Some workers demand more office privacy

For business leaders who work to manage space, it can be difficult to meet employees’ many demands. Different workers have different requirements, and sometimes they conflict with one another – say, if one employee prefers an open, collaborative space and another demands peace and quiet. 

Stephen Searer of the furniture company My Turnstone says that collaborative spaces are a problem for some and may begin the snowball of “quiet quitting“.

“The workplace has changed greatly over the last twenty years,” Searer wrote on his blog. “For many this has meant moving from places of privacy like private offices, or semi-private spaces like cubicles into transparent spaces like open-plan offices.”

This evolution has caused some resentment, he writes, with some people shifting their mindset to one of, “shut up and leave me alone.”

Luckily, space management software can help businesses eliminate conflict in the workplace. Facilities managers can use the solutions to redesign their offices, giving their buildings a balance between collaborative spaces and quieter ones. Some employees need places to sit and read, places to relax during a down moment or simply a way to get away from the hustle and bustle of office life.

Collaboration is good, but peace and quiet is important, too. Facilities managers must seek a balance of both.