Case $11-1$

Microsoft$$s Open Floor Plan

Over the past decades, workplace design has evolved from individual offices to cubicles to open floor plans to adaptable workspaces. These major changes in office geography have largely been driven by the goal to increase collaborating, idea sharing, and creative problem solving. Additional important considerations when redesigning workspaces are employee satisfaction and cost savings.

In $2010,$ Microsoft began replacing its software engineers$$ secluded offices with open designs. By $2014,$ it had completely renovated $10$ buildings on its campus in Redmond, Washington, but the engineers complained that the open spaces were too noisy and distracting, which resulted in reduced levels of interpersonal communication. Microsoft listened and adapted. $$You have to collaborate more; we absolutely have to change,$$ said Michael Ford, Microsoft$$s general manager of global real estate$\mathrm{.}48$ By $2018,20$ percent of the workplaces were redone, and projections were that $80$ percent would be finished within $5$ years. Offices did not disappear entirely and are used for confidential conversations. Team areas hold only eight to $12$ engineers, instead of $16$ to $24.$ Walls are movable. Other new features include isolation rooms, as well as lounges with couches.

Questions

What are the major advantages of private offices? Major disadvantages?

What are the major advantages of open floor plans $($no walls$)?$ Major disadvantages?

Select a company in an industry of interest; analyze the needs of its workforce, including digital technology, and predict the workers$$ preferences for conditions such as sunlight, art, and greenspaces. Design a workplace for the company that incorporates optimal features and justify the projected costs according to the premise that space drives behavior.

In late $2020,$ as a response to the COVID$-19$ pandemic, Microsoft announced, $$for most roles, we view working from home part of the time as now standard$$assuming manager and team alignment.$49$ Compare the efforts and expenses of creating ideal workspaces with the idea of people working from home. What are the advantages? Disadvantages?