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Ending the open office epidemic

wildbit.com

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Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#51

Post by aqme28 »

koof wrote: post #38
lallysingh wrote: post #36

I guess I'm in a real minority here, but I'm pretty happy with open-office. Some qualifiers: - The team has a good culture of respecting each other, and we're busy enough not to want to banter too much outside of certain times (e.g., lunch, when we see it already going on, etc.). - I've got good headphones hooked to a 24-bit-DAC'd USB amp. I don't hear anyone unless I'm trying to. - My screen's big enough where visua…

If you are listening to headphones loud enough to block out other conversations, you are almost certainly going to damage your hearing.

Not if the headphones are good at noise isolation, which most are.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#53

Post by greggman »

kazinator wrote: post #23

Open offices instantly "out" anyone who comes late, leaves early, takes a 2.5 hour lunch breaks, or surfs the web instead of working. And that's really the whole point. It's why they are popular in Japan, together with the fact that thanks to the open structure, transgressor can apologize in front of everyone at once.

Is that really issue in SV?

I never noticed anyone caring that someone came in early, arrived late, left early or left late or taking a long lunch. They cared they got their work done in a reasonable amount of time.

That certainly the attitude I saw at Google. I assume it's the same at Facebook. Work wherever (office, home, coffee shop) and whenever you want. VC in for meetings if you're not on site. Get your work done.

Note: I also worked in Japan for 7 years. Both Japanese companies, both there was at most one other non Japanese employee in my division. One had strict hours, the other not. Of course the strict one effectively took roll call. But the other didn't. The strict one started with team cubes, switched to open office when they moved to a smaller place where there wasn't enough room for partitions. The other had personal-ish cubes. Most people had their own cube with partitions high enough you couldn't see over them when sitting down but could when standing up. A few at the ends of aisle shared a space for 3.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#54

Post by pekk »

kazinator wrote: post #23

Open offices instantly "out" anyone who comes late, leaves early, takes a 2.5 hour lunch breaks, or surfs the web instead of working. And that's really the whole point. It's why they are popular in Japan, together with the fact that thanks to the open structure, transgressor can apologize in front of everyone at once.

Do people at your workplace actually have anything to get done, or is their performance entirely based on hours spent in a certain fenced off area?

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#55

Post by greggman »

trhway wrote: post #17

office -> cube -> open floor plan -> next? what can be even worse than the open floor? Transparent floors? No walls at all? I'm sure in a few years we'll know.

for tech it's VR. Why have a 24 or 30 inch monitor when I can slip on a DK6 and have room sized displays?

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#56

Post by cnagele »

MAGZine wrote: post #22

So, I've worked at what is essentially a F500 company, and am currently studying at University. My feelings: - I really like collaborative spaces/pods except when I'm trying to really hammer on work, independently. I don't like being isolated. If I come into the office at 7-or-8am before everyone arrives, those two hours will outstrip the rest of my day (except after 6pm). Noise, mid-afternoon, is especially bad and…

Your first point reinforces our decision on private offices. We encourage only working 8 hours a day. This way you don't have a chance to stay late or work long hours to find that "quiet time" when everyone is gone. It's up to us, the founders, to make sure you are productive during the day.

We believe that when you come to work you should make the best of those hours so you can spend the evening with your family, friends, or just relaxing.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#57

Post by trhway »

kazinator wrote: post #23

Open offices instantly "out" anyone who comes late, leaves early, takes a 2.5 hour lunch breaks, or surfs the web instead of working. And that's really the whole point. It's why they are popular in Japan, together with the fact that thanks to the open structure, transgressor can apologize in front of everyone at once.

>Open offices instantly "out" anyone who comes late, leaves early, takes a 2.5 hour lunch breaks, or surfs the web instead of working.

that is what basically everybody is doing around me. In that respect open office has helped to get rid of any sense of shame we may have been able to feel before. "Mass presence effect reinforced behavior" i'd say.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#58

Post by tarikjn »

I have reservations on WildBit's approach based on single person office cores. In my experience 2-4 person project spaces has been the ideal size. But it's their business, that might be what fits them best.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#59

Post by pekk »

trhway wrote: post #17

office -> cube -> open floor plan -> next? what can be even worse than the open floor? Transparent floors? No walls at all? I'm sure in a few years we'll know.

The future is years ago: jobs on many of the contracting sites require you to install software which allows employers to monitor your activity at all times.

It can't get worse until every typo is put onto a Jumbotron as you make it, and your progress is reviewed at daily standups where everyone is dressed except you

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#60

Post by blumkvist »

koof wrote: post #38
lallysingh wrote: post #36

I guess I'm in a real minority here, but I'm pretty happy with open-office. Some qualifiers: - The team has a good culture of respecting each other, and we're busy enough not to want to banter too much outside of certain times (e.g., lunch, when we see it already going on, etc.). - I've got good headphones hooked to a 24-bit-DAC'd USB amp. I don't hear anyone unless I'm trying to. - My screen's big enough where visua…

If you are listening to headphones loud enough to block out other conversations, you are almost certainly going to damage your hearing.

I wonder how people are so confident when they spew bullshit.
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