Once the status symbol of anti-establishment Silicon Valley tech companies such as Google and Facebook, the open-office floor plan now pervades U.S. workplaces. According to The Washington Post, about 70 percent of U.S. offices have an open-office floor plan.

Supporters say open floor plans provide opportunities for collaboration, improve transparency, eliminate many emails and phone calls, and encourage employee relationships. Cost savings and attracting millennials are also factors for some companies.

Detractors claim that open floor plans increase distractions and decrease productivity. Some CEOs, according to The Wall Street Journal, think the open-office trend has gone too far.

So what should be the primary considerations when deciding on an open-office floor plan? And if your place of employment already has an open floor plan that isn’t working, how can it be fixed?

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