Question

Employees face challenges with the open-plan office. What is the main issue mentioned in the passage?

a) Excessive noise from volume wars
b) Allergies due to pets brought to work
c) Lack of conventional cubicle farm
d) Frequent conflicts between employees

Answer 1

The main issue with open-plan offices is the excessive noise, or 'volume wars', due to the absence of sound-isolating cubicles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main issue with open-plan offices as mentioned in the provided passages is the excessive noise, which can also be described as volume wars. This is indicative of the challenge that such an office layout creates when employees are not segregated by cubicles, which can help to maximize individual workspace while also offering a degree of acoustic isolation. This noise can be disruptive, leading to decreased productivity and increased stress. Moreover, the lack of conventional cubicle structures may contribute to the challenges in open-plan offices, not only in terms of noise but also by contributing to a sense of lack of privacy.

However, options 'b', 'c', and 'd' (allergies due to pets, lack of conventional cubicle farm, and frequent conflicts between employees) might also be valid concerns in different contexts but are not specifically addressed in the passages provided.