We are all used to seeing American films and TV shows which depict offices with individual cubicles, each worker having been given their own unique space which is screened off from the next member of staff. In Britain, meanwhile, we are often more used to experiencing open plan offices.

With many things that are innately American, it is only a matter of time before they find their way over here and into our way of life, and office partitions seem to be going the same way with more and more offices using such screens and room dividers to remove the open plan feel and create their own cubicles. But does using office screens actually work?

There are many benefits to be had from an open plan office, from the ease of movement within the office to the ease of communication. However, there are also drawbacks with many people feeling exposed and uncomfortable in carrying out certain aspects of their jobs. It is also far easier to become distracted and using office partitions allows people to focus on the job at hand and not at other irrelevant things that may be happening within the office.

Many worry that using room dividers and screens to create such ‘cubicles’ will make offices feel far more impersonal, but in reality there are so many ways in which such screens can be used that the office can be very much bespoke to exactly what will be most comfortable and most effective for each individual team. On top of the efficiency, using screens also means that far more room can be utilised as personal space will not seem like such a big issue if each member of staff has their own designated space.

So, whilst they will not be right for everyone, office screens could help make your office far more productive in all kinds of different ways.