subject: Three Advantages To Using Glass Room Dividers In An Office [print this page] Open plan offices have very obvious advantages, but they are not ideal in every situation. The need for boardrooms, extra executive offices and meeting rooms means that walls need to be erected, but the materials used in room dividers can have a definite effect on the personnel working there. For this reason, glass has become one of the most popular materials. When it comes to erecting an office divider, there is a variety of types to choose from. Some solid walls can succeed in creating completely new rooms, but over time, these can sometimes have a negative effect on the working staff. For this reason, semi glazed and fully glazed walls are also available. In fact, as one of the most popular materials for contemporary office walls, glass boasts some unique advantages that can enhance the office experience as well as play a part in improving office efficiency. We look at three advantages in particular. Light Distribution The first great benefit is that the distribution of light is not disrupted in the office. The quality of light is obviously hugely important in the work place, not just because it allows staff to actually see what they are doing, but because of the psychological and physiological advantages that it has. Natural sunlight has benefits that are directly associated with mood, energy and ability to maintain concentration. Mood, of course, can affect the overall working relationships in an office, which can lead to high levels of productivity if the mood is positive. Alternatively, bad mood, or low morale, can lead to poor relationships and low levels of productivity. Energy levels are also hugely important, with low energy levels leading to more errors in production, presentation and, especially, research. Similarly, the ability to maintain concentration is important for work that involves research, precise or detailed thought, and for those think tanks that modern marketing departments like to host so regularly. Office Alienation When solid dividing walls are used, there can be an unexpected strongly negative reaction from staff. The reaction can involve falling productivity, higher levels of complaints, and a decline in office relationships. The reason is that, where once an office was open plan and staff worked within view of each other, the solid walls then divide the area up, with some staff feeling like that have been hidden away from fellow workers. In fact, they can feel alienated from their colleagues. This is not just something that affects individuals, but an entire department can suffer these negative consequences should it suddenly find itself separated from the rest of the office. Unsurprisingly, this can have a highly damaging effect on the company as a unit. The advantage with glass is that, even with a wall erected, staff can still see each other thereby ensuring that feeling of alienation never has reason to surface. Instead, a reduction in noise levels, a greater degree of privacy for executive or departmental meetings and a greater sense of personal space can be enjoyed by occupants. More Stylish The third advantage is purely an aesthetic one, with the visual effects that glass dividing walls can have on an office space. In essence, an office with interior walls of glass is considered more sophisticated than the more traditional solid walls. With contemporary style essential in projecting an image of modernism, a place on the cutting edge of businesses and progressive values, glass plays a real part in building a positive corporate image. There is also a connection with natural light, and how an office flooded with it can seem fresher, greener and altogether cleaner. While most room dividers are designed to create completely new areas by keeping other spaces hidden, glass can achieve the same affect without hiding anything. In fact, when it comes to office walls, glass promotes a sense of openness, not segregation, and in so doing creates a lighter atmosphere in the office. Of course, this is not to say that the use of a solid office divider leaves the work place void of style. It is more of a psychological impression that visitors and personnel have when they enter the workplace. The effectiveness of solid and semi glazed walls make them desirable too, but for many modern offices the advantages of glass are too many to ignore
