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Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

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Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#241

Post by briandear »

ebbv wrote: post #207
briandear wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except that isn’t true. Ergo is a really big deal at Apple. You get a standard chair, but you can have an ergo evaluation and they’ll buy you whatever chair you need if your existing chair isn’t correct. Nobody is spending their work day on benches; that’s a fact.

This seems like something you should have replied to the parent with. I wasn't asserting what happens at Apple, I was reacting to what he said. If he is making stuff up, call him out not me.

You are correct. Apologies. My intent was to respond that you wouldn’t face such conditions. Def should have been on the parent comment though!

I’d quit too if I had to work from a bench all day!

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#242

Post by detaro »

bayonetz wrote: post #239
motohagiography wrote: post #176

Funny behaviors from an open office plan I experienced: - tribes claiming spaces: there was a couch area where a natural affinity group formed based on common personality types typical of urban/suburban tribal divide. developed an in-group/out-group mentality. a counter group formed in a lunch area. - posturing: top tech individual contributor used main boardroom for "really important video conference meetings," and…

@xiphias comment shouldn’t have been flagged. The same priority-based booking nonsense happens in our open floor plan. Similarly, you need to be important enough to have priority. We love touting how “we are so flat hierarchy that our CEO doesn’t even have a office!”...except he just has a conference room permanently booked instead.

The specific comment isn't flagged (it would be marked as such otherwise), the user has been banned.

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#243

Post by tonypace »

jupp0r wrote: post #224
motohagiography wrote: post #176

Funny behaviors from an open office plan I experienced: - tribes claiming spaces: there was a couch area where a natural affinity group formed based on common personality types typical of urban/suburban tribal divide. developed an in-group/out-group mentality. a counter group formed in a lunch area. - posturing: top tech individual contributor used main boardroom for "really important video conference meetings," and…

A cynic could argue that only an open office plan made this toxic work environment transparent to you.

The visibility is part of the problem. In itself it's distracting. The problem is when it's seen to work, thus encouraging others to imitate.

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#244

Post by lawnchair_larry »

yoda_sl wrote: post #143
ghostcluster wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except that the gigantic multibillion dollar new space ring was explicitly designed around big open office units, long tables with bench seating , and the 'privacy pods' are exposed clear glass on all sides..

Slightly incorrect! The offices there vary in size from one person to up to a dozen. A lot of offices in various sections of the ring accommodate 2 persons. Yes there is a big glass/sliding door but from what I have seen when closing the door it is quite soundproof (unlike some small conference room). And they provide inside each section different zone with huge whiteboard and sofa/chairs to help facilitate brainstor…

No they don’t. They pretty famously refused to relocate to the new space and there was a lit of outrage and rebellion. It’s awful.

https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apple-employees-hate-appl...

http://calnewport.com/blog/2017/09/01/apples-new-open-office...

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#245

Post by OnlyRepliesToBS »

motohagiography wrote: post #176

Funny behaviors from an open office plan I experienced: - tribes claiming spaces: there was a couch area where a natural affinity group formed based on common personality types typical of urban/suburban tribal divide. developed an in-group/out-group mentality. a counter group formed in a lunch area. - posturing: top tech individual contributor used main boardroom for "really important video conference meetings," and…

Sounds like typical shitty decision making.

Bet its cheap though.

That's the bottom line.

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#246

Post by rustykittens »

motohagiography wrote: post #176

Funny behaviors from an open office plan I experienced: - tribes claiming spaces: there was a couch area where a natural affinity group formed based on common personality types typical of urban/suburban tribal divide. developed an in-group/out-group mentality. a counter group formed in a lunch area. - posturing: top tech individual contributor used main boardroom for "really important video conference meetings," and…

I'm sorry you worked with such shitty people. I have worked with such people in the past and I'm happy to have moved on. I personally find it hard to focus without headphones in that kind of space.

I can't really find much meaning in "aesthetic of a kindergarten or hipster daycare" though. People tend to fill hipster with an image of all the qualities they dislike in people. It's a modern scapegoat that has wide appeal because everyone thinks the other guy is the hipster. I think in a lot of peoples minds hipster means immature and facile which helps the reader to feel better about themselves as mature, dutiful and more deeply insightful. I'm sure you weren't using it so divisively but imo that is how it works.

What exactly was the space like?

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#248

Post by Bartweiss »

jupp0r wrote: post #224
motohagiography wrote: post #176

Funny behaviors from an open office plan I experienced: - tribes claiming spaces: there was a couch area where a natural affinity group formed based on common personality types typical of urban/suburban tribal divide. developed an in-group/out-group mentality. a counter group formed in a lunch area. - posturing: top tech individual contributor used main boardroom for "really important video conference meetings," and…

A cynic could argue that only an open office plan made this toxic work environment transparent to you.

A bunch of those definitely look like "being a jerk" problems where the open office only drove a specific incarnation.

The tragedy of the commons part, though, looks like a structural problem to me. It's pretty common to want a discussion with 3-5 people for 5-10 minutes. With offices or even cubes, you can just have that in the workspace. With open plan, you either annoy everyone around you or book a conference room, which takes it away from standard users.

I'm not sure what anyone at the peon or even manager level can do about this, except try to keep meetings short or relegate them to slack/email. It really is a design issue.

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#249

Post by mixmastamyk »

aphextron wrote: post #135
hordeallergy wrote: post #94

It's not acceptable. I've moved from a dev background to having a go at sre/devops/something-or-other; work aside, the culture is excrutiating, with people shouting across the office all day. Best case, someone talking to themself hour after hour, as if anyone wants to hear that. The idea that open floor plans are productive is farce. I effectively have two jobs, the first being just trying to get any work done.

It's also extremely unhealthy. I've never been so sick in my entire life as since I started this job a year ago. Literally herded like cattle into an open air room with hundreds of other people from all around the world coughing and sneezing in your face all day. I'll never ever accept another position with this kind of setup.

Getting sick is what exercises the immune system, it’s good for you in the long run. However I suspect you are vitamin D3 deficient also, try a supplement.

Re: Ask HN: What are some tech companies that do not use an open floor plan?

#250

Post by ben509 »

farnsworthy wrote: post #205
DisruptiveDave wrote: post #170

I juuuust got off a catch-up call with an old college buddy who works at one of the big wireless companies. He described what I read about here on HN and in some blog posts: The company completely changed its "culture" in a desperate attempt to "attract millennials" (and be on trend). Moved to an open floor plan where nobody has an assigned desk. You literally cannot leave anything overnight or you get some sort of a…

Open plan verdict: Too much mayo.

The Simpsons were close: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X25rP4rTw3A
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