Can 'phone booths' solve the problem of open-plan offices?

Can Phone Booths Save the Open-Plan Office?

The open-plan office was one of the defining workplace design trends of the past two decades. By removing walls and enclosed offices, organisations hoped to foster collaboration, flatten hierarchies, and create a more dynamic, connected working culture. The results have been decidedly mixed.

Research has consistently shown that while open-plan environments do improve certain types of informal communication, they significantly harm deep, focused work. The constant ambient noise, visual distractions, and lack of privacy create a working environment that many employees find exhausting and unproductive — particularly for tasks requiring sustained concentration.

The Phone Booth Solution

Acoustic phone booths — freestanding, fully enclosed individual workspaces — have emerged as one of the most effective responses to this problem. They don't require structural changes to the building. They can be positioned, repositioned, and even moved between offices as needs change. And they provide something the open plan fundamentally cannot: genuine acoustic isolation.

The best phone booths, like those from Framery in our range, achieve sound reduction levels that rival a conventional office room. They include ventilation systems, integrated lighting, power points, and laptop surfaces — everything needed to work comfortably for extended periods.

Not a Compromise — A Complement

Phone booths work best not as a criticism of the open plan but as a complement to it. The ideal modern office provides a spectrum of environments — from fully open collaborative spaces through to fully enclosed private booths — and gives employees the autonomy to choose the right environment for the task at hand.

That's the workplace of the future. And it's available now. Browse our phone booth range or contact us to discuss options for your office.