Open Space Offices

Chaos Black

Who thought it would be a good idea to adopt this human Petri dish experiment as the norm in modern offices?! Does anyone actually prefer it to closed offices?

To a paint a picture, it’s winter, colleagues to your right, left, front and back, the air is dry, heating too dam high and once one person comes down with the latest plague, everyone gets a dose! The open space is supposed to promote collaboration. Hah! It’s like working in a loud call centre and the game is can you concentrate whilst Mary two rows down is discussing her consistency of ****s and John to your left is having an argument with the wife on his phone.

Sometimes I go toilet just to think.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but in mine, anyone who likes open space offices, is a masochist!

MLC_biker

Interesting article on the topic Why You Can Focus in a Coffee Shop but Not in Your Open Office https://www.hbrascend.in/topics/why-you-can-focus-in-a-coffee-shop-but-not-in-your-open-office/

Chaos Black

That is pretty interesting. If the evidence shows open space offices are counter productive, then why keep them? (lower initial costs I guess..)

Also isn't data protection a big thing now?! I have all kinds of confidential data on my monitor that others would not have access to, and visa versa.

Archeron

Bang of other people's farts

poo poo

Have you brought this up with HR? Your creativity and health are suffering and may lead to increased sick days!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

poo poo wrote: »

Have you brought this up with HR? Your creativity and health are suffering and may lead to increased sick days!

It's civil service clerical work, so it doesn't matter.

But if we did away with open plan offices, how would we smell our colleague’s microwaved fish lunch?

4068ac1elhodqr

'Cube Farms' horrible.

Not just call centers, but even well paid specialist professionals suffer from this most lazy use of spatial design concepts.

poo poo

Houston Easy Steakhouse wrote: »

It's civil service clerical work, so it doesn't matter.

You dont really need to go in at all then do you??

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

poo poo wrote: »

You dont really need to go in at all then do you??

Not me, the OP.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Chaos Black wrote: »

That is pretty interesting. If the evidence shows open space offices are counter productive, then why keep them? (lower initial costs I guess..)

Also isn't data protection a big thing now?! I have all kinds of confidential data on my monitor that others would not have access to, and visa versa.

Privacy filter

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Chaos Black wrote: »

I have all kinds of confidential data on my monitor that others would not have access to, and visa versa.

And you keep it secure by locking the screen when not at your desk etc. That is no different than if you had an individual office, to be fair.

_Brian

Oh Jesus it’s the bain of my life.

I only spend maybe 10% of my time in our office but it’s a truly horrible place. Cramped spaces, no privacy, idiots shouting on the phone, one guy just watches tv programs, one group just openly moan and bitch about whoever isn’t in the office at that time, swearing, constant childish sexual innuendo.

I can’t stand the place. My boss is a decent guy and he feels the same. I’m just gone to the stage I just nip in to collect post and use the printer. The rest of my time I spend out on the road.

I’ve worked in similar spaces before but we had high sided dividers so you had some privacy and we had an agreement to keep phone conversations quiet.

_Kaiser_

We've recently moved buildings and the new one was designed largely around this concept. There are very few actual offices with short-term meeting rooms being the preferred solution by whoever designed the place.
I've worked in "cube farms" before which at least had high-sided partitions between every 4 desks, but this one just has what are effectively benches with a low divider between rows.

It's grand I suppose if you sit at your desk all day taking calls or similar... If you deal with confidential information, calls and mails about the team/department you manage, or work say in HR, internal Finance, Recruitment etc.. not so much!

It's annoying me so much that I'm actively looking for another job. It's not the sole reason, but it's helped bring things to a head for me lately.

Hector Bellend

You cant pick your nose in peace

the purple tin

On the bright side they inspired the excellent comedy series the office.

poo poo

the purple tin wrote: »

On the bright side they inspired the excellent comedy series the office.

And that other one,

The office

the purple tin

poo poo wrote: »

And that other one,

The office

The american version you mean?

Beasty

poo poo wrote: »

Have you brought this up with HR?

One thing I've found with HR is they always like changing things "for the better", and every new HR director looks to put their stamp on an organisation. For example, when I started, they were called Personnel - then they became Human Resources, then Human Capital, and then back to HR

Of course open plan allows you to get more people into the same space - improve efficiency, reduce costs. Then a change at HR results in a "review" of things, and the new HR director decides you need "private" cubicles to discuss confidential matters. Then a new head of HR come along keen to make his impression and decides it would be better to get rid of a few staff, freeing up space to allow "shared" offices....

Of course, the HR director must have his own office to allow him to consider these "innovations" in private

Not that I'm complaining - had my own office for the past 30 years:)

poo poo

the purple tin wrote: »

The american version you mean?

Really?

whisky_galore

Our offices were converted from self contained separate offices to a mix of open plan and individual offices....the boss and management kept their own offices but "steerage class" were funted into open plan hell. Can't concentrate when someone else is talking loudly or making noise. It's a complete pain in the hole. And the other annoying thing is the amount of eavesdropping the boss does on the conversations of others.

Gunslinger92

The worst thing about it for me is that quite often I'd be dying for some fresh air and would love to open the window but one person who sits in my section is always, always cold. never wears a jumper or cardigan either! Gah

uck51js9zml2yt

Gunslinger92 wrote: »

The worst thing about it for me is that quite often I'd be dying for some fresh air and would love to open the window but one person who sits in my section is always, always cold. never wears a jumper or cardigan either! Gah

You don't have to be in open plan to have those idiots. The true is in the reverse as well. Too hot but wearing a jumper and window/ door closed.


We're moving to an open plan building this year. Should be fun!

Kamili

Its the two guys opposite me snorting up their runny noses making pig grunting noises and coughing up the phlegm that I can deal with.

Vulgar and disgusting.

astrofool

It's mad, there's some genius out there who is managing to convince highly paid professionals that the best working environment is a Dickensian workshop layout, despite most innovation coming from wholly different working environments.

I also suspect this same person accidentally ordered thousands and thousands of benches, which seem to be replacing the classic L desk, despite the bench having less workspace area, while largely taking up the same amount of space.

It's a trend that some companies are now backing away from as productivity drops, but there is still some idiots who haven't caught up with it yet, and think it's edgy and that products are delivered by pushing people closer and closer together rather than actually doing work. (I'll just grab that idea cloud above your head, push it into our idea cloud code generator and ship it and start making mega bucks!!, we're so innovative and collaborative!)

moonlighting_1

While working at a computer i need piece ,quite and privacy. Most modern offices are a joke.
I was in face-book down in Dublin and my jaw dropped at the open space design. the whole place reminded me of a kindergarten.
so glad when i work on my own projects i can do it from home.

Reati

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

We've recently moved buildings and the new one was designed largely around this concept. There are very few actual offices with short-term meeting rooms being the preferred solution by whoever designed the place.
I've worked in "cube farms" before which at least had high-sided partitions between every 4 desks, but this one just has what are effectively benches with a low divider between rows.

It's grand I suppose if you sit at your desk all day taking calls or similar... If you deal with confidential information, calls and mails about the team/department you manage, or work say in HR, internal Finance, Recruitment etc.. not so much!

It's annoying me so much that I'm actively looking for another job. It's not the sole reason, but it's helped bring things to a head for me lately.

Somewhere in South County Business park by any chance?

namloc1980

Work in an open plan office and the constant interruption from others is absolutely the most annoying pay. I can't get 5 minutes work done without someone coming over. They just assume as it's open plan you're available to answer their query whenever they want. And most of the time it's stuff they should be referring to in their procedures etc.

Birneybau

Hector Bellend wrote: »

You cant pick your nose in peace

That's what the disabled toilet is for.

Also, earphones are a godsend in open plan office.

Ush1

Houston Easy Steakhouse wrote: »

And you keep it secure by locking the screen when not at your desk etc. That is no different than if you had an individual office, to be fair.

It's totally different. Random people can't see your screen in an individual office.

seamus

The problem here is multi-factorial. Some types of work flows best in an open plan; work where interaction is constant and necessary. Things like call centres, admin jobs. Places which suit colleagues being able to chat openly and approach each other without barriers.

Of course, someone decides that if this model works for one type of employee, then it must work for them all. And before you know it, everyone is working in an open plan desk, because why wouldn't it be OK that colleagues can just walk up and talk to the people they need to, regardless of what they're doing? Who doesn't benefit from permanent personal interaction?

It's cheaper of course than putting up partitions too, so the balance sheet looks good.

But then the complaints come in - the engineers can't focus, the accountants have to wear headphones to drown out their colleagues, marketing are constantly being bombarded with stupid drive-by questions.

"Can we have offices?"

"Oh, no, then the call centre will feel like you're being treated favourably! If we give marketing an office, everyone will want one! Offices are for management only, and it has to stay like that in order to be fair".

Open-plan was already popular when I started working, but I've seen it eroding further and further over time. From the cube farme, they took down one wall, so now you only had three - the wall in front and on either side.

Then they lowered the height of the walls, so you could see everyone around you.

Then they took away the two side walls, so you just have one big long desk that everyone sits at.

Next thing the divider in the middle will be removed.

Then they'll get rid of any additional monitors, so that everyone is just working off a laptop around a big communal table and it feels like you're in a permanent meeting.

In all seriousness I'd take a €5k pay cut for a cubicle with a door of any kind. Not even a roof, just a cubicle with five foot walls and a poor excuse for a door.

jimgoose

I blame weird-beard, woolly-hat-wearing Hipster arseholes and their bean-bags and foosball and such.

Dial Hard

I've been working since 1999 and open-plan was the norm even then. I'm actually surprised at how many people have worked in companies with a different set-up. I've spent my entire career in open-plan offices. Only once did I have my own office, and I hated it, I felt really isolated.

namloc1980

seamus wrote: »

Next thing the divider in the middle will be removed.
.

One of our offices was recently renovated and they literally took away all the dividers, even the ones in the middle. They also took away the desk pedestals and everyone now has a tiny locker thing at the end of the room. It's like school but for adults, ridiculous. Apparently it's great for collaboration though!

griffin100

I went for a job interview last summer for a role I was really interested in. Good money and quiet senior with confidential aspects so assumed an office of my own. Was left waiting to be interviewed in the reception at the front of a large open plan noisy cramped area........and yes this is where I would be seated. At the desk closest to me were two ladies slagging of a colleague to each other. Got offered the job and turned it down. The open plan wasn't the only reason but it helped make the decision easier ( I checked Glassdoor later and the open plan office was listed as a big negative about the place). I haven't worked open plan in about 15 years and swore I never would again.

Beasty

namloc1980 wrote: »

Apparently it's great for collaboration though!

Organising a strike?

Cordell

Hector Bellend wrote: »

You cant pick your nose in peace

You can, you just have to acquire the skill needed as to ignore the disgusted looks of your colleagues.

jimgoose

namloc1980 wrote: »

...Apparently it's great for collaboration though!

Everyone seems to wear headphones all the time to prevent being constantly distracted.

whisky_galore

namloc1980 wrote: »

Apparently it's great for collaboration though!

So was Vichy France.

Screw that.

the purple tin

poo poo wrote: »

Really?

Yep https://www.amazon.co.uk/Office-American-Workplace-Season-Complete/dp/B00JEZM1OU
It's quite good but it overstayed its welcome a bit.

Aglomerado

jimgoose wrote: »

Everyone seems to wear headphones all the time to prevent being constantly distracted.

I'm the only one who wears headphones in my office. And I get called out on it because occasionally one of the others can hear my classical music that I use to concentrate.

The only reason it's so loud is because that particular colleague bellows in the office all the time!

I'm pretty antisocial, but if being social means having to feign interest in sport, Eastenders, babies, "cupcake" recipes then I'll crank up the volume, thanks.

givyjoe

Chaos Black wrote: »

Who thought it would be a good idea to adopt this human Petri dish experiment as the norm in modern offices?! Does anyone actually prefer it to closed offices?

To a paint a picture, it’s winter, colleagues to your right, left, front and back, the air is dry, heating too dam high and once one person comes down with the latest plague, everyone gets a dose! The open space is supposed to promote collaboration. Hah! It’s like working in a loud call centre and the game is can you concentrate whilst Mary two rows down is discussing her consistency of ****s and John to your left is having an argument with the wife on his phone.

Sometimes I go toilet just to think.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but in mine, anyone who likes open space offices, is a masochist!

I have a pair of these 'fcukoff/shut up' noise blockers. Life saver when needing to concentrate.

Aglomerado

givyjoe wrote: »

I have a pair of these 'fcukoff/shut up' noise blockers. Life saver when needing to concentrate.

I had a set of those in an old job where I was in a warehouse a lot. They were attached to a hard hat!
I'm a civil servant now, I wish I had them still!

wakka12

I don't mind open plan if its open but subdivided into rooms. Like say you work with 10 or 15 or so people in a slightly smaller room, and everyone sits facing the perimeter wall. Thats fine I think..you don't have to constantly face somebody, and can turn around if you want to speak to somebody.

In some larger offices though they don't subdivide their floor space at all and so if everybody faced a wall and nobody sat in rows int he middle a lot of space would be wasted. And thats what I hate, being in the middle facing people constantly. it feels like primary school and is draining

biZrb

I work in an open plan office with short dividers between desks, I'm sandwiched between two sections of the business that are on the phones the most, so its incredibly noisy with nothing to absorb the noise. I also have a bloke behind me with an abnormally loud voice that is the type of person to tell the person next to him all the details of the phone conversation he just had, so I basically hear what he's just said, all over again.
The type of work that I do involves reading technical information so I need to be able to concentrate, but I can't with the level of noise in the office. Thankfully I have a demo room that I can hide in that's lovely and quiet.

salmocab

I’m in an open plan office it’s well spaced out, no dividers. Nobody has an office even all the managers and bosses just have a desk. Our teams are split up so I sit with half my team and the other half are the other side. All the teams are pretty much split up. It works well we have lots of meeting rooms and even random sofas for a chat. I like it. No phones on our desks.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I hope and pray I will never ever again have to work in a big open plan office. It's like being a battery hen or something.

I've had my own office for the last few years and the bliss of being able to keep out of most of the office bitching and politics and speculation and come and go without everyone knowing my movements is brilliant.

Aglomerado

Amelia Tight Luck wrote: »

I hope and pray I will never ever again have to work in a big open plan office. It's like being a battery hen or something.

I've had my own office for the last few years and the bliss of being able to keep out of most of the office bitching and politics and speculation and come and go without everyone knowing my movements is brilliant.

+1. At this time of year my colleagues are up and down looking out windows to see who's got the shiny new 181 in the car park and commenting on it.

mcfitness20

the only time i had to share an office it was a nightmare
i had to start drinkin early in the morning just to be able to face into it
any way i was wheeling on dealing on the telephone
and the boss sitting across from me
only lasted 2 days there