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I used to work at FB and the huge, open offices were one of my least favourite parts about the job. I worked in the London office for a year and that was actually a little better because it's smaller and generally quieter there, but the three years that I did in the Menlo Park offices were not particularly fun for all the reasons described. It's very difficult to concentrate when there's constant background noise. Me…
The only things I've heard about Facebook's office, from Facebook employees, is the constant, ongoing battle to keep people from playing noisy games during work hours. The ping pong table has become a battleground.
A colleague put in a facilities ticket on the morning of the second day we were there to get the table relocated. Facilities couldn't find anywhere else to put it (because it would've meant simply disrupting someone else's area) and so the table was removed and put into storage. This caused a huge outcry from the ping pong players, but did have the upside of allowing us as developers to do our jobs.
I saw the whole situation as quite ridiculous, given that we were all at work in a company office and getting paid to code rather than to play ping pong. The counter-argument was that the removal of a ping pong table was the thin end of the wedge and the sign that FB was slowly becoming corporate and losing its hacker soul. I guess I can see the point, but the reality is that ping pong is a brilliant game until you have to sit near the table and try to work.
I work in an open office, and have been to Facebook's open office campus many times. I love working in an open office, and think Facebook's campus looks excellent. I think the disadvantages of open offices are radically exaggerated by people who have difficulty imagining how easy it is to book a small conference room for yourself for a few hours, to walk away to a hotel desk in a more quiet part of the office, or (mo…
So open offices are wonderful if you go out of your way to avoid the aspects that make them horrible.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Short of a private office, this would be my top choice. But the big thing, I think -- Put a wall between the hallway and the work area. Too many irrelevant people have irrelevant conversations when they're walking by and it's distracting.
On a related note, people who have a job requiring them to be constantly on the phone should not be placed within earshot of people who need to focus. Sales and support need to have walls between them and developers. Trying to code while someone is on the phone 4-8 hours a day is debilitating.
I used to work at FB and the huge, open offices were one of my least favourite parts about the job. I worked in the London office for a year and that was actually a little better because it's smaller and generally quieter there, but the three years that I did in the Menlo Park offices were not particularly fun for all the reasons described. It's very difficult to concentrate when there's constant background noise. Me…
I used to work at FB and the huge, open offices were one of my least favourite parts about the job. I worked in the London office for a year and that was actually a little better because it's smaller and generally quieter there, but the three years that I did in the Menlo Park offices were not particularly fun for all the reasons described. It's very difficult to concentrate when there's constant background noise. Me…
did you mean potted plants, rather than pot plants?
I didn't know about the Facebook open-plan office, but I just went through the interview process for a similarly well known company, and everything saw at the interviews and on videos of their offices was the opposite of good.
But it never occurred to me to shy away from the job because of that.
I am sure they know these offices are bad for productivity, but for some reason they like to buy expensive real-estate, the inefficiency is paid for by the savings on rent.
I used to work at FB and the huge, open offices were one of my least favourite parts about the job. I worked in the London office for a year and that was actually a little better because it's smaller and generally quieter there, but the three years that I did in the Menlo Park offices were not particularly fun for all the reasons described. It's very difficult to concentrate when there's constant background noise. Me…
Huh, when I interned at Facebook in the new, open floor building, not only was noise not a problem, I could always walk to one of the many mini-lounge/libraries for absolute silence when I needed to. Plus, headphones and ear plugs are always offered, if I recall.