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Ending the open office epidemic

wildbit.com

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Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#61

Post by washadjeffmad »

Between industry, offices, and schools, I bring earplugs with me everywhere and hand them out to people who have to work in these types of environments.

A lot of the time, people can't get away to hear themselves think, and it stresses them out more than they realize. Imagine never feeling like you're as focused and productive as you're used to being and the impact that might take on your self appraisal; it's like never being able to get comfortable in bed, night after night. Using the plugs helps people get away mentally and maintain their focus when they can't separate themselves from their environment.

Also, the people who might more casually chatter at you stop when they notice you've got them in without you having to decide whether to be polite and acknowledge them, which besides sparing your focus might help the ones who have a harder time controlling their socializing reign theirs in.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#62

Post by warfangle »

cnagele wrote: post #12
athenot wrote: post #8

I remember the library at my university being excellent at getting me in the "flow". It's not so much about "open office vs private office" as it is the expectation in those places. I'm toying with the idea of recreating a library-like environment that is super quiet and zen-like, but not limited in number of people. Go there for flow-type work. On the flip side, have a cafe-like environment for animated collaboratio…

That's a great point. It reminds me of the "Library Rules" at the 37 Signals office: https://signalvnoise.com/posts/3357-an-office-with-ldquolibr... At the same time, I think visual distractions also need to be taken in consideration.

Visual distractions are huge. Huge huge huge. As someone who has trouble concentrating in the first place, tiny visual distractions (even just someone shifting in their seat in the peripheral) are enough to pull me out of flow.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#64

Post by baddox »

rdtsc wrote: post #3

Open office "advantage" is the story owners who can't afford to pay for a better location tell the developers. Sort of like the guy whose car broke so he is taking his tractor to work. He would tell the world how tractors are so much better and have all these great advantages compared to regular cars.

That doesn't seem to explain, say, Facebook's massive new office with an open plan. I suspect they could have afforded more walls.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#65

Post by skriticos2 »

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…

Asking someone a quick question while they are in the middle of something is a good way to break their focus. It takes a lot of effort to "get into the zone", so you will not only lower the productivity of the person you "ask a quick question", but you'll also make him frustrated. He may even get a head-ache. How can you live with yourself?

This mostly applies to jobs which involve a higher degree of complexity, like programming.. but as you are on HN, I assume you meant something IT related.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#66

Post by vitd »

I'm glad someone's talking about this. There was some talk of moving my office to open-space, and I've tried hard to discourage it because it would make me less productive.

One recommendation to wildbit, though - that staircase with the neon-green diagonal lines may make some people nauseous as they walk down it. We have one similar to it in one of our offices and some employees have to avoid it because they get vertigo walking down it.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#67

Post by xorcist »

michaelochurch wrote: post #25
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.

3D is the open-plan future. Glass partitions at every multiple of 7 feet, going up to 35. (Those anachronistic things called floors will be ripped out, of course. You just need strong glass that can support the weight.) If you're female, don't wear a skirt to work unless you're seated on the bottom level.

Not if you're male either. Please.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#68

Post by jared314 »

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…

> My screen's big enough where visual noise isn't an issue.

> I've got good headphones

You may not have issues with open-office plans, but you did find a way to add the walls back.

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#69

Post by JonLim »

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.

At this point, I come in late and leave early without feeling any shame at all. I bang out the work I need to and get going.

Any office or managers who feel the need to make note of when I enter and exit is a great red flag for the rest of the organization. Just a personal observation!

Re: Ending the open office epidemic

#70

Post by trose »

jared314 wrote: post #68
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…

> My screen's big enough where visual noise isn't an issue. > I've got good headphones You may not have issues with open-office plans, but you did find a way to add the walls back.

sure, but they're more like screens that can be looked around or removed.
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