Except that when you actually do have individual offices, it's a sunk cost, and the productivity gains easily offset and pay off the initial outlay. It is only

Except that when you actually do have individual offices, it's a sunk cost, and the productivity gains easily offset and pay off the initial outlay. It is only really start ups that cannot afford to do this. Ironically because they have a small number of employees, open plan offices do work for them because they have fewer employees.