>“This is more like a bar or a club than a workspace,” said the local member of provincial parliament, taking in the scene.
Sounds like a scene from Brave New World. Is everyone on soma?
Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
121–130 of 316 posts
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#122This is definitely the most common response I hear to shared/open offices ... but dang it, I love them (part time)! I go into a co-working space once or twice a week, and wfh the rest of the time. When I'm there, I enjoy being around people who can relate to what I'm doing (even if it's just as simple as a knowing nod when I comment on a tough bug I'm troubleshooting). And if I need to focus, headphones easily place…
> (part time) That is a too important distinction to be left on a small parenthesis without relevance. Yes, part time shared/open offices are good. I would still argue that real offices let you create a better interactive environment than those, but they are perfectly ok for the amount of time you must go out and talk to somebody. Just don't expect anybody to create anything when forced to work on one of those full t…
I parenthesized it on purpose ... because _for me_, it's a small detail; personally, I really enjoy being in open office environments, even if it was full time ... and I feel fully productive there. The part time thing is more a mix of laziness and enjoying going to lunch with my wife ;)
But back to the point I was trying to make, this works _for me_; and I acknowledge that it doesn't work for others. I was only trying to balance the discussion such that it's not assumed that everyone despises open office plans, because it's not universal.
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#123I work in a shared office / coworking space. We have 3 desks in a large open plan office with a kitchen area. It's about 10 feet from my desk. Most of the time it's just me from our company as the other devs work from home or work out the main office. My experience of working in this shared space: * It's noisy. I mean really noisy, noise cancelling headphones are a must. Like I said the kitchen area is near my desk,…
> The kitchen area, despite being an office staffed with supposed professionals, is always a mess. How does this happen? It's a common space, so it's nobody's. Especially in an environment like that, a collection of separated individuals
Especially if part of the fee you pay is ostensibly meant for cleaning staff.
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#124Earlier quoted context omitted.
> If this is the future of tech work, then I guess I'd better find another career--perhaps gardening or wood-working? Exactly. I can't imagine working in an environment like that. You don't want to hear me playing Smooth by Neil Cicierega[1], and I don't want to hear you playing rap. A work environment is not the place to be playing music for everyone around you. Constant generic music is the worst part of retail, an…
This is totally tangent to the coworking discussion - but honestly mouth moods is a work of art and Neil is a genius. If anyone hasn't heard it, play T.I.M.E.[0] its really unexpectedly good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsoCe7C4Kmk
I only recently realized that he's also Lemon Demon, who wrote and performed The Ultimate Showdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WgT9gy4zQA
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#125> WeWork offers freelancers a chic workspace and beer on tap—but are people productive? Not really. That was my experience at a WeWork space in London. It was not quiet (glass walls), it was hard to focus, social events starting at 4pm (who finishes work at that time?), and if you end up being close to the common spaces, near the kitchen… well, I suggest you get a good pair of sound cancelling headphones.
I finish at 4... But everything else you say is correct. Headphones are a must in a shared office.
I finish at 4 as well, but I get to office at 6:45 :)
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
Drinking at work is one of the absolutely worst traits of tech. Not only is it totally unprofessional, but things like ‘Friday beers’ are actually presented by companies as a benefit, and you face major social and professional consequences for not participating. It’s obscene.
Every company offering "friday beer" I've worked at also offered the beer for free and up to an hour of extra paid break. Drinking the beer was never an obligation and there's always non-alcoholic alternatives. This gave us an opportunity to meet with all the other teams / departments. Sure, I would rather be at my local microbrewery drinking stout with my friends rather than drink cheap pilsner at work but it has it…
Yea, there is a huge difference between “Beer Friday night after work is done” and “Second Bottle of Wine Tuesday morning.” I’ve seen both.
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#127Earlier quoted context omitted.
I know you may have meant it sarcastically, but woodworking has a lot of traits that appeal to a software developer. I do it as a hobby and if I wasn’t a software engineer I would probably have a woodworking business of some sort. Better to be a programmer in a woodworking shop than woodworker in a WeWork.
I wasn't being sarcastic; I have seriously considered, especially recently after a couple of terrible work experiences, completely changing my life and getting away from tech forever. My young son loves working with his hands, so I've been considering picking up some power tools and such and learning something completely different. :)
You should definitely pursue this! Even if you stay in tech, at worst you pick up a hobby that you love, and at best you find your life's calling :) Nothing wrong with diversifying your interests ;)
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#128What do y'all think of the effect of 'beer on tap' on this atmosphere at Wework?
Do any of you like to drink while working?
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#129Earlier quoted context omitted.
Probably because research dating back to 1980s (see Peopleware) shows that shared offices are objectively less productive and result in less happy workforce?
It’s been awhile since I read it, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought peopleware was advocating for the same as the GP - mixed spaces that suit the individual preferences of teams/individuals.
It was advocating for more old Microsoft-style layout, with a few smallish private offices (2-4 people IIRC) and common spaces for debates/planning/socializing between them.
Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
> No one talks to anyone from other companies, to the point of awkwardness Haha yeah. It helps to have a few women around, but especially when there are lots of male IT coworkers present this is definitely a thing.
Yes! Men and women actually work better together than groups composed of just men or just women [1] [2] The thinking is, men prefer taking risks, while women prefer to limit risks. In cooperation, men can push women to see the benefit of a risk (and in turn she gains more experience of risk), and women can push men to hold off of risks that might be detrimental. Women are good at synchronizing group thought, in that…
Fully agree. Narcissistic men are annoying - I don't get how they seem to lack self-awareness, and they are toxic for teamwork. Not that women don't have their downsides, too - some can be neurotic, but at least the bitchy ones tend not to work in IT. I'm really glad we have a few female developers.