The Open-Office Trap
newyorker.com
The Open-Office Trap
1–10 of 194 posts
Re: The Open-Office Trap
#2Everyone seems to hate open offices, but since it's all I've ever known, what's the alternative? Everyone get a 4-walled office?
Re: The Open-Office Trap
#3[deleted]
Re: The Open-Office Trap
#4Most people in our large open plan office now wear large noise cancelling headphones in an attempt to drown out the gossip by the coffee machine, the colleague behind making a phone call with details far too personal to be sharing/scaring with us, the drone of many printers and photocopiers, inane ringtones, someone laughing far too loudly, and the person who eats with their mouth open and smacks their lips. But otherwise, yeah, go open offices.
Re: The Open-Office Trap
#5Everyone seems to hate open offices, but since it's all I've ever known, what's the alternative? Everyone get a 4-walled office?
Yes.
Re: The Open-Office Trap
#6I had one experience in an "open office" for approximately six months. It was terrible, constant shuffling of people to acquire the plethora of free food available. Nerf Gun wars and the constant click clack of ping pong approximately 30 ft. away. This article has offered me some vindication in my distaste for the "open office".
Re: The Open-Office Trap
#7Re: The Open-Office Trap
#8Everyone seems to hate open offices, but since it's all I've ever known, what's the alternative? Everyone get a 4-walled office?
If Rands in Repose didn't have such cryptic titles, I could link you to a blog post from http://randsinrepose.com/ which argued that yes, individual offices would be ideal, while also having common areas for brainstorming.
Re: The Open-Office Trap
#9Everyone seems to hate open offices, but since it's all I've ever known, what's the alternative? Everyone get a 4-walled office?
Can put max 3 people per office. People can move together to an office if they share a common task. Then switch around as tasks change.
But it is important to keep distractions out especially for creative positions.
Also everyone is different so maybe some people prefer the open floor and they should be allowed to work there too. But forcing everyone to do it, I think is misguided.