More and more people work in open-plan offices, but the lack of privacy is a major source of complaint. Firms should offer workers a "refuge" where they can escape from the stress of being in an office, attendants at World Workplace are being told today.

Audrey Kaplan, an expert on workplace privacy, holds a session on workplace privacy today, warning companies that productivity could be damaged if managers do not strike the right balance between providing workstations and giving employees time to retreat. She will be exploring the psychological definition of privacy and offering a process to increase the likelihood that workplaces will satisfy occupants’ privacy requirements.

She will be suggesting that workers should be given the chance to spend some time away from their colleagues, possibly in a partitioned off area where they could sit quietly without interruptions. She adds: "Having a place to go where one can work things out without others interfering or overseeing has been beneficial to reducing stress."

Ms Kaplan reveals: "Along with other factors, the lack of retreat can contribute to an employee's decision to leave an organisation."

Office Privacy: What do people mean by privacy, and how can they get what they need?
Audrey Kaplan and Santa Raymond
Session 604 at World Workplace 2000
Tuesday 13th June, 11.00-12.30

Anna Lagerkvist