3 ms·

And here I am trying not to look pissed off at everyone around me because they're sitting there doing little to no work, talking, and making noises.

zubspace 9y ago
I'm working in a small office with 4 to 5 developers. I actually enjoy the company and don't mind the occasional phone call or chat. Sometimes I can overhear another conversation and add my 5 cents to it, which I believe to be valuable. We also use slack and 'idle-ping' other team members first and keep conversations in slack if possible. This works quite well, too. Recently we had an intern, which had a very annoying tic: While listening to headphones he now and then started to sing/whistle/hiss along, quietly but audible. It's strange and a personality thing, but it took quite a few days until I snapped and told him to stop. It also started again after a couple of days and I had to tell him again. There a two things to note: For some people it takes a lot to complain about something and for some people it takes a lot to change a habit. In a large office this can be problematic.
- majewsky 9y ago
  > Recently we had an intern, which had a very annoying tic: While listening to headphones he now and then started to sing/whistle/hiss along, quietly but audible. It's strange and a personality thing, but it took quite a few days until I snapped and told him to stop. It also started again after a couple of days and I had to tell him again. I shall confess that I'm guilty of this, too. It helps, though, that everyone in our open-plan office has good headphones, so usually not too many people notice. (And yes, I realize the bizarreness of this entire situation.)
- valuearb 9y ago
  Open office plans are great till they aren't, and then fixing them is difficult to impossible. They are bulwarks of busywork, the enemies of deep thought, the land where every coworker gets to put their two cents in and believe it was helpful.

zubspace 9y ago

I'm working in a small office with 4 to 5 developers. I actually enjoy the company and don't mind the occasional phone call or chat. Sometimes I can overhear another conversation and add my 5 cents to it, which I believe to be valuable. We also use slack and 'idle-ping' other team members first and keep conversations in slack if possible. This works quite well, too. Recently we had an intern, which had a very annoying tic: While listening to headphones he now and then started to sing/whistle/hiss along, quietly but audible. It's strange and a personality thing, but it took quite a few days until I snapped and told him to stop. It also started again after a couple of days and I had to tell him again. There a two things to note: For some people it takes a lot to complain about something and for some people it takes a lot to change a habit. In a large office this can be problematic.

majewsky 9y ago
> Recently we had an intern, which had a very annoying tic: While listening to headphones he now and then started to sing/whistle/hiss along, quietly but audible. It's strange and a personality thing, but it took quite a few days until I snapped and told him to stop. It also started again after a couple of days and I had to tell him again. I shall confess that I'm guilty of this, too. It helps, though, that everyone in our open-plan office has good headphones, so usually not too many people notice. (And yes, I realize the bizarreness of this entire situation.)
valuearb 9y ago
Open office plans are great till they aren't, and then fixing them is difficult to impossible. They are bulwarks of busywork, the enemies of deep thought, the land where every coworker gets to put their two cents in and believe it was helpful.