In this article, we will talk about the physical space and its importance in creating a productive atmosphere. We will explore how greater spatial transparency can lead to greater employee productivity. Spatial transparency can be created through the use of glass partitions in office. To some, it may look like a design that does not honour privacy and is filled with distractions. However, transparency in an office not just creates a spatial reflection but also affects the social perception.

Old offices did not use glass but solid walls to create cabins and partitions. Traditionally, they used brick walls for separation of spaces. The use of a visible boundary like that makes the place look smaller and tighter. However, the new offices are mostly made of glass. The transparency provided by glass partitions and walls do not just let in the natural light inside to create a pleasing physical atmosphere but also adds a great to the social component. There are a few things worth noting that can explain how physical transparency creates social perceptions and thereby give many benefits to you.

Familiar Strangers!

The people working in the office are no more than strangers in a traditional office. They never interact and never even get to see each other. In an office using glass partitions and barriers, everyone can see each other and thus, everyone looks familiar. This familiarity builds trust between employees, gives them the sense of belonging to the same company and thus, create warm conversations whenever they have to interact with each other. Trust encourages cooperation and cooperation influences performance positively.

Functional overlaps support coordination and learning

Another big benefit of having transparency is that functional zones of different employees start to overlap with each other and this overlap creates greater coordination as they start to mingle with each other. Employees working in a transparent environment are more aware of the roles of others and the interpersonal conditions of the office. Use of transparent walls and partitions also help them in learning from each other as all employees are visible to each other and so, is the way they behave and act. A simple use of glass can give you so many benefits like enhanced coordination, greater trust between your people, higher engagement, greater control and finally, higher productivity as the amalgamation of these.