Sometimes taking down walls and cubicles to improve interaction, collaboration and creativity can have unintended negative consequences.

“The intent of taking away dividing walls and doors is usually to improve creativity and performance by fostering spontaneous fun, interaction and sharing,” says Professor Cummings of Victoria University in New Zealand.

“However, we found evidence that it can lead to attempts by employees to re-create spatial and social structures and boundaries, actually undermining the behaviours an organisation is trying to encourage.”