Whether it's a shell and office space or revamping an existing one, the majority of businesses have the future workplace that drives the success of their teams and the growth of the organisation in mind. Choosing the right layout for a commercial office fit-out in the UAE is essential if you want to craft a functional yet beautiful environment. One that fosters innovation, supports the evolving needs of the teams and sets the stage for long-term growth and achievement. 

Now the big question is - should you say YES to the buzz and energy of an open layout, or go with the focus and privacy of traditional closed offices? The open vs. closed office debate is not a new one but it is one that needs a solution today in the UAE. 

Let’s explore the advantages and challenges of each layout. Understanding these dynamics can be helpful in making an informed decision.

The Open Plan Office: Breaking Down Barriers

An open plan office has minimal walls and cubicles and flattens the workspace into a shared area. This design approach is highly popular as it fosters collaboration and flexibility. Spontaneous interactions and team discussions occur easily in an open layout, as people tend to share their ideas without any need for formal meetings. This makes collaboration more organic and fluid and also removes any kind of hierarchy. 

An open layout is often considered for creativity-driven industries like advertising, tech development, and media where teams can flow between projects as required, or as they feel. 

In cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, office space is expensive, so open layouts become a cost-effective fit out solution. How? With fewer walls and partitions, there’s less construction work and overall more space for additional work stations.

Open offices often include up to the minute design elements such as ergonomic furniture, open ceilings, and comfortable communal areas—perfect for that pioneering brand that appeals to both employees and clients.

Challenges of the Open Plan Layout:

Open plan offices can encourage collaboration, but they can also lead to distractions. Noise levels may rise, and of course, a lack of privacy! Totally challenging for employees to focus on complex tasks. Especially when the sales team is constantly on the phone having loud conversations with clients. It’s why workspace planning is so important in order to maximise the space according to the use case. 

Closed Office Layouts: Privacy and Focus

Closed office designs often include individual rooms or enclosed workstations. This layout provides employees with personal space where they can focus on their tasks without interruptions. 

For certain roles involving confidential information—like legal, financial, or HR-related work—a closed office layout offers privacy. More security for private discussions and documents. 

Noise and distractions can be minimised with a closed door. Employees can concentrate on what they are doing. Peace and quiet can sometimes be preferable for roles that require core focus on problem-solving, data analysis, or detailed planning. 

Closed offices can also give off a vibe of formality and structure, so if you want that vibe, this layout will be the right fit. 

Challenges to Consider:

There are drawbacks to closed office layouts! First is reduced communication. Employees may work in silos in this setting, which can sometimes hinder collaboration among teams. This layout can also look a bit outdated if not designed cleverly. It also requires more construction of dividers, or separating walls, which can increase the overall cost of the fitout.

How To Decide Which Layout Suits You & Your Brand?

Your office design should be a reflection of your brands’ values, ethos, mission and style. If your office culture values collaboration, creativity, and openness, then the open plan option can work. If your company values privacy, focus and structured workflows, then a closed-office design may be more suitable. 

Understanding your team’s preferences and what you want out of them is key. Conduct surveys or hold discussions to gather feedback and ensure the chosen layout meets yours and their requirements.

The type of work your company does will heavily influence the final layout decision. It’s also important to note that you may need elements of both. Most companies now have departments that focus on the creative and ones that focus on more operational requirements. A mixed use of the space is often a great compromise to give everyone what they need. 

Don’t forget that the size of your office and the number of employees in your team also plays into this. An open plan office of 100 loud sales people, might not be the most suitable use of the space. But then again, it just might be! 

Every office is unique so the choice is ultimately yours!

Work with the Best Fit-Out Experts

Designing an office that aligns with your team’s needs and your business goals is a job that demands expertise and experience. Find top-rated commercial office fit-out companies in the UAE using the Contractors Direct platform.

Visit the site today, provide a little bit of information about your specific project. From there our smart algorithm will match you with the most suitable contractors for your project. 

We also have a smart Fit-Out Cost Calculator to help you accurately assess the fit-out cost for your choice of fit out! 

Need more information? Just visit us or call us!