The Hidden Costs of Open-Plan Offices: What Research Reveals About Employee Well-Being and Performance, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: Organizations worldwide continue to adopt open-plan office designs, primarily motivated by cost savings, purported collaboration benefits, and space efficiency. This evidence-based review synthesizes findings from a comprehensive 2021 systematic review comparing open-plan and cellular office environments across health, satisfaction, productivity, and social dimensions. Analysis of 31 peer-reviewed studies reveals that open-plan designs consistently correlate with negative outcomes across multiple domains: elevated stress, reduced job satisfaction, compromised concentration, and deteriorating interpersonal relationships. Contrary to widespread assumptions, evidence for enhanced collaboration remains inconclusive. While open-plan configurations may reduce physical infrastructure costs, organizations face substantial intangible expenses through decreased productivity, increased sick leave, and diminished employee well-being. This review presents evidence-based organizational responses including acoustic management, flexible zoning strategies, and individual control mechanisms. Long-term capability building emphasizes psychological contract recalibration, distributed choice architecture, and continuous environmental optimization. Organizations contemplating office redesign must weigh documented human capital costs against facility savings, recognizing that staff expenses represent approximately 82% of organizational operating costs versus 5% for physical workspace.