Dr Annette Clancy, an assistant professor of management at University College Dublin, isn’t convinced the case for open-plan offices is open and shut. “I’ve worked in open-plan offices and found them challenging at times,” Clancy says. A product and industrial designer, he spent years designing offices in London and in 2018 published an academic paper about open-plan offices. “So they will have to look at how to make open-plan offices work better for people.”He advises employers to start with acoustics. “Seize the opportunity to share ideas and build alliances, particularly with new employees, who can find large open-plan offices intimidating.”

Source: Irish Examiner March 13, 2026 19:12 UTC