The trend for open floor plans has become increasingly popular in the workplace, and many companies are exploring ways to maximize space while maintaining employee efficiency. Organizations have found that adopting an open floor plan can certainly lower costs, whilst other goals are often to promote creativity, increase collaboration, and build unity among coworkers.
As with any new trend, the open-plan office style comes with its own vocabulary. The terminology for different types of workspaces may be confusing to those who are still in the process of adopting this hip, new style. For example, the word “pod” is often thrown out in regards to open, individual workstations, as well as closed off, soundproof booths. Both the office pod and the office phone booth have effective purposes in the modern workplace. Below are some clarifications on some of the differences between these types of furniture, along with the pros and cons for each of them.
Office Pods
The term “pod” refers to a fancy cubicle. Office furniture companies have taken it upon themselves to get rid of the ugly, outdated stalls and replace them with more modern and clean-looking pods. These workspaces tend to be modular and can be moved around to utilize space in different sized offices. Typically, these pods can be grouped to keep teams close together, while providing privacy with small walls or storage spaces. (This type of workstation is not to be confused with the small standalone buildings that can be put outside in your backyard and used as a singular room. Those are better suited for outside home offices, and they are not the focus of this article.)
Some of the benefits of using pod workstations in an open office floor plan include increased communication among employees and better lighting and airflow due to the lack of walls. The use of cubicle workstations allows the office design to be more cost-effective while providing a flexible workspace layout. This can be especially useful if the company is in a growth phase and plans to add more employees in the near future.
Nevertheless, these open workstations can be inconvenient for those needing more privacy from time to time. Employees who have important phone calls to make may need a place to go when their office pod is too noisy and distracting. That’s where office phone booth comes in.
Office Phone Booths
Installing soundproof phone booths is a great solution for companies with open floor plans who want to provide some privacy to employees. Office phone booths are completely closed off pods (as opposed to the open, office pod workspaces discussed above).
A great example of an office phone booth is the one offered by PEACEPOD, a company based in Auckland, New Zealand. Their booths are fully soundproofed but maintain comfort for users with their built-in ventilation system. Each booth comes furnished with built-in desk and power & USB outlets. These workspaces are fully portable and allow employees to make private calls or join video meetings without having any background noise. This a great way to keep employees happy when they need a place to work without any distractions.
There are also larger four-person and six-person meeting pods available that act as an additional meeting room and can be very helpful if conference room space is limited or frequently booked for larger meetings.
Using office phone booths provides quiet, distraction-free workspaces for employees. It will lower stress for those who want to get away from their desk pod in an open office floor plan. It will create a space that helps people feel like they have privacy when they need it.
It’s important for employers to know how to utilize space and increase productivity in their open floor plan office. The office pod and the office phone booth both have their purpose, and each object can enhance the modern workplace when used effectively.
