There exists no consensus on the effects of open-plan office design on collaboration. And yet,
modern day workers spend the majority of their work day in the office, and nearly three quarters of
those workers interact in an open-plan office design (IFMA, 2010). Despite the prevalence of
technology, providing office workers the ability to work outside the physical confines of the
organization, the majority of workers spend most of their time in the workplace. A 2013 survey
concluded 85% of workers spend at least 50% of their time in physical offices, 35% spend 100% of
time in physical offices, and 71% spend at least 74-100% of time in physical offices (Gensler, 2013).
Companies, such as Yahoo, have rescinded workplace policies and have returned to requirements of in
office engagement (Tkacyzk, 2013). Thus, managers need to understand the effects of open-plan office
design on collaboration if their intent is to foster collaboration by being together in the office.