Enhanced office layout 'can improve communication'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 12-07-2010

Firms that are hoping to boost their communication levels may benefit from making adjustments to the working environment.

This is the opinion of Philip Delves Broughton, writing for the London Evening Standard, who said the way employees interact can be affected by office layout.

He noted a study from the 1970s by Tom Allen from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that showed if engineers were located 50 or more metres away from each other while at work, information sharing dropped off dramatically.

Entitled the Allen Curve, the theory still holds true in modern-day office spaces, Mr Broughton explained, despite the development of telephone and internet activity.

"The more we see people in person, the more likely we are to communicate with them electronically," he stated. "This is perhaps the greatest dilemma faced by those trying to develop their careers remotely."

Organisations were recently advised by an article in the Financial Times to consult with employees on future office refurbishments to ensure a happier workplace.

Posted by Adrian Norman