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Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

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Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#11

Post by M_Grey »

deathanatos wrote: post #7

I feel like the article ascribes way too much to the "control" aspect. In my experience, the truth seems closer to the "ignorance" than to "malice"; companies are lazy : they see other companies touting their open floor plans — big ones, like Facebook! — and think, if Facebook is doing it, it must be good! That, and/or it's just cheaper / easier to cram people into an open floor plan than trying to figure out walls.…

Agreed, but if you're on the receiving end, how much will you care about parsing the motives of the horrendous conditions you find yourself in? Mostly, if you're wise, you'll just want to avoid those conditions.

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#12

Post by thesmallestcat »

headcanon wrote: post #8

I think it really depends on the company, and the interior architecture of the office. We have what is considered an open floor space, but have rooms available for private meetings and for heads-down working. Couple that with a headphone-respecting and results-only culture (as in, nobody cares if they see you on facebook, you're only judged on your overall output) and I don't really have a problem with it. Its also n…

I don't want to have to wear headphones.

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#13

Post by [deleted] »

CuriouslyC wrote: post #6
toomuchtodo wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's actually generous of you. After working remote for almost 3 years, I won't even consider a position that requires me to go into an office.

If only big corporations realized what a massive productivity boost working naked is.

[deleted]

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#14

Post by sotojuan »

thesmallestcat wrote: post #12
headcanon wrote: post #8

I think it really depends on the company, and the interior architecture of the office. We have what is considered an open floor space, but have rooms available for private meetings and for heads-down working. Couple that with a headphone-respecting and results-only culture (as in, nobody cares if they see you on facebook, you're only judged on your overall output) and I don't really have a problem with it. Its also n…

I don't want to have to wear headphones.

> but have rooms available ... for heads-down working

Seems like you don't have to.

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#15

Post by thesmallestcat »

sotojuan wrote: post #14
thesmallestcat wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't want to have to wear headphones.

> but have rooms available ... for heads-down working Seems like you don't have to.

Is it so much to ask for silence at my own desk?

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#16

Post by loco5niner »

sotojuan wrote: post #14
thesmallestcat wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't want to have to wear headphones.

> but have rooms available ... for heads-down working Seems like you don't have to.

So, I can make one of those rooms my permanent office? Ok, I'm down with that. Otherwise, it's not the same thing.

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#17

Post by loco5niner »

headcanon wrote: post #8

I think it really depends on the company, and the interior architecture of the office. We have what is considered an open floor space, but have rooms available for private meetings and for heads-down working. Couple that with a headphone-respecting and results-only culture (as in, nobody cares if they see you on facebook, you're only judged on your overall output) and I don't really have a problem with it. Its also n…

> We have what is considered an open floor space, but have rooms available for private meetings and for heads-down working.

Turn that around: "We have private offices for programmers, but an open space for collaboration when suitable."

Now that's more like it.

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#18

Post by pushECX »

loco5niner wrote: post #16
sotojuan wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but have rooms available ... for heads-down working Seems like you don't have to.

So, I can make one of those rooms my permanent office? Ok, I'm down with that. Otherwise, it's not the same thing.

I basically did this at my job. The open office chatter and sounds really affects me, and I really don't feel like pumping more sound into my ears all the time just to drown out the sound I don't want to listen to. So, I started grabbing the same small private space in our office every day and worked there all day long. Now everyone knows it as my "office", even though it's mostly said as a joke.

Re: Dear recruiter, “open floor space” is not a job benefit

#19

Post by headcanon »

thesmallestcat wrote: post #12
headcanon wrote: post #8

I think it really depends on the company, and the interior architecture of the office. We have what is considered an open floor space, but have rooms available for private meetings and for heads-down working. Couple that with a headphone-respecting and results-only culture (as in, nobody cares if they see you on facebook, you're only judged on your overall output) and I don't really have a problem with it. Its also n…

I don't want to have to wear headphones.

For what its worth, I actually don't most of the time. A bit of ambient chatter doesn't really bother me, however that is of course down to personal preference. We try to accommodate people's working habits, but the floor I'm on is relatively quiet since its all technical folks (we have the sales people on another floor where they can chat away)
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