Open-Plan Office Could Be Making You Sick

Hey, cubicle farmers! A global study shows that working without walls can lead to all kinds of maladies

Attention, drones: You've always known you deserve an office with a door. But now, you have the statistics to prove why you need it. (Thanks, science!)

An Australian researcher canvassed the globe, studying employees whose work set-up involved few or no walls and found that the negative effects kept piling up: "higher levels of stress, high blood pressure, and high staff turnover. It even leads to more in-fighting among employees," they write over at Walletpop. (Plus: germ spreadage!)

Sure, open-plan offices may save a company about 20 percent upfront, WP posits, but how much is it going to cost them down the line? You know, when your working conditions have turned you into a pill-popping stress case with heart disease (or worse) who picks fights at the watercooler?

So march these stats into your boss' office and say that if they can't afford walls and a door for you, a cheaper solution may be telecommuting. Get those pajamas ready!

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
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