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Offices have been slowly changing over the last few decades, but particularly since the global pandemic. Nowadays, open-floor plans tend to be the norm, with quiet or private spaces set aside. They are designed this way to encourage communication and collaboration within the workforce.

The best way to leverage open floor plans like this is with partitions, and these have become almost integral to modern office spaces.

But how do you use these internal partitions as effectively as possible?

1. Create glass meeting rooms

Whether you opt for frosted, branded or plain glass panels, these partitions can be a great way to create dedicated meeting spaces. The use of glass allows natural light to continue to flow throughout the whole office.

This helps to create a sense of space and is, therefore, the ideal solution in smaller offices. For extra privacy, you can use frosted glass so those in the room cannot be seen. And if you want to minimise noise disruption, opt for double glazing as well.

2. Go classic with screen dividers

Back in the 1980s, fabric screens were the norm taking up most of the office space to create lots of individual cubicles. While things have changed a lot since then, this idea still has merit, and nowadays, there is a whole range of different screen dividers you can choose from.

You can use these dividers to break up larger office spaces and to give employees a private space to work whilst also maintaining sight lines and allowing for conversation and collaboration.

Options available include glass, perspex, and acrylic, to name a few. But this will depend on the overall style of your office and the finish you want.

3. Suggest stand-alone collaboration spaces

In modern offices, lots of individual cubicles aren’t always feasible or necessary. However, stand-alone cubicles can be a great way to create meeting areas or break-out spaces without dividing up the whole floor plan.

There are lots of exciting options for stand-alone cubicles, and you could even have two or three of these if needed. These can be little pods that are more soundproof or collaborative spaces.

Alternatively, sleek glass panels and open roofs can be perfect for assigning a dedicated space without breaking up the room too much. Again, the glass will allow plenty of light to flood the room and ensure the space itself is well-lit.

4. Consider portable partitions

There is no reason why these partitions need to be a permanent fixture or that you need to make any final decisions on where they should be fitted in the office. You can maximise efficiency and create dedicated meeting spaces using portable partitions.

These are typically on wheels and are easy to move about as and when you need them. They can then be tucked out of the way when they are no longer needed. This can be really helpful in a small space or if you have a large office and not enough meeting rooms.

These can also come in handy when hosting events in the space. Just be aware that these will not soundproof the area, so you need to make sure this will not be disruptive to the office environment.

5. Soundproof with internal stud walls

Finally, if you need a private space for more sensitive conversations, you might want something a bit more sturdy and acoustically sound. Stud walls can be installed with relative ease using metal or timber studs.

Again, there are lots of different ways this can be done, and ultimately, you can choose the finish on these walls by painting them so they can be any style you want. You might opt for multiple stud walls, or you could also include a glass screen or two to let the light in.

Either way, you can add insulation to these partition walls to ensure that sound does not escape and that there is a truly private space to conduct important business meetings.

One of the other benefits of using stud walls in this way is that you can make this space as big or small as possible, so it is fit for purpose and suits your business needs.