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I'm probably an outlier, but I love open-office. I've worked in all the different environments over the last 25 years, single office, shared office, cubicle, re

I'm probably an outlier, but I love open-office. I've worked in all the different environments over the last 25 years, single office, shared office, cubicle, remote and open office. Open office was weird at first, but I find it much more social. I don't get distracted by noise or movement so that could be a big factor, so I can code without any problems. The least social for me was the single office. I would stay in there all day long and I would have privacy but I would literally not see anyone. The worst was a cubicle where it had none of the privacy (couldn't eat fish or fart or have private conversations) but you still have the lack of social interaction.

awestroke 7y ago
Some people can work even though they get interrupted and disturbed all day, others are very averse to being distracted and try to reach deep work or get in the zone. The problem with an open office is the first group.
- nimrody 7y ago
  The effect also depends on the type of work you are currently doing. Some work requires more concentration and is more easily disturbed. Other, more routine work, can tolerate more noise (be it audible or visual.)
- jpindar 7y ago
  And some people don't want to work any more than they absolutely have to, and can't understand why anyone would want to be able to concentrate.
  - jpindar 7y ago
    True example of the above: I had been given a task by my manager, in such a way that my coworkers could hear that it was something important I had to get done ASAP. Half an hour later, I'm heads down working, with earphones in. Very obviously coding. Coworker taps me on the shoulder. "Yes?" "Why aren't you chatting with us?" I'd like to say I made some clever remark, but at the time I was speechless. (Please note that I do engage in normal small talk at other times. )
richardhod 7y ago
I disagree with the opinions of this comment, but I'm glad you made your opinion and your experience heard. Even when for most people an open office works worse, for some people it is preferable new people: please don't down vote people just because you disagree.
- dijit 7y ago
  Chiming in to say I also disagree with the opinion and to make the same request to downvotes==disagree button. I would like to ask another question though, how does the community feel about people who talk to themselves when they're focused? I find myself doing that at home a lot when working and I really do perform focused tasks significantly better. "Aha, this is a bit stupid" "So, if I move this here it'll be more orthogonal" "Ah jeez, why did I choose that type!" I feel like doing this in any kind of open setting is really not ideal but it takes conscious effort to avoid doing it.
  - jplayer01 7y ago
    I feel like if people are bothered by people talking nearby, they're going to be using headphones anyway. Honestly, you do you. Talking to yourself is far less disruptive than say, somebody tapping a pen consistently for extended periods of time or co-workers holding a loud conversation nearby or just even a mechanical keyboard. On that note, sometimes I do wonder what my colleagues think, since I sometimes do the talking myself through a task as well.
    - loco5niner 7y ago
      > Talking to yourself is far less disruptive than say... Still, talking to yourself IS disruptive. Especially depending on your volume. >they're going to be using headphones anyway Unless you are playing music at a level that damages your hearing, headphones do not cancel out voices. > Honestly, you do you. Agreed. And I will complain about unnecessary noises invading my space.
  - howard941 7y ago
    You and me both. I constantly berate myself outloud and hate myself for what it must do to my neighbor who's too considerate to say something, or not considerate enough to bitch to my manager so I could turn this into a remote job.
fxfan 7y ago
I absolutely detest open offices but what' with downvoting disagreeing opinions? This comment was gray when I typed this comment
- ende 7y ago
  The cubicle lobby is the single most powerful force on HN.
hliyan 7y ago
You truly are an outlier. I immediately started assuming that you might be in a more right-brain role, but realized my mistake when I saw your comment about coding. You're clearly better than I am at focusing...
- commandlinefan 7y ago
  I can _code_ while surrounded by interruptions and distractions (I can put on headphones and face the least busy part of the office so I'm not _too_ distracted most of the time), but I can't _learn_ without some semblance of focus. I suspect that the open-office cheerleaders are mostly people who do the sort of work that you or I might be able to do on autopilot and never try to tackle any sort of real challenge.
- Kiro 7y ago
  No, that's just the tech echo chamber where the "true" opinion right now is to hate open offices. Normal people have no problem with it.
  - rightbyte 7y ago
    People that don't need to concentrate or that are not easely disturbed have no problem with it. I dislike it with passion and open office together with no parking spaces close by later than 08:15 made me look for a new job. These everyday problems are the most annoying.
baddox 7y ago
I doubt you’re an outlier. I think that open offices have a place, but are over-used especially in the Bay Area tech scene, so the opponents are particularly vocal. I’ve worked at a few open offices for fairly small companies and almost without exception I loved the dynamic.
matz1 7y ago
I too prefer open office, if I don't want to see my coworker, why would I even go to the office, I could just work remote. >I don't get distracted by noise or movement so that could be a big factor, so I can code without any problems Same here. I think better alternative is to allow both option, allow employee to work remove if they prefer not to see their coworker.
- loco5niner 7y ago
  >I don't get distracted by noise or movement so that could be a big factor, so I can code without any problems I agree that this is the biggest factor. If it didn't bother me, I would probably enjoy an open office. > I think better alternative is to allow both option, allow employee to work remove if they prefer not to see their coworker. I yearn for the day my workplace opens up this option.
jklinger410 7y ago
The open office format has increased our face-time 10 fold. Not sure what the point of doing studies on this is? It's incredibly cultural and business/job specific.
- loco5niner 7y ago
  Because so many people HATE the open office?
  - jklinger410 7y ago
    HN crowd hates open-office. So, mostly devs? Someone commission a study on developers take on open office vs other roles, STAT!
    - loco5niner 7y ago
      Yes, good clarification. Likely mostly devs. It really depends on the kind of work you do. But, when it matters, it REALLY matters.

awestroke 7y ago

Some people can work even though they get interrupted and disturbed all day, others are very averse to being distracted and try to reach deep work or get in the zone. The problem with an open office is the first group.

nimrody 7y ago
The effect also depends on the type of work you are currently doing. Some work requires more concentration and is more easily disturbed. Other, more routine work, can tolerate more noise (be it audible or visual.)
jpindar 7y ago
And some people don't want to work any more than they absolutely have to, and can't understand why anyone would want to be able to concentrate.
- jpindar 7y ago
  True example of the above: I had been given a task by my manager, in such a way that my coworkers could hear that it was something important I had to get done ASAP. Half an hour later, I'm heads down working, with earphones in. Very obviously coding. Coworker taps me on the shoulder. "Yes?" "Why aren't you chatting with us?" I'd like to say I made some clever remark, but at the time I was speechless. (Please note that I do engage in normal small talk at other times. )

richardhod 7y ago

I disagree with the opinions of this comment, but I'm glad you made your opinion and your experience heard. Even when for most people an open office works worse, for some people it is preferable new people: please don't down vote people just because you disagree.

dijit 7y ago
Chiming in to say I also disagree with the opinion and to make the same request to downvotes==disagree button. I would like to ask another question though, how does the community feel about people who talk to themselves when they're focused? I find myself doing that at home a lot when working and I really do perform focused tasks significantly better. "Aha, this is a bit stupid" "So, if I move this here it'll be more orthogonal" "Ah jeez, why did I choose that type!" I feel like doing this in any kind of open setting is really not ideal but it takes conscious effort to avoid doing it.
- jplayer01 7y ago
  I feel like if people are bothered by people talking nearby, they're going to be using headphones anyway. Honestly, you do you. Talking to yourself is far less disruptive than say, somebody tapping a pen consistently for extended periods of time or co-workers holding a loud conversation nearby or just even a mechanical keyboard. On that note, sometimes I do wonder what my colleagues think, since I sometimes do the talking myself through a task as well.
  - loco5niner 7y ago
    > Talking to yourself is far less disruptive than say... Still, talking to yourself IS disruptive. Especially depending on your volume. >they're going to be using headphones anyway Unless you are playing music at a level that damages your hearing, headphones do not cancel out voices. > Honestly, you do you. Agreed. And I will complain about unnecessary noises invading my space.
- howard941 7y ago
  You and me both. I constantly berate myself outloud and hate myself for what it must do to my neighbor who's too considerate to say something, or not considerate enough to bitch to my manager so I could turn this into a remote job.

fxfan 7y ago

I absolutely detest open offices but what' with downvoting disagreeing opinions? This comment was gray when I typed this comment

ende 7y ago
The cubicle lobby is the single most powerful force on HN.

hliyan 7y ago

You truly are an outlier. I immediately started assuming that you might be in a more right-brain role, but realized my mistake when I saw your comment about coding. You're clearly better than I am at focusing...

commandlinefan 7y ago
I can _code_ while surrounded by interruptions and distractions (I can put on headphones and face the least busy part of the office so I'm not _too_ distracted most of the time), but I can't _learn_ without some semblance of focus. I suspect that the open-office cheerleaders are mostly people who do the sort of work that you or I might be able to do on autopilot and never try to tackle any sort of real challenge.
Kiro 7y ago
No, that's just the tech echo chamber where the "true" opinion right now is to hate open offices. Normal people have no problem with it.
- rightbyte 7y ago
  People that don't need to concentrate or that are not easely disturbed have no problem with it. I dislike it with passion and open office together with no parking spaces close by later than 08:15 made me look for a new job. These everyday problems are the most annoying.

baddox 7y ago

I doubt you’re an outlier. I think that open offices have a place, but are over-used especially in the Bay Area tech scene, so the opponents are particularly vocal. I’ve worked at a few open offices for fairly small companies and almost without exception I loved the dynamic.

matz1 7y ago

I too prefer open office, if I don't want to see my coworker, why would I even go to the office, I could just work remote. >I don't get distracted by noise or movement so that could be a big factor, so I can code without any problems Same here. I think better alternative is to allow both option, allow employee to work remove if they prefer not to see their coworker.

loco5niner 7y ago
>I don't get distracted by noise or movement so that could be a big factor, so I can code without any problems I agree that this is the biggest factor. If it didn't bother me, I would probably enjoy an open office. > I think better alternative is to allow both option, allow employee to work remove if they prefer not to see their coworker. I yearn for the day my workplace opens up this option.

jklinger410 7y ago

The open office format has increased our face-time 10 fold. Not sure what the point of doing studies on this is? It's incredibly cultural and business/job specific.

loco5niner 7y ago
Because so many people HATE the open office?
- jklinger410 7y ago
  HN crowd hates open-office. So, mostly devs? Someone commission a study on developers take on open office vs other roles, STAT!
  - loco5niner 7y ago
    Yes, good clarification. Likely mostly devs. It really depends on the kind of work you do. But, when it matters, it REALLY matters.