Take a moment to get up from your desk, if you aren’t already standing, and have a look around. If you see rows of desks, you’re in an open-plan office. And if you’re an introvert—one of those quiet, retiring types—you’re stuck in the ninth circle of hell. Most employers opt for open spaces in the name of collaboration and creative thinking, in spite of recent studies suggesting that the setup generates more energy-sapping distractions than electrifying ideas.