Open offices are bad for us

Post by christophilus » Wed, Jan 11, 2017, 5:04 PM UTC

jasode wrote: post #96

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strangely, open offices with cubicles can be more expensive than building drywall walls to make closed offices. And the much-vaunted flexibility of cubicles is way, way overrated. In my experience, cubicles sit in the same place for years. Any benefit of re-using them is lost. Also if the company is growing, new ones get bought all the time, so old ones aren't re-used anyway. Its obvious on the face of it: re-usable…

>We need some kind of vaccine to combat it. The vaccine is a startup that is 10x (or even just 2x) better than everyone else because they use private offices. Since that hypothetical business hasn't yet proven that idea, all the articles from journalists writing about "open offices bad" are just preaching to the choir. Even the common cited reason for open offices being "saves real estate costs" is questionable. As a…

Post by hvidgaard » Wed, Jan 11, 2017, 5:06 PM UTC

jasode wrote: post #96

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strangely, open offices with cubicles can be more expensive than building drywall walls to make closed offices. And the much-vaunted flexibility of cubicles is way, way overrated. In my experience, cubicles sit in the same place for years. Any benefit of re-using them is lost. Also if the company is growing, new ones get bought all the time, so old ones aren't re-used anyway. Its obvious on the face of it: re-usable…

>We need some kind of vaccine to combat it. The vaccine is a startup that is 10x (or even just 2x) better than everyone else because they use private offices. Since that hypothetical business hasn't yet proven that idea, all the articles from journalists writing about "open offices bad" are just preaching to the choir. Even the common cited reason for open offices being "saves real estate costs" is questionable. As a…

Post by christophilus » Wed, Jan 11, 2017, 5:07 PM UTC

Post by chinathrow » Wed, Jan 11, 2017, 5:07 PM UTC

Arizhel wrote: post #158

daemoncoder wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One doesn't actually have to listen to anything through the headphones. I've used noise cancelling without music in the past. I also have a set of earbud rubber thingies that have been stoppered with hot glue and a short piece of hollow lolly stick. Those fit better (don't feel itchy after long periods) and provide more isolation than the squishy yellow ear protectors.

Nose canceling headphones don't work for blocking conversations.

Post by hx87 » Wed, Jan 11, 2017, 5:08 PM UTC

ionised wrote: post #164

pmcollins wrote: post #119

You could just wear ear muffs and mostly solve the noisy office problem. I wear them when I'm not listening to music and have improved my productivity and happiness at work. (And this is at a cubicle office which is still quite noisy.) http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-P...

You also have visual distractions in an open office. I've just had at least a dozen people walk past my line of sight in the last minute and and it's distracting as hell for me.