> "If managed carefully and actively, they can work -- it just takes an manager willing to correct bad behavior or send sick people home." That's not a solutio

> "If managed carefully and actively, they can work -- it just takes an manager willing to correct bad behavior or send sick people home." That's not a solution though, that just removes the entire benefit of the open office while also removing all the benefits of having individual offices. It's important to have places where people can socialize and collaborate, the major downside of open offices is that this has to happen in the same space where everyone else is trying to work, with obvious deleterious effects on productivity. The appropriate alternative is not to simply instill a library type atmosphere of deathly quiet, the alternative is to make it easier for people to choose whether they want to collaborate, socialize, or work, which is easiest when everyone has their own office.