Open workspaces have long been a hallmark of modern office design, promising flexibility, collaboration, and a more dynamic employee experience. But as enterprise organizations navigate the complexities of hybrid work, shifting occupancy patterns, and rising demands for personalization, the conversation around open-plan environments is evolving.
Today, the question isn’t whether open spaces are “good” or “bad”— it’s how they can be optimized to align with data-driven workplace strategies, support real-time space utilization, and meet the expectations of a diverse and distributed workforce.
With tools like Eptura Engage (Condeco), organizations now have the visibility and control to move beyond static floor plans and toward flexible environments that adapt as quickly as business needs do.
The pros of open workspaces (with operational context)
For large enterprises managing global portfolios, open spaces offer a range of potential advantages, especially when supported by real-time data and intelligent booking systems:
- Increased agility and adaptability: Open layouts make it easier to reconfigure spaces in response to evolving team structures or project needs, without the disruption and cost of structural changes.
- More efficient space utilization: With occupancy analytics and booking insights from platforms like Eptura Engage, organizations can identify underused zones and reallocate square footage to meet demand peaks or reduce real estate overhead.
- Encouraging cross-functional interaction: In strategic zones — such as innovation hubs or project war rooms — open layouts can increase visibility across departments and encourage organic collaboration.
- Cost efficiency at scale: Especially in urban campuses, open office environments can reduce costs associated with enclosed offices, allowing for denser but smarter workplace footprints.
Addressing the limitations of open design
Despite their many advantages, open workspaces present unique challenges that become more complex and impactful at the enterprise level. One of the most cited issues is the rise in noise and distraction. In high-traffic zones, poor acoustic design can create environments that feel chaotic rather than collaborative. To mitigate this, enterprises need to invest in noise management strategies from the start — incorporating sound masking systems, acoustic materials, and zoning logic that separates focus work from communal activity.
Privacy is another key concern, especially in industries with strict data security or confidentiality requirements. Open environments need to be balanced with private enclaves, focus rooms, and bookable offices to ensure that sensitive conversations and deep focus work can still take place. Eptura Engage plays a critical role here by enabling employees to locate and reserve the spaces they need, when they need them — giving them autonomy within a shared environment.
In addition, the very openness that fosters collaboration can sometimes lead to a lack of personalization. As hybrid work becomes standard, employees increasingly expect the office to offer a high-quality, curated experience — not just a place to plug in. Personal preferences, ergonomic needs, and even location-based services are all part of a growing demand for choice. Smart workplace platforms allow companies to capture these preferences and tailor experiences to the individual, not just the team.
And finally, open offices can experience strain during peak demand days, typically Tuesday through Thursday, as the 2025 Workplace Index report highlights. Without proper scheduling and visibility, this leads to overcrowding, competition for desks, and diminished employee experience. With Eptura Engage, organizations can monitor traffic patterns, manage capacity, and even use behavioral nudges to encourage more balanced office use throughout the week.
Making open spaces work for hybrid teams
In the hybrid era, the success of open workspaces hinges on how well they adapt to fluctuating patterns of presence, collaboration, and team dynamics.
Unlike traditional setups, hybrid teams don’t operate on a fixed schedule or location, which makes the ability to dynamically manage space in real time absolutely critical. Without the right infrastructure, open offices can quickly become overbooked midweek and underused on Mondays and Fridays. To address this “midweek mountain”, organizations are turning to platforms like Eptura Engage to give employees the tools to plan and personalize their office experience. Engage enables users to see who else is scheduled to be in the office, reserve desks or rooms near colleagues, and create purposeful in-office team days that enhance collaboration without chaos. At the same time, facility managers and workplace leaders gain access to granular occupancy data that reveals how space is being used — and how it could be improved. This dual visibility helps prevent friction, eliminates wasted capacity, and ensures that open workspaces deliver on their promise: to serve as vibrant, flexible environments that support both spontaneous interaction and focused work, no matter where or when employees choose to engage.
Building smart, flexible workplaces for the future
In the past, open office design was often driven by design trends or cost savings. Today, it’s a more strategic consideration — one that needs to align with real-time data, employee expectations, and long-term organizational goals. For enterprise-level businesses navigating the hybrid future, the success of open workspaces isn’t determined by square footage or floor plans, but by the systems that support them.
With tools like Eptura Engage, organizations can turn open environments into intelligent ecosystems — ones that adapt dynamically to how employees work, collaborate, and engage with space. By blending flexibility with structure and aesthetics with analytics, enterprise leaders can create workspaces that are not only efficient, but genuinely empowering.
In a time when the workplace must do more than house employees — it must attract, retain, and enable them — open spaces, powered by smart technology, are proving to be a critical part of the solution. See how Eptura Engage, previously Condeco, can help you streamline your workplace strategy.
By Erin Sevitz
Erin has 15 years of experience, including 10 years in thought leadership on workplace management and the built environment. In her current role she oversees teams responsible for worktech insights and engaging Eptura’s 16,000 customers worldwide. Previously she led communications for the International Facility Management Association, a global industry nonprofit dedicated to professional development for workplace strategists, building managers, and corporate real estate.
