Summary

The author argues that open workspaces should be replaced with cubicles and offices to protect employees' health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

The author expresses concern about the safety and health risks of open workspaces in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with the Delta Variant spreading in the United States. They argue that open workspaces are not conducive to social distancing and can lead to the spread of diseases, including COVID-19. The author suggests that companies should mandate vaccines and weekly COVID-19 tests for unvaccinated employees, require face masks indoors, and enforce CDC guidelines. They also propose that open workspaces should be replaced with cubicles and offices, despite the potential expense for companies. The author believes that employers have a moral obligation to protect their workers and that employees may quit if they feel unsafe in open workspaces.

Opinions

Open workspaces are not safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with the Delta Variant spreading.
Companies should mandate vaccines and weekly COVID-19 tests for unvaccinated employees, require face masks indoors, and enforce CDC guidelines.
Open workspaces are not conducive to social distancing and can lead to the spread of diseases, including COVID-19.
Employers have a moral obligation to protect their workers, and employees may quit if they feel unsafe in open workspaces.
Replacing open workspaces with cubicles and offices may be expensive for companies, but it is necessary to protect employees' health and safety.
The author believes that adult workers are not babies and do not need to be monitored in open workspaces.
The author's top priority is eradicating COVID-19 so that employees can return to work safely, and the first step to achieving that goal is to ban open workspaces.

Why Open Workspace is Spacey

Protect Yourself First

Grinding your nose to the keyboard in an open space could be unhealthy for you and your colleagues. Photo by **Anna Shvets** from **Pexels**

Continuing with open workspaces is a spacey idea. We should purge all open spaces at work until the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.

And with the Delta Variant wreaking havoc in the United States, especially in the South, does anyone in their right mind want to risk their lives and mental health working in an open setting for a paycheck?

Before companies start encouraging — or ordering — their employees to act like lemmings marching to the sea, we need to take a hard look at open space arrangements.

I’ve worked at four companies with open spaces. While I’ve never been a big fan of the concept, I accepted it because I needed a paycheck to eat. But with our health now on the line, I think we have to take a more cautious approach about how employees should be seated.

I’m glad that some companies are mandating vaccines for all returning personnel. And if employees don’t want to get vaccinated, they should be required to take COVID-19 tests once a week to protect their colleagues.

And while I’m vaccinated, I believe that all returning workers should be required to wear face masks indoors. Exceptions should be made when eating lunch, speaking on the phone, or conducting a virtual presentation.

Everyone should continue to follow the CDC guidelines, including washing their hands and monitoring their health.

But here’s the tricky part — how will you enforce social distancing at a company with an office that still has an open space?

You can’t.

That’s why removing open space offices and replacing them with cubicles and offices is a better idea.

I understand that setting up cubicles and offices will be expensive for companies. But employers have a moral obligation to protect their workers. And with “Great Resignation” now happening, it’s not going to take much for some employees to quit.

You don’t want to end up here because of an unsafe and unhealthy open workspace. Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

Even before COVID-19, there have always been strong arguments against having open spaces.

Here are two examples –

Lack of Privacy- a good example is when you need to make a personal phone call. No one wants to overhear your conversation with your doctor or your spouse.

Too many distractions — a good example is your co-workers engaged in spirited conversations only a few feet away from your desk.

And let’s not forget the potential of catching colds or other diseases from co-workers who refuse to take sick days.

I know — some employers believe that open space encourages collaboration.

Maybe.

But it depends on where you work and want you do for a living.

I work in sales. Like most salespeople, I’m very goal-oriented because I’m trying to meet a quota. I’m not going to waste time chit-chatting with my colleagues when there is money on the line.

I’m at work….to work.

I have no desire to catch the coronavirus while making sales calls, doing virtual tours, or sending emails.

And no one else should be put in the same precarious position either.

The second argument that employers use to keep open spaces is to monitor their workers.

Really?

Adult workers are not babies. And if you hire someone who acts like a baby, you deserve the employee you got.

After nearly 15 months of enduring long lines for COVID-19 tests and vaccines, not to mention standing in food bank lines, most people are battle-hardened, tough…and fed up.

We don’t need a babysitter at work.

Our top priority should be eradicating COVID-19 so that we can all return to work safely. The first step to achieving that goal is to ban open workspaces.

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