Office Design in a Community College

Abstract

Few studies have assessed how characteristics of the physical setting affect specific organizationally-valued behaviors. The present study compares the effects of open-private, closed-shared, and closed-private offices on faculty work patterns and faculty-student interaction. One hundred faculty and 356 students completed questionnaires. In addition, systematic observations of faculty offices over a several day period were conducted to assess occupancy rates as a measure of adaptation to unsupportive physical surroundings. Faculty in open-private offices reported significantly more difficulty working efficiently and concentrating. Both faculty and students reported that faculty were less available in open-private as compared to closed-private offices, and both groups reported that the quality of performance feedback either given or received suffered in the open plan compared to traditional shared or single-occupancy offices. The implications of the design and use of the physical setting for individual and organizational effectiveness in college and other client-centered settings are discussed.