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“Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

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Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#211

Post by correctbattery »

correctbattery wrote: post #210
JohnBooty wrote: post #160

I would literally switch jobs (and perhaps careers, if every company was like this) if forced to work in an open office like this. I cannot work that way; I can't focus. I realize that I'm adding nothing constructive to this thread; I don't care. Maybe some manager somewhere will see this and a hundred other anecdotal opinions and think twice about open offices. I am the opposite of a prima donna. I just want to work…

I hear you. I work at Facebook, albeit in Seattle. Honestly, I'd prefer private offices too. I prefer complete silence for coding. (Okay, occasionally jazz, classical, or video game music.) I don't get that with our open plan office. BUT! 1) I can work from home as often as I want 2) we get free, very high quality headphones, and 3) there are quiet spaces I can use when necessary. Coming from Microsoft, I miss privat…

One reason I rent a two bedroom apartment is so that I can have an office at home.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#212

Post by MeganS »

monk_e_boy wrote: post #16
phildougherty wrote: post #11

I've worked in offices with cubes, in co-working spaces, remotely (for a long time), and now in an open plan with around 200 people.. I have never been more productive than the time I worked remotely. The constant distractions in an open plan are bad enough with 200, I can't even imagine how it is with thousands.

I don't like people looking at my screens. I've never had a problem with the quality or quantity of my work, but as soon as someone see youtube open blasting out music. Hackernews, reddit, facebook all open, someone soon complains. That's just how I work. I think of it like a sausage factory, the boss loves the product but doesn't want to know how it's made. Leave me to work in my own way.

"I think of it like a sausage factory..."

I know you didn't intend it in that way but considering tech's rampant misogyny leading to the systematic exclusion of women, using a phrase also used to imply an all-male space is potentially triggering to women and non-gender binary folks in the tech space. So don't use terms like that in the future. Thanks.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#213

Post by testingonprod »

tdicola wrote: post #207
Fiahil wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, obviously, but how is it possible for the building to withstand the weight of the dirt, grass and trees?

With columns: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Column

Interesting technology, this Column. Thanks for sharing!

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#214

Post by Jonovono »

JohnBooty wrote: post #160

I would literally switch jobs (and perhaps careers, if every company was like this) if forced to work in an open office like this. I cannot work that way; I can't focus. I realize that I'm adding nothing constructive to this thread; I don't care. Maybe some manager somewhere will see this and a hundred other anecdotal opinions and think twice about open offices. I am the opposite of a prima donna. I just want to work…

I always think the best would be a bit of both. Having the option to go in a private room and do your work or work out in an open area with people where you can easily throw around ideas and what not.

But i've never had a problem in an open space. You don't wear headphones or a way to indicate to others to not disturb you? And surely you can see where some of the other things you talk about are good for you right? 'catered lunches, well ventilation/heat' etc. If you don't have to worry about those things that's less for you to worry about and you can focus on working! :)

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#215

Post by encoderer »

JohnBooty wrote: post #160

I would literally switch jobs (and perhaps careers, if every company was like this) if forced to work in an open office like this. I cannot work that way; I can't focus. I realize that I'm adding nothing constructive to this thread; I don't care. Maybe some manager somewhere will see this and a hundred other anecdotal opinions and think twice about open offices. I am the opposite of a prima donna. I just want to work…

I think most individual engineers are more productive coders in a private room. And here, many of us retire often to a comfy chair or a quiet corner when we need uninterrupted focus.

But my team is far more productive across non-coding tasks by being adjacent to each other. And anybody who felt very strongly about not sitting with the team would, in my opinion, not fit in as well here.

My point is: the feeling would perhaps be mutual. And it's OK: every person is not made to work at every company.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#216

Post by JohnBooty »

threeseed wrote: post #29
noddingham wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You and all the research seems to agree. Of course, the anecdotal evidence outliers will disagree, but I don't see how there's a debate anymore when you look at productivity.

I don't know if the research is that crystal clear right now. I have no doubt that developers will write more code whilst in offices free of distraction. But the question is do they miss out on key business knowledge by not being around other people. Especially if they are in Agile feature teams.

The debate isn't whether or not collaborative work is highly beneficial. It is highly beneficial. Crucial, even.

The debate is about whether or not we want to force employees to exclusively in a collaborative way, with no reliable option for quiet solo work -- as many of these "open office" workplaces do -- is a good idea.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#217

Post by bdamm »

benihana wrote: post #195
logicallee wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Why don't you take a nice walk to clear your mind. Might I suggest our 9-acre roof which is a park?"

The thought of going for a walk and only seeing my coworkers sounds horrible and not very clearing.

9 acres can distribute quite a few scattershot engineers.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#218

Post by MeganS »

tomjakubowski wrote: post #84
deeviant wrote: post #6

Pretty soon, offices will be filled with chairs the fit two and three-person keyboards. I don't even want to think about how the whole "open office" philosophy will influence future restroom design.

Okay, this is not really on-topic at all. But someone has finally given me the opening to rant about the state of public restroom design :-) I spend a lot of time working out of cafes, both for my job and when I'm working on some personal project. ~4-8 hours a day in a cafe plus a coffee every 90 minutes or so and plenty of water means I have a lot of experience with coffee shop public restrooms. And almost all of th…

As a transitioning (pre-op) m2f trans person, I couldn't agree more. Even places that pride themselves on being "accepting" and "open" are still horribly oppressive on this issue. Since I identify as female but was not blessed with the feminine appearance to make my transition unnoticeable (I'm 6'3, overweight, and have substantially thinned/receded hair), I am constantly having to justify my right to ignorant people who are outraged that I happen to have to use a public restroom occasionally.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#219

Post by mb_72 »

deeviant wrote: post #6

Pretty soon, offices will be filled with chairs the fit two and three-person keyboards. I don't even want to think about how the whole "open office" philosophy will influence future restroom design.

No, I think the future is in vertically stacking employees, Japanese capsule hotel style: http://capsuleinn.com/info/img/thum_05.jpg Also, no names needed, just numbers.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#220

Post by rhino369 »

bane wrote: post #96
cylinder wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where's a photo of this massive open floor?

It looks kind of like this, except with computers and people sitting at them http://boysandfrogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/costco2.j...

I'd die of glutteny with 1.50 hotdogs and coke.
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