5 Best Office Layout Types Designed for Productivity and Wellness
- franchesca166
- Oct 27
- 13 min read
Updated: Oct 28
Key Takeaways
Modern office layouts prioritise both productivity and employee wellness, moving beyond the traditional cubicle model.
The best design depends on your team’s work style. Some thrive in open plans, others in hybrid or private setups.
Natural light, greenery and good air quality are proven to improve focus, creativity and overall well-being.
Hybrid and team-cluster layouts balance collaboration with focus, supporting flexible and project-based work.
Ergonomic and sustainable designs reduce costs, prevent fatigue and reflect a company’s care for its people.
There’s no universal ‘best’ office layout. Success comes from understanding your team’s needs, work styles and goals.
Step into an office from the 1970s or 1980s and you’d feel like you’re in another world.
The infamous cubicle farm defined the workspace of that era. Walk onto the floor, and all you’d see were endless, tall partitions—usually beige, sometimes grey. Employees were boxed into tiny workstations, each with its own phone, filing cabinet and just enough space
to breathe.
You’d rarely see an employee working next to a window. In most corporate offices, sunlight was a privilege reserved for executives in corner rooms with heavy wooden doors that shut.
Everything was about efficiency. Get the work done. Go home. Repeat. Employee well-being was often secondary, if considered at all.
But as work culture evolved, the understanding of what makes a productive and healthy workspace also changed. Today’s best office layout not only boosts efficiency but also supports wellness and collaboration that can be applied in your office interior design. Think open plans, biophilic design and ergonomic furniture.
In this post, we’ll explore five of the best office layout types that are setting the standard for the future of work.
Why Office Layouts Matter
Did you know that the average office worker spends over 90,000 hours at their desk in a lifetime? That’s more time than most of us spend with our own families.
Now imagine spending all those hours under harsh fluorescent lights. You’re cut off from sunlight, sitting in the same position all day.
This is why the office interior design directly influences energy levels, creativity, communication and even overall happiness. When done right, it can turn an ordinary workday into an inspiring one; when done poorly, it can quietly drain motivation and well-being.
The Link Between Layout, Productivity and Wellness
A well-thought-out layout can literally change the rhythm of a workday. Open zones invite collaboration and creative exchange, while quiet nooks protect focus and flow. Spaces filled with daylight and greenery also help our brains recharge.
In fact, a study by Cornell University shows that employees working in offices with optimal natural light reported 84% fewer symptoms of eye strain, headaches and blurred vision.
Another global report by Human Spaces found that workplaces with natural elements (like plants and sunlight) saw a 6% increase in productivity and a 15% boost in wellbeing among employees.
Moreover, environmental factors have a measurable effect. Air quality, temperature and ventilation are often overlooked compared to flashy design features. According to the World Green Building Council, increasing the volume of fresh air in office spaces resulted in an 11% boost in productivity levels.
That might not sound dramatic at first, but across a full workforce, it’s equivalent to adding an extra day of output every two weeks.
The science behind it is straightforward. Stale indoor air can cause drowsiness, headaches and difficulty concentrating due to elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and low oxygen.
When ventilation systems bring in more fresh air and regulate humidity and temperature, employees stay more alert and focused for longer periods.
5 Best Office Layout Types
The ‘best’ layout isn't universal. There are no one-size-fits-all floor plans. It will always depend heavily on the nature of the work, the team structure and company goals.
Here are five of the best office layout types you may consider:
Open Plan Layout
The open plan layout removes most physical barriers, including cubicles, interior walls and private offices. It has shared desks and communal areas that encourage easy communication. This layout is often considered the most recognisable modern office setup, popularised by tech companies like Google and Facebook.
Pros | Cons |
Promotes easy, spontaneous communication and idea-sharing. | High noise levels and visual clutter may disrupt concentration. |
Allows for higher employee density, reducing real estate costs. | Makes confidential conversations and focused work difficult. |
Workstations can be easily reconfigured to accommodate team growth or changes. | Studies link open-plan offices to higher rates of sickness-related absenteeism due to easier germ spread. |
This is ideal for creative industries, media agencies, marketing teams and startup environments where rapid communication, team synergy and quick, informal problem-solving are needed. It suits work that is collaborative and social.
While open plans can foster community, research shows the design must be balanced. Research from Harvard Business School found that when two Fortune 500 companies switched from traditional cubicles to completely open plans, face-to-face interaction dropped by 70%. On the other hand, email and instant messaging skyrocketed to cope with the lack of acoustic privacy.
The takeaway: open layouts work best when paired with quiet zones or phone booths that support concentration.
Still, open-plan offices have clear upsides when properly designed. Removing walls allows sunlight to flow across the space, which improves mood and circadian rhythm. Open layouts also encourage physical movement. Employees are more likely to walk around, chat or stand during meetings.
Keep in mind that the open plan layout is most successful when it’s not purely ‘open.’ Add acoustic zoning, focus pods, quiet corners and wellness areas to support both collaboration and concentration.
Cellular/Private Office Layout
The cellular or private office layout is the traditional blueprint of the modern workplace. It has a series of enclosed rooms or partitions that give each employee (or small team) a dedicated, private workspace. These offices are typically enclosed by walls or glass panels.
This setup dominated offices from the 1960s through the early 1990s, when privacy and hierarchy were prioritised.
Pros | Cons |
Maximises concentration and minimises auditory/visual distractions, enabling deep work. | Can lead to professional isolation and prevent spontaneous collaboration or team bonding. |
Essential for work involving sensitive data, client meetings or private discussions. | Uses significantly more square footage per person = higher real estate costs. |
Employees have full control over their immediate environment (temperature, décor, light). | Difficult to reconfigure quickly to adapt to changing team sizes or project needs. |
Can naturally limit contact between individuals, helping reduce the transmission of airborne diseases | Can reinforce organisational divides—executives in corner offices, junior staff in smaller rooms; may affect culture and morale. |
This is ideal for sectors that require high levels of confidentiality, concentrated individual work or frequent private meetings. They’re common in law firms, financial institutions, research environments and executive settings where deep, uninterrupted work is critical.
Private layouts allow employees to control their environment, a key factor in psychological comfort. A study by the University of Exeter’s School of Psychology revealed that when employees have a say in designing and organising their workspace, they tend to be happier, healthier and can boost their productivity by as much as 32%.
Though less collaborative by default, shared lounges, meeting hubs or transparent glass walls can modernise this layout. That way, you can balance solitude with connection.
Hybrid Office Layout
Also known as Activity-Based Working or ABW, the hybrid workspace combines elements of open-plan and cellular layouts. You have open communal tables, quiet rooms, soundproof phone booths, traditional meeting rooms and lounge areas. They allow employees to choose the space best suited for their current task.
Pros | Cons |
Supports diverse work styles by providing zones for both collaboration and focus. | Requires strong space management, scheduling tools and clear ‘etiquette’ rules. |
Reduces overall desk-to-employee ratio by accounting for remote and in-office schedules. | Competition for highly desired spaces (e.g., quiet rooms) can cause friction. |
Gives employees autonomy, boosting satisfaction and sense of control. | Designing and equipping diverse, specialised zones can be expensive upfront. |
The hybrid office layout is best suited for:
Organisations with diverse roles and work styles, such as tech, creative agencies, consulting firms and corporate headquarters.
Hybrid work models where employees split time between home and office; flexible zones make on-site days purposeful.
Project-based teams require both intense collaboration and periods of focused solo work.
Growing or evolving companies that need a scalable and easily reconfigurable layout to adapt to shifting needs.
Because hybrid spaces are designed around flexibility, they align with the hybrid work lifestyle. Employees can manage energy levels throughout the day, improving both performance and mental health.
What’s more, alternating between different types of work zones supports attention restoration. This is similar to the concept of ‘environmental variety,’ which helps the brain recover from fatigue.
Team Cluster Layout
Sometimes called the pod layout or grouped workspace, the team cluster layout organises employees into small, semi-open clusters based on teams, departments or project groups.
Instead of rows of desks or one continuous open floor, the office is divided into ‘neighbourhoods.’ Each cluster typically includes four to eight desks arranged in a circular, U-shaped or bench configuration.
Pros | Cons |
Enhances communication and cohesion within the immediate work group. | Can create ‘silos’ between different departments or functions. |
Easy to expand, contract or relocate a cluster as project demands change. | Collaboration within the cluster can still be distracting to others in the group. |
Fosters a strong team identity and informal mentoring. | Workstations grouped tightly can lead to visual distraction and a messy appearance. |
This is excellent for agile teams, R&D departments, startups with project-based structures and customer service centres where functional grouping is key to operational efficiency. You get the collaboration benefits of an open plan but with a clearer structure.
Team clustering strengthens social connection and collective problem-solving. In fact, a 2017 Stanford study found that people working in collaborative clusters were 64% more persistent on difficult tasks compared to those working independently.
Small teams can also create a sense of psychological safety. People feel more comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions or giving feedback without the pressure of a large audience.
This is especially important in big companies. When you have mini-communities within a large office, clusters reduce feelings of anonymity. Your employees feel seen and supported.
Hot Desking / Flex Layout
In this setup, desks are not assigned to individuals (non-territorial working). Employees can choose any available workstation when they arrive at the office.
Desks are equipped with universal docking stations, adjustable chairs and shared technology. Employees use lockers or digital storage systems instead of personal drawers.
A strong real-life example is Deloitte Singapore, which adopted a ‘flex-place’ arrangement as part of its workplace transformation strategy. According to Human Resources Online, the firm reworked its office spaces to support hot-desking.
This, in turn, gives their employees the freedom to choose how and where they work.
Pros | Cons |
Reduces the number of required desks, leading to major cost savings in rent and utilities. | Employees lose the sense of ‘place attachment’ and a personalised work environment. |
Logically aligns with schedules where employees are in the office only a few days a week. | Time is lost daily searching for a desk, setting up equipment and dealing with technical issues. |
Can increase chance encounters with employees from other teams, fostering broader networking. | Constantly moving around can weaken team identity and social bonds unless counterbalanced with team hubs. |
Hot desking is best for organisations with a high proportion of mobile workers (e.g., consultants, sales reps, or remote-first companies), or those committed to a strong hybrid model with low daily office occupancy.
Companies optimising real estate, especially those in high-cost urban centres like Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo, can also benefit from this layout.
With this layout, the freedom to choose where to work each day encourages autonomy and physical mobility. Movement between zones may also help reduce sedentary behaviour. And with no personal accumulation of papers or objects, the workspace stays organised. Employees can experience better mental clarity and focus.
However, hot desking can backfire if implemented purely for cost-saving. Employees can lose an average of 18 minutes per day just searching for a desk and setting up. Similarly, a 2024 Forbes survey of over 600 workers found that employees without their own desks felt the workspace was cold, confusing and mentally tiring.
This is why companies should use a real-time booking app. It must show a real-time, colour-coded floor plan of all available desks. And if a desk is booked but remains unoccupied for a defined period (e.g., 90 minutes) after the start of the reservation, the system should automatically release it back into the available pool.
How to Choose the Ideal Office Layout
Designing an office layout goes far beyond following Pinterest trends or mimicking what’s popular on the Internet.
What looks great in a startup’s creative loft may not function well for a financial firm. A design that wins awards online might not meet the practical needs of your team.
To get you started, here is a guide on how to choose the ideal office layout for your organisation:
Assess Your Needs
Layout should be driven by what people actually do (heads-down focus vs. collaboration vs. confidential work), not by trends or cost-cutting alone. When companies ignore roles and work patterns they risk reducing real collaboration and harming productivity.
Here are some key questions to ask:
Team Composition and Headcount
How many full-time, hybrid, and remote employees do we have?
What’s our average daily in-office occupancy rate?
Are we planning for growth, downsizing or flexible seating?
Do different teams have different space needs (e.g., developers vs. sales vs. HR)?
Work Styles and Daily Activities
What percentage of time do employees spend on:
Deep, focused work
Collaboration (small-group and large meetings)
Virtual meetings or calls
Creative brainstorming
Administrative or solo tasks
How much of this work requires quiet concentration versus social interaction?
Are there frequent cross-departmental collaborations that need shared zones?
Communication and Culture
Does our culture encourage spontaneous conversation or structured meetings?
How comfortable are employees approaching colleagues or managers in open areas?
Do we have teams handling confidential information (e.g., legal, HR, finance)?
Pain Points and Preferences
What do employees currently complain about (noise, lighting, lack of privacy)?
Which spaces are underused or overcrowded?
What workspace features do employees want more of (quiet zones, collaboration areas, breakout lounges, private rooms)?
Business Goals
What are we optimising for—collaboration, innovation, focus, client experience or space efficiency?
How does our layout reflect company values (transparency, creativity, inclusivity, sustainability)?
What future work models (hybrid, remote-first, desk-sharing) should our design anticipate?
Map departmental activities, create team personas and align spaces to their needs.
Prioritise Employee Wellness
Wellness features are no longer ‘nice-to-haves.’ They are proven drivers of engagement and productivity.
Natural Light & Daylight Access
Daylight access is arguably the most impactful wellness feature.
According to research by the UK Green Building Council, employees who work in environments with ample natural light take 18% fewer sick days than those in offices with poor daylight access.
To reap the benefits of natural light in your layout, place focus desks near windows and use glass partitions instead of solid walls. This will allow light to penetrate deeper into the floor plate.
Light-colored furniture and reflective surfaces can also help spread daylight evenly across the space.
Biophilia
Biophilia is the innate human desire to connect with nature. It's about bringing the outside in, beyond just a few potted plants.
In fact, a large cross-country industry study by Human Spaces found that employees in nature-inspired workplaces feel 15% better, are 6% more productive and 15% more creative.
Prioritise designs that offer unobstructed views of green spaces or the sky. If actual outdoor views are unavailable, use large, high-resolution photographic murals of natural scenes.
Make sure you use natural materials like wood, stone and bamboo in construction and furnishings. Soundscaping can also incorporate subtle, non-intrusive sounds of nature, such as flowing water.
Incorporate Ergonomic and Sustainable Design
Ergonomics
Can you imagine spending your workday hunched over a desk in a cramped room, monitor inches from your face? You have no way to stand or stretch without disturbing the flow.
Unfortunately, this is the reality for too many people when the office layout overlooks ergonomics.
When designing the best office design for productivity, provide adjustable seating/desk options for all workstations. Include monitor arms, keyboard trays and laptop docking.
Next, run ergonomic assessments, especially for employees who spend long hours at their computers. These quick checks help spot common issues like screens placed too low, keyboards too far away or chairs with poor support.
Also, invest in ergonomic training and regular setup reviews. Even the best furniture won’t help if people don’t know how to use it correctly. Short training sessions or yearly check-ins can teach employees how to adjust their workspace for comfort and health.
Sustainability
Aside from ergonomics, you should also consider green building practices. They can reduce operational costs by 20-30% due to lower energy and water consumption.
Use low-VOC materials, high-efficiency HVAC with good ventilation and filtration, daylight harvesting and energy-efficient lighting. Track energy and indoor-air KPIs after move-in.
Many job seekers also actively look for companies committed to sustainable practice. For some of them, a company’s focus on sustainability shows that it cares about people and the planet, and that it probably treats its employees well too.
Consult Professionals
The truth is, office design isn’t a DIY project. Some companies, in an attempt to cut costs, try to handle everything themselves only to discover later that poor space planning, bad acoustics or inefficient lighting hurt productivity and morale.
It’s worth working with architecture and design firms that specialise in workplaces. These professionals know how to make the most of your space.
They also understand building safety, accessibility and sustainability standards—things that can easily be overlooked without expert help.
Architects and designers can take your ideas and turn them into something practical and inspiring. They’ll help you choose the right materials, furniture, lighting and colours that reflect your brand and support employee well-being. Some even use 3D planning tools so you can visualise your new office before any changes are made.
Final Thoughts
The days of the generic, one-size-fits-all cubicle farm are long gone. Offices today are no longer just spaces to hold employees. They’re now seen as powerful tools that can boost productivity, creativity and overall well-being.
A great office layout is an investment in your people. Some companies thrive on the buzz and collaboration of an open plan layout, others need the quiet focus of a cellular office, while many find balance in the flexibility of a hybrid model.
The goal is the same: to design a space that reflects your company culture and supports how your teams actually work.
Remember, there’s no single ‘best’ office layout to copy. The right design comes from understanding your people, their work styles and your business goals.
At Archtur, we take a personalised approach. We work closely with you to study your space, your teams, the kind of culture you want to build, and achieve that through your office interior design.
With our human-centric approach, we aim to create an environment where your people can do their best work and truly enjoy being there.
So, if you’re ready to go beyond ‘just an office’ and build a workspace that embodies your vision, supports productivity and fosters wellbeing, we can help. Schedule a consultation today.
FAQs
What is the best office design for productivity?
The best office design for productivity depends on your company’s culture and the type of work being done. Generally, spaces that balance focus and collaboration tend to be the most productive.
How do I start designing an office layout?
Start by identifying your team’s needs and how they work best. Consider factors like collaboration frequency, privacy requirements and movement flow. From there, create zones for different activities: focus areas, breakout spaces, and social zones.
Also think about ergonomics, lighting and acoustics. Consulting a professional architecture or design firm can help translate your vision.
What are the latest office layout trends?
Modern offices are embracing flexibility, biophilic design and wellness-driven spaces. Popular trends include:
Hybrid-friendly layouts with hot desks and collaboration hubs
Sustainable materials and energy-efficient designs
Natural light and greenery to improve focus and mood
Technology integration, such as smart booking systems and acoustic pods
Which layout is best for hybrid work?
A hybrid or activity-based layout works best. Features like hot-desking, shared meeting rooms and collaboration zones make it easy for both in-office and remote employees to connect.
About Us
Archtur Pte. Ltd. Is an interior design and architecture firm focused on crafting and delivering purposeful, people-centred spaces.
Led by the principles of UX (user experience) design, our holistic approach enables the firm to create meaningful spaces that anticipate and adapt to ever-evolving modern-day needs. The commitment to delivering user-centric spaces is seen at the heart of the business; a dedication to rethink and rewrite the narrative of architecture, by embracing the future of spatial experiences.
Based in Singapore, the home-grown architectural practice is helmed by founder and principal architect Ar. Jonathan Lim, who has served in the industry for over 20 years, across varying capacities as an architectural student, registered architect, contractor, and property developer.
Comments