Open offices can be excellent environments for creativity and collaboration, but need to be complemented by work space where focus and critical thinking can take place, without distraction.
Home office workers know what that means. It’s great to have a personalised flexible space to work in. It is liberating and fresh and doesn’t dull the mind. But if you can not wear “day clothes”, turn off the TV, leave the coffee machine alone, and avoid Facebook and YouTube, it can be very unproductive.
So, yes, brighten up the office and provide comfort zones and creativity and collaboration zones, but beware of a drop in productivity especially where diligent thinking is needed.
BloombergBusinessWeek: Too Distracted to Work: The Dark Side of Open Offices
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