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I asked[1] awhile back if HN readers could recommend tech companies without open offices, and got no replies. From the traction this article is getting, it sou

by RickS 9y ago

I asked[1] awhile back if HN readers could recommend tech companies without open offices, and got no replies. From the traction this article is getting, it sounds like there's interest, so I'm going to plead one more time for leads on companies that respect their employees right to work in peace. 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15503008 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15503008

lwhalen 9y ago
Viasat gives their engineers private offices, from what I've seen.
derefr 9y ago
Cynical hypothesis: if your company has an open office, your productivity as an employee isn't actually a factor in the company's predicted bottom line. The company exists as a talent pool to be acquihired, and the work exists as an ongoing advertisement for that talent pool. If bootstrapped companies had a lower rate of open-office architecture than venture-backed companies, I'd take this as pretty good supporting evidence.
- RickS 9y ago
  You: > if your company has an open office, your productivity as an employee isn't actually a factor in the company's predicted bottom line. The company exists as a talent pool to be acquihired, The article: >80 percent of all offices now have an open floor plan. Does that mean 80% of companies are aquihire plays whos employees don't factor into the bottom line? I have a hard time believing that. My cynical-but-less-cynical-than-that hypothesis is that it's cheap and hip. Doing the cheap popular thing is harder than the expensive unpopular thing.
- throwaway287391 9y ago
  Google, Amazon, Facebook -- all still waiting for that one sweet acquihire offer to come along so they can finally cash out.
- philipov 9y ago
  That doesn't explain why banks and hedge funds do it. Trading floors have been open offices before that was a thing, and that's transitioned to their IT departments.
- valuearb 9y ago
  “If bootstrapped companies had a lower rate of open-office architecture than venture-backed companies, I'd take this as pretty good supporting evidence.” I doubt there is a lot of correlation. Startups are often in the position of taking whatever office space they can find, because they are either short of cash or loathe to make long term commitments. The landlord holds a lot of power unless you are going to make a large long term commitment. Landlords don’t like building out offices, it’s less flexible and harder to re-lease when you leave. They really hate one person offices. At one startup I ran development for, we were fortunate to have a CFO who understood the value of private offices. But our landlord still stuck us with a bigger deposit and made us pay for every bit of the rebuild.
uiri 9y ago
Microsoft still has a lot of buildings with private offices. You might be doubled up depending on seniority and how crowded the building you're in is. Some buildings have gone to open office but I think some execs realize that that's a disaster.
itronitron 9y ago
find a job where you do a lot of travelling and the company will likely give you your own office with a window

by RickS 9y ago

lwhalen 9y ago

Viasat gives their engineers private offices, from what I've seen.

derefr 9y ago

Cynical hypothesis: if your company has an open office, your productivity as an employee isn't actually a factor in the company's predicted bottom line. The company exists as a talent pool to be acquihired, and the work exists as an ongoing advertisement for that talent pool. If bootstrapped companies had a lower rate of open-office architecture than venture-backed companies, I'd take this as pretty good supporting evidence.

RickS 9y ago
You: > if your company has an open office, your productivity as an employee isn't actually a factor in the company's predicted bottom line. The company exists as a talent pool to be acquihired, The article: >80 percent of all offices now have an open floor plan. Does that mean 80% of companies are aquihire plays whos employees don't factor into the bottom line? I have a hard time believing that. My cynical-but-less-cynical-than-that hypothesis is that it's cheap and hip. Doing the cheap popular thing is harder than the expensive unpopular thing.
throwaway287391 9y ago
Google, Amazon, Facebook -- all still waiting for that one sweet acquihire offer to come along so they can finally cash out.
philipov 9y ago
That doesn't explain why banks and hedge funds do it. Trading floors have been open offices before that was a thing, and that's transitioned to their IT departments.
valuearb 9y ago
“If bootstrapped companies had a lower rate of open-office architecture than venture-backed companies, I'd take this as pretty good supporting evidence.” I doubt there is a lot of correlation. Startups are often in the position of taking whatever office space they can find, because they are either short of cash or loathe to make long term commitments. The landlord holds a lot of power unless you are going to make a large long term commitment. Landlords don’t like building out offices, it’s less flexible and harder to re-lease when you leave. They really hate one person offices. At one startup I ran development for, we were fortunate to have a CFO who understood the value of private offices. But our landlord still stuck us with a bigger deposit and made us pay for every bit of the rebuild.

uiri 9y ago

Microsoft still has a lot of buildings with private offices. You might be doubled up depending on seniority and how crowded the building you're in is. Some buildings have gone to open office but I think some execs realize that that's a disaster.

itronitron 9y ago

find a job where you do a lot of travelling and the company will likely give you your own office with a window