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Open offices are a dead end

nytimes.com

31–40 of 307 posts

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#31
I think offices are a dead end.

With 4G, Slack, Zoom, and Google Docs we're able to work from anywhere. No need to commute anymore. And no need to constrain your team to the city you have an office in.

The only thing is that remote should not be an afterthought but you should organize for it https://about.gitlab.com/company/culture/all-remote/ just like you invest time to run an office.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#32
post #23

Unpopular opinion, but I actually think open offices make me more productive. When I'm in a private office, the temptation to watch YouTube, or otherwise read/do unrelated work stuff is much higher. However, I do like having a private office to eat lunch.

Unpopular, yes, but you're not wrong because you're talking about only yourself.

I think the point many people are trying to make is that open offices decrease productivity for most people.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#33
post #14

In the four years at my current company we went full cubes -> half cubes (you get like 2-3 regular walls and one baby wall) -> open office -> open office no assigned desks. I can't wait to see the next iteration on this.

We're gonna get those pods they have in Tokyo hotels, next. Screen right above you, integrated keyboard/mouse on your legs, your hands just rest on that as you lie down. Get slotted into a rack and work... It's the future!™

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#34
post #14

In the four years at my current company we went full cubes -> half cubes (you get like 2-3 regular walls and one baby wall) -> open office -> open office no assigned desks. I can't wait to see the next iteration on this.

Remote work with compulsory video surveillance and screen snapshot uploads?

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#35

If I could craft the perfect job for me, the one I work at would be it - an intelligent straightforward manager who will speak his mind bluntly and can take it just as well as he can dish it out. He’s mostly concerned with results not whether you kiss his ring. - small company without a lot of bureaucracy -- I have full access to our entire AWS infrastructure - relatively generous PTO - a decent free family health pl…

I have all that at my current job except for "up to date ...", we're in a mature/declining market so it doesn't feel as exciting.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#36
post #23

Unpopular opinion, but I actually think open offices make me more productive. When I'm in a private office, the temptation to watch YouTube, or otherwise read/do unrelated work stuff is much higher. However, I do like having a private office to eat lunch.

Doing all of those things is not necessarily unproductive. You would be better off spending some time why you want do do those things and whether it’s a real problem.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#37
post #14

In the four years at my current company we went full cubes -> half cubes (you get like 2-3 regular walls and one baby wall) -> open office -> open office no assigned desks. I can't wait to see the next iteration on this.

next step is gonna be something shift-like. you are required to attend your tuesday and thursday standup meeting in person, and required to attend one or two other meetings/things per week in person, but you're not expected every day and you don't have a designated space.

its the worst of both worlds, you "mostly work from home" but still have to do almost the same amount of commuting and live in the same cost-of-living area.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#38
post #8

I have a visceral response to that photo in the article. I do not need folks right on top of me like that. My solution is that I often wear Shooting Earmuffs (you guys who listen to music all the time, i don't get it, i can't do that) to lower my awareness of all the chatter... even when I do have an office. Fortunately folks around me are understanding.

> you guys who listen to music all the time, i don't get it, i can't do that Basically, it's just background noise to drown out other people. I don't listen to the music I really like when I'm working, I listen to quiet stuff that won't distract me; rather than what I most enjoy and on which I would want to focus.

I do use background noise like rainy mood when I want to so I get that.

But songs with words or that go too fast for my liking, can't do it.

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#39

If I could craft the perfect job for me, the one I work at would be it - an intelligent straightforward manager who will speak his mind bluntly and can take it just as well as he can dish it out. He’s mostly concerned with results not whether you kiss his ring. - small company without a lot of bureaucracy -- I have full access to our entire AWS infrastructure - relatively generous PTO - a decent free family health pl…

Do you own noise cancelling headphones? Mine are worth their weight in gold to me (Sony W-something 1000x Mk2).

Re: Open offices are a dead end

#40
open offices are plain and simple about two things, neither of which is related to worker health or productivity.

cost: open offices, once built out are cheap in terms of cog pers square foot. marketing: airy, light, trendy open office make great photos.

I knew my present company had succumbed to the disease when a request for whiteboard desk dividers was denied because, to paraphrase: 'they don't fit in with the airy flow we were going for'

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