a standing desk “because of a back injuring that kept flaring up after long hours of sitting.”

He enjoyed the standing desk at first, but, over time, pain started to creep into other parts of his body.

“I found that standing all day in the same place started giving me knee issues and was also pretty exhausting,” he said.

So, he switched from a standing desk to a sit-stand desk that gave him the option of either standing up or sitting down to get his work done.

“I have found this to be much more comfortable and have not had any leg or back issues since,” he said.

Standing desks soared into the spotlight after prominent studies came out noting how dangerous it was for office workers to stay inactive throughout the workday.

Just like open offices, the standing desk movement became a trend that still has momentum in 2018. And, just like open offices, standing desks have proponents and detractors.

We reached out to businesses across the country to find out what they thought about standing desks. In response, we received a lot of responses from managers and employees who offered their opinions about standing desks.

In this post and the next, we’ll reveal those opinions and our insight. This first post will highlight those who said they like standing desks. The next post will provide the perspective of those who tried standing desks and weren’t satisfied with the results.

“For my health and livelihood”

C.J. Comu, founder of water company Earthwater, said that he’s used a vertical desk for the past year. He’s read one too many articles detailing the health problems created by a sedentary work life and the standing desk was a practical solution for him.

“I find that it has not only helped me stay mobile, correct my posture and keep my blood flowing,” Comu said. “I like the liberty of flowing in and out of my office and I also tend to keep my correspondence to a minimum.”

“They are awesome.”
Dr. Sylvie Stacy, founder of physician career consulting site Look for Zebras, said she uses a convertible desk that allows her to change between sitting, standing and walking.

“I am a physician and I use one myself,” she said of her desk. “I love being able to change positions and get my body moving while I’m working since I spend so much time on the computer. They are awesome”

She said the key is to find a solid setup that will foster comfortability, something that cheap setups won’t offer. She also told us that her desk helps her focus, too, although it has more to do with moving around during the day than it does with actual standing versus sitting.

“I alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day, and I think the impact on my ability to focus is a result of the frequent change in position more so than the actual standing aspect,” she said. “I believe I could alternate between, say, sitting at a desk and sitting on the couch and maintain the same focus.”

We heard the same thing from Olivia Billet, marketing coordinator at Velo IT Group. Her adjustable desk is a catalyst for frequent movement.

“Sitting through the whole workday makes me feel tired and sluggish,” Billet. “I find I’m more active and alert when I’m standing, which is exactly what I need when 3:00 o’clock rolls around!”

“Reduced my back pain…”

If you don’t focus on your posture while sitting at your desk, you’ll find yourself hunching over. Using the wrong office chair can cause back pain, too.

For Tatiana Morand, content marketing and SEO coordinator at Wild Apricot, her standing desk provides a dual benefit. It keeps her fidgety tendencies at bay and, as someone with back problems, standing has strengthened her posture.

“I have a standing desk in my office, and I love it. As someone who’s naturally very fidgety, being able to stand up when I’m working on repetitive tasks helps me focus,” she said. “And, having the ability to alternate standing and sitting whenever I want has helped my posture and has drastically reduced my back pain.”

Customize your standing desks

There are multiple choices for standing desks. In fact, in this one post, there was mention of adjustable desks, standing desks and standing desks that can turn into walking desks.

In each of these situations, you’re dealing with either a stationary standing desk or an adjustable desk that will most likely be placed in a cubicle or an open office next to another co-worker. In these situations, the desk itself may be novel but the need for privacy is as time-honored as offices themselves.

Whether you’re at a standing desk or sitting at a traditional desk, we can provide privacy panels that we fit to your desk’s dimensions, protecting any sensitive information on your desk and reducing noise between your work area and that of your coworker’s.

Contact us to set up a consultation for your workplace or stop by our website to look at our privacy panel offerings.

The movement against open offices continues.

The headline on a TechCrunch acrticle published this past month says it all: “Yes, open office plans are the worst.”

Reporter Sarah Wells did a deep dive into some of the reasons why open offices present more problems than solutions, mentioning a recent Harvard University study that found open offices actually reduced productivity and face-to-face interaction.

The article spurred a lively conversation on Reddit, where there were more than 100 comments.

In this post, we’re going to review the article and the comments from the subsequent Reddit post.

Open Offices Result in Closed-Off Employees

The most striking point in Wells’ article came from the Harvard study, which noted that open offices resulted in more emails and less face-to-face interaction.

“Contrary to common belief, the volume of face-to-face interaction decreased significantly (approx. 70%) in both cases, with an associated increase in electronic interaction,“ the study notes. “In short, rather than prompting increasingly vibrant face-to-face collaboration, open architecture appeared to trigger a natural human response to socially withdraw from officemates and interact instead over email and IM.”

With this data in hand, Wells went on to note that increased email interaction and decreased face-to-face resulted in a measurable decline in productivity.

“While the concept behind open office spaces is to drive informal interaction and collaboration among employees, the study found that for both groups of employees monitored (52 for one company and 100 for the other company) face-to-face interactions dropped, the number of emails sent increased between 20 and 50 percent and company executives reported a qualitative drop in productivity,” Wells wrote.

She went on to point out some of the conclusions from the study, conclusions we’ve known for a long time. Primarily, that humans tend to want privacy when they’re faced with an open spatial environment that doesn’t provide them any anonymity.

Our brains are wired to perform at the peak level when they sense that there’s a certain level of spatial and auditory privacy. While there may be an anomaly or two, science notes that we’re hard-wired to excel in creativity and productivity when we have our own space.

Reddit Responds: The People Agree

As we mentioned earlier, more than 100 people responded to the TechCrunch link posted in Reddit’s Business sub (business-focused message board).

The top comment in the thread was from a user named “themick”, who wrote the following:

“I went from a job with an open office to a job with tall 6ft cubes… The cubes are the greatest thing ever. I have a little bit of peace and I feel like I get more done during the day.”

Another user named ”lemon_tea” pointed out another important aspect of a cubicle-based office – that you can’t really have a private conversation amid a sea of bean bags, desks and anchorless coworkers:

“The other terror is having a phone conversation with someone who sits in an open office or being on a conference bridge. Good luck picking their voice out of the background noise they continuously inject on the line. And for some reason they never mute their line to take care of the noise.”

“AiresWolf3” added another insight we’ve talked about in the past: cost efficiency. There may be instances in which a company chooses an open-office design simply because it costs less.

“Does anyone really believe that open office plans are about “driving informal interactions and collaboration”? I thought that was just a polite fiction given by management to justify cost-cutting,” the AiresWolf3 wrote. “Sort of like how ‘streamlining’ and ‘focusing on our core business’ is a polite way of saying they’re laying off entire departments.”

The user also noted that open offices aren’t always a good fit for introverts, especially in publishing jobs where editors need a quiet, focused space for their work.

“I worked for a publishing company with an open office plan, which was just cruel. Editors are some of the most introverted people on the planet and we all went to great lengths to pretend that we were not aware of one another,” the user said. “We would send IMs to people who sat two feet away.”

In the end, he or she said cubicle life was better for his or her job than an open office.

“I now work in an office with cubicles,” AriesWolf3 wrote. “I never thought I would have such warm and fuzzy feelings toward cubicles, but that’s adult life for you.”

Learn More About Cubicles

 

Open offices have long been one of those areas of office design in which the public-facing presentation didn’t quite match the science-backed conclusions.

Tech companies gravitated toward these minimalistic design trends for many different reasons, one of which is very logical: money. It costs more capital to buy cubicles for 50 employees than it does to buy 10 rows of tables and 50 chairs. Why buy furniture when you can hire another coder?

As the years have gone by, science has started to catch up to trend. There’s plenty of evidence that indicates private workspaces are crucial to productivity. Much of it has to do with your brain; we’re wired to thrive when our brain feels a certain level of privacy.

The Washington Post recently jumped into the anti-open-office movement when reporter Lindsey Kaufman included the open office in the paper’s annual Spring Cleaning edition. The theme? Ten things to toss.

One Reporter’s Reasons for Bidding Farewell to the Open Office

Kaufman’s piece on open offices is concise and echoes what we mentioned a few seconds ago: Science is emerging as an open-office naysayer.

“My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Granberry, sat her students around a big communal table where we could all see one another and be supervised,” Kaufman started her article. “There was yelling, commotion and general childlike chaos. The same things happen in an open office — only we’re grown-up professionals with deadlines, personal lives and a basic human need for some privacy.”

Opening salvos aside, Kaufman’s argument follows the privacy line—our minds need a sense of visual and auditory privacy to maintain focus on the task at hand.

The article references a Forbes piece from Dec. 2017 in which contributor Keith Flamer noted that current research shows that open offices reduce productivity by 15% to 28%.

Another side effect of the open office that most people don’t understand is that employees are twice as likely to get sick as their cubicled counterparts.

What’s most interesting about Kaufman’s article isn’t the stats about focus or sickness; it’s her reminder that some Apple employees are unhappy that the company’s new headquarters will use an open-office design.

Her article linked to another Washington Post piece detailing the grumblings of the tech giant’s disgruntled employee.

“Up until now you’ve been used to having your own office space. But the new Apple Park will change all that,” reporter Gene Marks quoted the employee as saying. “The programmers, engineers, developers and other employees who work there will be rubbing elbows with each other over long tables that they’ll be sharing in the company’s new open space environment. And some are not thrilled.”

The news was second-hand, though; the original claims of unhappy employees came from a podcaster and blogger who covers the Apple beat.

The article went on to say that the source noted some Apple employees threatened to leave the company if their offices weren’t suitable.

While those threats may seem a little entitled, we’ve read enough about the benefits of cubicles to know that there’s a lot more on the line than preference.

You Have an Open Office. Now What?

If you’re starting to have second thoughts about your open office, don’t worry. We’re not here to demand that you change the way you organize your workspaces.

Take some time to read through the articles we linked to in this post and decide for yourself if an open office is the right choice for your company.

If you think it’s time for a change, the table-heavy design of an open office can be transitioned into private spaces rather quickly using privacy panels of varying lengths and heights.

Our catalog offers multiple colors, material and styles, all of which can be installed on a desk within minutes. In fact, we’re often able to install desktop privacy panels while employees are working, cutting down on the lost labor that normally results from a full overhaul of an office space.

Head to our Contact Us page to send us an email or give us a call. We’ll talk with you about your space, what you’d like to see happen and how we can accommodate you.

Leadership is desired but rarely acquired.

Our first post in this two-part series shared 10 actionable tips from experts about how you can augment your leadership skills at work. While corresponding with nearly two dozen experts, we discovered that there isn’t a single system for becoming a leader.

Rather, building your reputation as someone who should be followed is a dynamic mixture of many different factors that suit personalities of all types.

Our series continues in this post with 10 more tips you can use to transform yourself from a follower to a leader.

Be a master at your job

Shefali Raina, Leadership and high-performance coach, Alpha Lane Partners

“To be seen as a leader and to inspire trust and respect in others, you first have to be seen as good at your job. Whatever your core job is, focus on being great at it — build subject matter expertise, learn to collaborate and deliver results in your job and build a brand of credibility and competence at what you do.”

Don’t live in a silo

Ilene Marcus, MSW, MPA; Founder, Aligned Workplace

“Leaders don’t only make their department or unit successful, they add to overall company success. As you work on projects or teams and go about your daily business, think about how to include others and make that part of your standard operating procedure.

“Not only will you build a cadre of supporters, you will produce a better outcome for the entire company. Your ability to align work and address multifaceted issues will be noticed.”

Ask to lead meetings

Desiré Greene, Managing partner, Luckett & Liles

“Meetings are essentially mini-projects and a great way to showcase leadership skills. By keeping attendees focused, ensuring all voices are heard, and synthesizing big ideas, you can demonstrate that you’re ready for other leadership roles.

“I’ll never forget the nod of approval from a company exec after leading my first conference call. My facilitation skills instilled confidence and opened the door for future opportunities.”

Write strategically

Genna Ziino, Content coordinator, Ariel

“So much of business today is conducted via email—it’s easy to feel like blasting out emails at the speed of light is the best way to go, but it’s important to remember that someone is reading that email and relying on your answers and expertise.

“Instead of firing away, take some time to strategically plan your writing to be reader-centered, giving your audience exactly what they need as clearly and concisely as possible.

“Work on having specific, clear subject lines; organizing longer emails into sections that make sense and using headlines for ease of skimming; and drawing attention to any action requests or deadlines instead of burying them.

“Crystal clear writing and knowing you’ve put thought into your responses makes people respect you—and also drives productivity.”

Be a morale builder

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew, Founder, Soulstice Consultancy

“Build a network of colleagues from various departments and within your team. Listen to their stories to build trust.

“It isn’t always about being upfront and visible, but when people see that you are committed to step up in the behind-the-scenes work, willing to support them, your leadership shines. Be a morale builder even in the tough times.”

Be curious

Kathy Taberner, Certified executive coach & co-founder of Institute of Curiosity

“When we are curious, we better understand each other and with this clarity comes fewer errors thus increased accurate productivity, engagement and accountability.

“When one person becomes curious, it can lead to collaboration where everyone becomes more open and non-judging which leads to collaboration and innovation, even decreases conflict.

“So, we suggest, employees get curious if you want to be seen as a possible leader.”

Build relationships

Sarah Finch, SarahFinch.com

“Leaders can’t lead if they don’t have followers. Talk to the people in your organization, even if you don’t work with them often. Learn their names and say hello when you see them. Help them out when you can.

In this world of technology as a primary mode of work communication, the value of a face-to-face relationship is high and those seen as leaders are often simply the people others can identify and remember moments and conversations.”

Plan ahead

Jenny Hester, Director of Marketing, LIVE Design

“From calendars to task lists, look ahead to what needs to be addressed and accomplished. Set calendar reminders for both new tasks & recurring events.

“Give yourself deadlines of 3 days or more prior to all official deadlines. When out of the office, anything due in your absence or within a few days of your return should be handled before you leave.”

Stop whining and complaining

Laura Handrick, Career and workplace analyst, Fitsmallbusiness.com

“The fastest way to be seen as a leader in your workplace is to find problems, identify what’s broken, and then develop a plan or recommendations to fix it. In other words, don’t be a complainer about what’s not working. No one likes a complainer.

“Instead, be a solution provider. Most employees will gripe about issues. Leaders take those issues on as challenges and come up with ideas, recommendations and solutions to those problems as if it were their own company/business. They look for ways to improve the business, teamwork, processes and overall profits.”

Manage your emotions

Nancy Cramer, Founder, Correct Course Consulting

“One of the most important steps to becoming a leader is to learn to manage emotions. This does not mean to always be stoic. It means to respond authentically and appropriately to situations as they occur.

“When people are in tough leadership situations, they often let their emotions get the best of them. They let how they feel overwhelm them and cloud their thinking. Mistakes are made. Collateral damage is left.”

Wrapping it up: Take action, Focus on people

Much of what we learned from our experts’ input is that leadership is a matter of initiative and relationships.

Advancement is not for the passive and those who find great success are most satisfied when they achieve their success with people, not against them.

 Link to Part 1