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Open offices are a dead end

nytimes.com

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Re: Open offices are a dead end

#41

Post by cameronbrown »

adamnemecek wrote: post #6

I wonder if remote work will become standard.

Not gonna happen. Working in an office is cultural, and as long as the majority of jobs require presence (read: almost every non knowledge-worker job) it won't change.

Personally I don't like the idea of remote work anyway - I think we're missing a lot of valuable bandwidth. We're social creatures and no amount of technology will change that. That being said, I think the option should be there for those who disagree with me.

A good middle ground would be a mix of remote and in-person work.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#44

Post by Rainymood »

I don't have an issue with open offices per se but the person in front of me is from another culture and is literally 24/7 in skype calls which distracts me to no end, and the worst part is the he/she is literally /burping and farting/ without any shame. And I don't mean once a day, no, constantly burping and farting, it's honestly disgusting.

/rant

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#45

Post by 0xffff2 »

eli wrote: post #26
sct202 wrote: post #14

In the four years at my current company we went full cubes -> half cubes (you get like 2-3 regular walls and one baby wall) -> open office -> open office no assigned desks. I can't wait to see the next iteration on this.

Cubes are worse than open office IMHO. You get roughly the same noise and distraction but it's also harder to actually talk to or collaborate with your neighbors.

Same auditory distraction (which might not be much depending on your coworkers), but much less visual distraction. I’d much rather have cubes.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#46

Post by stevesearer »

In some ways open office designs are a symptom of company cultures that do not value deep work more than the perceived value open plans offer such as cost savings or "collaboration".

From my vantage, there are quite a few more companies installing places for deep work in offices.

But even if companies install these spaces, if the company does not value deep work away from your primary desk, employees will feel discouraged about using those facilities.

It was probably the same culture disconnect for companies who would put a ping-pong table in the office even though deep down they would not actually want staff spending time utilizing them during the day as opposed to sitting at their desk working.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#47

Post by duxup »

mlthoughts2018 wrote: post #27
duxup wrote: post #8

I have a visceral response to that photo in the article. I do not need folks right on top of me like that. My solution is that I often wear Shooting Earmuffs (you guys who listen to music all the time, i don't get it, i can't do that) to lower my awareness of all the chatter... even when I do have an office. Fortunately folks around me are understanding.

Unfortunately, noise reduction is not a very important part of it. The problem is a genuine need for actual privacy and isolation in order to engage states of flow required for depth of technical knowledge work. There’s no way to avoid it: all knowledge workers even in dense urban areas need to be afforded a reasonable private office with a door that shuts, and it should be viewed as a basic tool necessity like a key…

Agreed. My earmuffs are not a total solution.

You also need to limit things like visual things, potential interruptions, etc.

I actually used the "mother's room" at a place I worked for that from time to time. Good lighting, quiet, comfortable, PRIVATE. Granted I made sure nobody needed it, but it was a small office so I was reasonably sure that there would be no conflicts.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#48

Post by smt88 »

andreygrehov wrote: post #3

I hate open offices. What software companies offer at least cubicles?

I spent two weeks on-site with a client at WeWork.

They had a large, glass-windowed open office overlooking the city. It was a beautiful office and view. It had a relaxed, social atmosphere.

Predictably, despite all those things, everyone fought over the tiny, phone-booth-sized desks that WeWork offered in the hallway. There was barely enough room for a single person and laptop -- basically an upright coffin with a glass door. And yet they were always occupied, even by people who weren't on calls.

Basically the most pleasant open office experience I've had, and people were still fighting for cubicles.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#49

Post by big_chungus »

duxup wrote: post #38
big_chungus wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you guys who listen to music all the time, i don't get it, i can't do that Basically, it's just background noise to drown out other people. I don't listen to the music I really like when I'm working, I listen to quiet stuff that won't distract me; rather than what I most enjoy and on which I would want to focus.

I do use background noise like rainy mood when I want to so I get that. But songs with words or that go too fast for my liking, can't do it.

Yep, my music is moderately-paced and doesn't have words. It's not that different from background noise with a little tonality. I tried rain and slower music, but they made me somewhat drowsy.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#50

Post by fwsgonzo »

MadWombat wrote: post #30
adamnemecek wrote: post #6

I wonder if remote work will become standard.

It is already becoming much more accepted than it was a few years ago, but remote work comes with its own set of problems and nuances. Companies tend to worry about accountability a lot more, mixing work life and off work life is hard, especially if you have a family with kids, having to define your own structure is hard etc.

Not only that but you won't get all the information, the informal stuff, and you will never get promoted.

Still, it's better than the alternative.

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