- Distance in between employees affects levels of collaboration and communication
- Negatively, face-to-face conversation creates burdens and distraction

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Hua Y, Loftness V, Heerwagen JH, Powell KM. Relationship Between Workplace Spatial Settings and Occupant-Perceived Support for Collaboration. Environment and Behavior. 2011;43(6):807-826. doi:10.1177/0013916510364465

Relationship Between Workplace Spatial Settings and Occupant-Perceived Support for Collaboration

- Necessary for individual, concentrated work and collaboration for success
-  Concentration-requiring tasks are important to facilitate both
- Satisfaction and performance are important factors in facilitating workplace collaboration

Workplace Collaboration behaviors

- Larger workstation areas are  associated with higher perceptions of privacy  
 - Higher environmental satisfaction
- Decreased perceptions of distraction
- High spatial density produce crowding, cause low satisfaction, low task performance

Spatial Characteristic of Workplace: High levels of spatial density

- Number of partitions relates positively to the perception of privacy by a worker
- Less distraction when there are enclosures
- Positive perception of meetings in enclosures

Spatial Characteristic of Workplace: number of enclosures surrounding office

Spatial Characteristic of Workplace: Interpersonal Distance

1. Workstation size
2. Level of enclosure (partition height)
3. The interpersonal distance (the chair-to-chair distance to the nearest coworker), 4. Workplace spatial density 
5.  Whether the workstation has a door (i.e., an open cubicle or a closed office).

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