The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
mattblodgett.com
The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
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Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#2[deleted]
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#3"If getting a desired product of work requires collaboration, then people will collaborate."
This is one of the main points of contention between the various parties, and defining whether or not something needs collaboration is often ignored.
The entire project might need degrees of input from multiple parties, but often what's needed is for one person to actually get something done, the invite collaboration/feedback/input. Forcing people to work together at every single step to get "collaboration" is simply wrong, but it's one of the justifications for "everyone in the same room."
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#4We don't need pages of workplace psychology to explain the open plan office.
Open plan just has lower visible costs. Twice as many workers per square foot is very compelling math.
The cost of lost productivity is hidden. The reduced cost of your office lease is very visible.
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#5As someone with the authority to make the necessary changes to our office environment, it frustrates me to read these kind of blog posts. I have read a couple dozen similar posts which merely complain about open offices, but offer absolutely nothing in the way of practical solutions.
We don't have the opportunity or space to give everyone their own dedicated office, and cubicles I'm sure would be a living hell. I've looking into draping fabric from the ceiling, but you'd be surprised how challenging the logistics of setting something like that is (there are very few products in the market to support fabric like this, and we can't drape them from the drop ceiling due to weight). I've looked into free standing walls, but they tend not to have the sound absorption that is typically desired.
I'd like, for once, to read an article about practical solutions to this problem rather than just another person complaining about open office spaces thinking they've stumbled upon some undiscovered idea.
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#6As someone with the authority to make the necessary changes to our office environment, it frustrates me to read these kind of blog posts. I have read a couple dozen similar posts which merely complain about open offices, but offer absolutely nothing in the way of practical solutions. We don't have the opportunity or space to give everyone their own dedicated office, and cubicles I'm sure would be a living hell. I've…
When you say cubicles "would be a living hell"...do you mean to pay for/set up or are you speaking to the actual cubicle work experience?
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#7As someone with the authority to make the necessary changes to our office environment, it frustrates me to read these kind of blog posts. I have read a couple dozen similar posts which merely complain about open offices, but offer absolutely nothing in the way of practical solutions. We don't have the opportunity or space to give everyone their own dedicated office, and cubicles I'm sure would be a living hell. I've…
The practical solution is to spend more money.
That means high-wall cubicles (6'-8') or private offices. Those have been the known solutions for forty years. I doubt other solutions exist.
Yes, this will cost more. No, there isn't a shortcut.
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#8As someone with the authority to make the necessary changes to our office environment, it frustrates me to read these kind of blog posts. I have read a couple dozen similar posts which merely complain about open offices, but offer absolutely nothing in the way of practical solutions. We don't have the opportunity or space to give everyone their own dedicated office, and cubicles I'm sure would be a living hell. I've…
In other words, you don't have the authority to make the necessary changes.
For best results, a commitment to private offices and natural light must be taken when office location is being chosen. It generally requires CEO level commitment. I've been lucky enough to work for a company that had this commitment. It was wonderful.
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#9As someone with the authority to make the necessary changes to our office environment, it frustrates me to read these kind of blog posts. I have read a couple dozen similar posts which merely complain about open offices, but offer absolutely nothing in the way of practical solutions. We don't have the opportunity or space to give everyone their own dedicated office, and cubicles I'm sure would be a living hell. I've…
I have the solution. It's simple, and humanity used it for a few hundred or thousand years.
If you want to see it in action, visit the University of Michigan law library. One of the top schools in the country.
"Be quiet." A huge building, full of people working, being quiet.
For the people who need to talk, put them in their own office(s), open or otherwise, separate from the people who need to be quiet to work.
Re: The Open Plan Office and the Extrovert Ideal
#10As someone with the authority to make the necessary changes to our office environment, it frustrates me to read these kind of blog posts. I have read a couple dozen similar posts which merely complain about open offices, but offer absolutely nothing in the way of practical solutions. We don't have the opportunity or space to give everyone their own dedicated office, and cubicles I'm sure would be a living hell. I've…
The practical solution is to spend more money . That means high-wall cubicles (6'-8') or private offices. Those have been the known solutions for forty years. I doubt other solutions exist. Yes, this will cost more. No, there isn't a shortcut.
I think you're right in that there's no cheap, quick fix here. With tech companies so flush with cash/funding, can they really not afford to do something? I don't think cheapness can describe what's going on.