WASHINGTON — Companies looking to save money are shrinking the size of employee work space, but the change isn’t disappointing some workers.
Many companies are taking away offices and asking employees to share space in common areas. Designers say that while individual work space has shrunk, many employees are working in spaces that are more open-air and free-flowing.
“Ten years ago, we gave somebody an 8- by 10-foot work station, and today we give them a 5- by 5-foot bench,” says Christine Miller-Langemak, a partner with Arlington-based Washington Workplace, an office furniture company that designs and furnishes work spaces.
While individual space is smaller, employees have gained space in other parts of the office, which could include a sofa area or a larger coffee shop.
CBS Moneywatch reports that the prolonged economic recession is the main reason companies have reduced office space. But technology is playing a role as well.
The advent of laptops, smartphones and telecommuting, designers say, means employees need less space. Telecommuting means more people working from home and fewer in the office.
“Millennials work in their office environments like they work in college. They don’t care about real estate; they really just care about their devices,” says Miller-Langemak.
While work stations aren’t as big as they used to be, they provide a much sleeker profile.
“Panel heights have come down for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements, which employees seem to really love because everybody can see what’s going on outside; they get sunlight, which for years they didn’t,” says Miller-Langemak.
Employees giving up offices for group work spaces also work in an atmosphere that designers say is more conducive to collaboration. So while workers have less individual space, the atmosphere may feel more spacious.
