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Since I started following HN I've seen these types of articles being posted with some regularity. The findings usually point in the same direction and the pres

Since I started following HN I've seen these types of articles being posted with some regularity. The findings usually point in the same direction and the press write-up always tries to come up with explanations for why companies decide to do open space offices, how these were thought to improve collaboration etc. At my previous job I have worked for 4 years exclusively in an open space, sometimes even with hot-desking (including for developers and data scientists!). The impact on my ability to focus and on my mood has been catastrophic. Over time I ended up losing a lot of my ability for deep focus and I became stuck in this mode of superficial thinking that pushed me to switch between a bunch of menial tasks all the time. My firm belief is that open plan offices are used simply because they're the cheapest way to cram people in a space. The lack of walls and barriers makes it really easy to add desks, the cost of furnishing the place is minimal, management can always walk up to people to delegate tasks or ask questions etc. I think that this so-called fad is here to stay as long as employees (and especially those in tech) do not collectively demand some changes.

marcosdumay 7y ago
> as long as employees (and especially those in tech) do not collectively demand some changes If my employer has a procedure that reduces the productivity of everybody that they hire, why should I care? It does not reduce my competitivity, and my salary is set by the market, not by any single employer.
- dijit 7y ago
  I think the parent gave a good example of how it affected him long term. And I have to say the experience is mirrored with me. My attention span is not even 1/10th what it was when I started in this industry (where I had a team-office), and I don't think it would return very quickly if ever. There could be other factors, for sure, but your brain is a muscle, if you do not exercise it (focus) then it will atrophy.
- leto_ii 7y ago
  > and my salary is set by the market, not by any single employer Employers do have a tendency to collude though. The market for labor is very far from perfect. In most places even tech workers don't really get to negotiate much when they get a job offer. You should also realize that if most companies have open plan offices your range of options reduces quite a lot. What are you gonna do, only work for the 10% of companies that have other office plans?

marcosdumay 7y ago

> as long as employees (and especially those in tech) do not collectively demand some changes If my employer has a procedure that reduces the productivity of everybody that they hire, why should I care? It does not reduce my competitivity, and my salary is set by the market, not by any single employer.

dijit 7y ago
I think the parent gave a good example of how it affected him long term. And I have to say the experience is mirrored with me. My attention span is not even 1/10th what it was when I started in this industry (where I had a team-office), and I don't think it would return very quickly if ever. There could be other factors, for sure, but your brain is a muscle, if you do not exercise it (focus) then it will atrophy.
leto_ii 7y ago
> and my salary is set by the market, not by any single employer Employers do have a tendency to collude though. The market for labor is very far from perfect. In most places even tech workers don't really get to negotiate much when they get a job offer. You should also realize that if most companies have open plan offices your range of options reduces quite a lot. What are you gonna do, only work for the 10% of companies that have other office plans?