Boomers Don't Like Trend Toward Open Offices Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

Most Boomers Don t Like the Trend Toward Open Offices

But opinions improve if workspaces aren t noisy and distracting a survey finds

Getty Images We live in an era when open offices without walls — and sometimes without designated workspaces for individuals — are increasingly common. But boomers are less comfortable with that environment than younger generations, a new survey has found. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Only 41 percent of boomers are okay with sharing their office or workspace with a coworker , compared to 58 percent of Generation Z and younger millennials, 52 percent of older millennials and 45 percent of Generation X, according to the survey of 2,008 U.S. adults, of whom 1,114 were employed. It was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of real estate firm Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > But 69 percent of the boomers surveyed said they are comfortable with an open office as long as noise and distractions are limited, and the number rises to 73 percent if sufficient private space is available within the open office. In terms of amenities, the one most often valued by boomers is having enough parking (62 percent), followed by access to a food court, cafeteria or restaurant (61 percent), outdoor lounging space (42 percent), (38 percent) and the availability of a meeting space (37 percent). Proximity to retail shopping was another big plus for boomers, cited by 35 percent. They generally favored those benefits more so than younger workers. Some boomers also expressed an interest in having a designated space in the office to rest or take naps (27 percent) and having parking or storage options for alternative commuting options, such as electric car charging stations or weather-protected bicycle storage (26 percent). A quarter of boomers like the idea of “” workspaces designed for collaboration or brainstorming. Close to half of boomers (48 percent) think their office could make better use of its physical space. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS