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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?

#31

Post by fyfy18 »

dtech wrote: post #16
tintor wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Noise cancelling headphones will cancel low frequency sounds like fans / AC, but not high frequency ones like talking and phones.

Have you tried one? Mine significantly dampens and distorts speech so that it becomes easy to ignore. It's a recent Sony top-model, which from reviews seems to be on the top together with Bose regarding NC technology at the moment.

I recently bought a set of MDR-1000X and this is how they behave. At work I’m sat next to the sales team, and without them I wouldn’t be able to do any work.

When they are on, but not playing music, I can still hear loud voices but it’s significantly dampened (like in the room next door).

With music playing, at a relatively low volume, I can’t hear anyone - unless someone is shouting right next to me.

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

#32

Post by sametmax »

Any companies whose business model is security may want to avoid open spaces. Among those I worked with, like some chip makers (gemalto, safran, etc), space agencies (the CNES comes to mind) or banks (labanquepostale/banque populaire have a few old school offices, bank of luxembourg has lots open plan though).

I don't think founders think the geeks wellbeing is ever a criteria to choose a floor plan. Money, space and ability to check on your team mates are the first points.

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

#33

Post by fbonawiede »

I’m guessing it is a combination of cost and constant team growth. Liquidity is a scarce resource for startups and investing in a larger office than necessary for the time being requires too much capital.

At our startup, Delibr, we try to combine these conditions with personal preferences. We are 6 people and 3 of us have our own rooms.

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

#34

Post by sametmax »

rdl wrote: post #26
wskemper wrote: post #20

I work for Viasat; all of our new-build offices in the past few years have been designed around what we call the neighborhood concept. A neighborhood is a set of individual offices (maybe 60sqft-ish?) with three solid walls, and one glass/wood wall with a sliding door. All the offices open into a central room that can be outfitted in a bunch of different ways. There are neighborhoods of different sizes, and basically…

That's the office concept I've always wanted to build. It would be cool if someone from the company could document it/blog post/etc. -- might be good for recruiting too. (Especially since Viasat does pretty cool stuff -- excited about the new Exede sat expanding coverage...) I was thinking it would make sense to have roller doors or some other way to open the entire side of the office (on both sides -- "neighborhood"…

+1. I'm interested in a rough blueprint too.

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

#36

Post by scruffyherder »

kamaal wrote: post #24

Never understood the rationale behind open floor offices. I currently work in a cubicle set up, and people set up war rooms anytime they want close collaboration. Open offices seem to take this exceptional case and make it the norm. At the same time open floor offices cause a lot of trouble to people in non-exception situations.

Facilities gets a different budget than operations. It's OK to spend $150k for an engineer that can't concentrate from the noise, but $1k to make him productive is out of the question, and out from another budget!

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

#37

Post by FanaHOVA »

sametmax wrote: post #32

Any companies whose business model is security may want to avoid open spaces. Among those I worked with, like some chip makers (gemalto, safran, etc), space agencies (the CNES comes to mind) or banks (labanquepostale/banque populaire have a few old school offices, bank of luxembourg has lots open plan though). I don't think founders think the geeks wellbeing is ever a criteria to choose a floor plan. Money, space and…

I know from experience that a few banks have open office spaces with hot desks. (Clearly not for all employees, but part of their tech staff works like that)

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

#38

Post by sametmax »

stacksavings wrote: post #3

why not just find remote work positions and set your own environment?

I mostly remote work and love it.

But it's not for everybody.

It involves:

- being able to motivate yourself;

- being disciplined;

- being autonomous;

- being capable to communicate efficiently asynchronously, with time and space constrains on limiting medium;

- accepting less social time;

- juggling private and pro time/space. Which includes your friends and family. My GF still hasn't get used to the fact that when I'm home working, she should consider I'm not home. It makes things harder.

Honestly, you should never, on hiring, accept remote work right away. First, assess the person on site on all those points for a few months, then make a short test of remote, then decide. And don't be afraid to say no.

I know more devs that are not fit for remote that devs that are, despite most of them stating the contrary. Particularly, a lot of my colleagues can quickly work on a non priority topic if left unchecked, just because they don't have the client as a priority, but the tech. You can loose a lot of time to this.

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

#39

Post by inopinatus »

Best office I ever worked in (in both productivity AND developer happiness) was subdivided into 4m x 4m rooms each with two or three developers, wood panels between adjacent rooms, glass corridor walls with privacy frosting, and floor-to-ceiling glass exterior walls with Melbourne city and parkland views. Each space was decorated and equipped as the occupants pleased. Company was acquired in 2004 and that office sadly no longer exists.

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

#40

Post by threeseed »

dsq wrote: post #25
tintor wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Noise cancelling headphones will cancel low frequency sounds like fans / AC, but not high frequency ones like talking and phones.

My Bose Quiet Comfort 20 in-ears are excellent for machine noises like air conditioners in server rooms or traffic drone but terrible for voices or radio.

Not sure why this was downvoted. They basically don't work at all for voices.
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