I’m wondering if there are any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices to individual non-executive-level employees. I find that I am extremely unproductive in open office workspaces. I can never concentrate due to all the noise and visual distractions. Putting on headphones isn’t an option. Are they any places that offer something like this? Are private offices really such a rarity now?
Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
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Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#2I've been working as a web developer for the past 5 or so years and am yet to see one that wasn't taken by senior management and even then it's only 2-4 of them. I don't think real estate companies have many available anymore. I'm sure it's better for them to say "this is a 100 person open-office" than "this fits 50 private offices". This is Australia so YMMV in the states.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#3Ah, the ultimate luxury... There is a long discussion on the benefits of private offices in Peopleware, which says that Microsoft has them (although this was 1999): http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/67825.Peopleware
Recently, I heard of the "cave and commons" approach, which sounds more like it could be adopted by hip startups: https://hbr.org/2013/03/give-workers-the-power-to-choose-cav...
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#4I also have the same predicament as you, I simply _cannot_ focus in open office environments and I'm not even sure why so I can't curb the problem. I'm not sure if it's a feeling of being watched, or a feeling of uncertainty in my surroundings... or even if it's the possibility of being surprised/interrupted from behind.
Eitherway, I'm trying to push the idea of working from home- people aren't very receptive but after I've shown them I'm a good worker they'll be surprised when I finally get my wish and suddenly become significantly more productive.
the alternative of course is smaller offices for 3-6 people, I've only seen that in one place in my professional life and that was Nokia R&D in Helsinki where isolating teams was necessary for security reasons.
That was actually really nice.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#5I've been working as a web developer for the past 5 or so years and am yet to see one that wasn't taken by senior management and even then it's only 2-4 of them. I don't think real estate companies have many available anymore. I'm sure it's better for them to say "this is a 100 person open-office" than "this fits 50 private offices". This is Australia so YMMV in the states.
Surely it's up to the business leasing the premises to do the fit out?
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#6I also have the same predicament as you, I simply _cannot_ focus in open office environments and I'm not even sure why so I can't curb the problem. I'm not sure if it's a feeling of being watched, or a feeling of uncertainty in my surroundings... or even if it's the possibility of being surprised/interrupted from behind. Eitherway, I'm trying to push the idea of working from home- people aren't very receptive but aft…
I work in an office of 12 and it's a reasonable number.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#7Ah, the ultimate luxury... There is a long discussion on the benefits of private offices in Peopleware, which says that Microsoft has them (although this was 1999): http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/67825.Peopleware Recently, I heard of the "cave and commons" approach, which sounds more like it could be adopted by hip startups: https://hbr.org/2013/03/give-workers-the-power-to-choose-cav...
i think i've heard of the ideal of commons + private/quiet space too, if i recall that option is mentioned in peopleware too.
(anecdote: i am currently sitting in low cubicles in the middle of a huge open plan space, with a couple of neighbouring developers, we're surrounded by about two rings of people whose jobs involve talking all day. this is okay for days that descend into endless meetings / firefighting, but pretty nightmarish for work that involves thinking hard about anything)
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#8Ah, the ultimate luxury... There is a long discussion on the benefits of private offices in Peopleware, which says that Microsoft has them (although this was 1999): http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/67825.Peopleware Recently, I heard of the "cave and commons" approach, which sounds more like it could be adopted by hip startups: https://hbr.org/2013/03/give-workers-the-power-to-choose-cav...
Some teams in Microsoft still had private offices at least in 2015, although many teams had moved to an open office.
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#9Ah, the ultimate luxury... There is a long discussion on the benefits of private offices in Peopleware, which says that Microsoft has them (although this was 1999): http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/67825.Peopleware Recently, I heard of the "cave and commons" approach, which sounds more like it could be adopted by hip startups: https://hbr.org/2013/03/give-workers-the-power-to-choose-cav...
[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Are there any tech companies in the Bay Area that offer private offices?
#10Cost wise, seems feasible on a sqft basis (assuming a small office - cubicle equivalent). And I don't imagine the fit-out would be significant on a long lease.
Average for bay area is $40/sqft/yr https://42floors.com/office-space/us/ca/san-francisco-bay-ar...
Office size data (small office ~100 sqft) https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-average-square-footage-of-...
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