# Open office or private rooms: choosing a layout for the way your team works

Compare workplace layouts by simultaneous activities, calls, confidentiality, collaboration, circulation and operating rules rather than one fashionable format.

Bunyady · 2026-10-15

The decision between an open office and separate rooms should begin with the work, not a preference for openness or hierarchy. A team may need quick exchanges, uninterrupted concentration and confidential conversations on the same day. Describe those activities and when they overlap, then compare layouts that provide an appropriate mix. The useful question is where each activity belongs and how people move between them without disrupting colleagues or making ordinary tasks unnecessarily difficult.

## Map a normal working day

Ask team members to describe the tasks that require concentration, conversation, screens or physical materials. Note which happen simultaneously and which involve visitors or remote participants. A list of job titles does not reveal these overlaps. Use the activity map to test the proposed layout: where does a person go for a private call, a short discussion or uninterrupted work? Record unanswered needs before deciding how many desks fit in the available space.

## Separate visual and acoustic privacy

Decide whether the concern is being seen, having a conversation overheard or being distracted by nearby activity. Steelcase’s privacy guidance warns against confusing visual boundaries with acoustic performance. Ask the designer to explain what the proposed partition or enclosure is intended to achieve and what evidence supports that claim. Do not assume that a tall screen or glass room answers every privacy need. Have technical acoustic requirements assessed by the appropriate specialist when they are important to the work.

## Place collaboration where it can be used

Identify the teams that exchange information frequently and the type of discussion they need. A small shared area near those teams may be more useful than a distant formal room for every short conversation. At the same time, review how that activity affects nearby focused work. Ask the designer to show circulation and waiting positions, not only furniture symbols. The aim is to make collaboration convenient while providing a clear place for work that needs a different level of separation.

## Compare a mixed layout

Instead of forcing the entire office into one format, ask for a combination of open workstations, suitable enclosed spaces and shared areas based on the activity brief. Compare how each option handles a busy day and where bottlenecks might appear. In a hypothetical team, a mostly open layout might still need rooms for confidential client conversations. Another team may rely on individual rooms but benefit from a shared project area. The brief should determine the balance, not a universal ratio.

## Agree operating rules with the team

Discuss which spaces need booking, where calls happen and how people signal that they should not be interrupted. A layout alone cannot settle every behaviour question. Keep the rules simple and consistent with the furniture and room availability. Ask employees to test a typical sequence before the design is final: arrive, focus, take a call and meet a colleague. If the routine requires constant exceptions, revisit the layout or the rules rather than expecting everyone to adapt without support.

## Review growth without overbuilding

Describe realistic changes the business may face, such as another team member or more remote meetings, and ask how each layout responds. Distinguish changes that can be made through furniture from those involving fixed partitions or services. Compare the cost and disruption of those scenarios without promising a particular future headcount. Keep the selected rationale in the brief and review the office after occupancy. Observations from actual use can guide small adjustments more effectively than redesigning around a trend.

## Your practical checklist

1. Map simultaneous work, calls and confidential conversations.
2. Distinguish visual privacy from acoustic requirements.
3. Test a mixed layout with clear operating rules.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is an open office always more collaborative?

Assess the actual tasks and interactions. Visibility alone does not show whether the team has suitable places for useful discussion, concentration and confidential work.

### Do glass rooms provide the privacy we need?

Define the type of privacy and ask for evidence about the proposed complete room system. Appearance should not be used as a substitute for acoustic or confidentiality requirements.

### Should managers automatically receive separate rooms?

Base the discussion on work requirements, confidentiality and organisational preferences. Record the reason for each enclosed space so the layout remains understandable and adaptable.

## Sources and further reading

- [Steelcase — Designing for privacy](https://www.steelcase.com/privacy_design_guide): Supports the narrow distinction between visual boundaries and acoustic performance; layout workflow is editorial.

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