3 ms·

I don't think there was ever a time where every office worker had their own office. Only the big boss got their own office and everyone else had desks in a lar

by treis 7y ago

I don't think there was ever a time where every office worker had their own office. Only the big boss got their own office and everyone else had desks in a large room. The open floor plan we have now is pretty typical of what they used to look like. Here's a good example: https://www.officemuseum.com/1935_Auditor_of_Overcharge_Claims_Suspension_Relief_Claim_Bureau_CMStPPRR_OM.jpg https://www.officemuseum.com/1935_Auditor_of_Overcharge_Clai... More pictures: https://www.officemuseum.com/photo_gallery_1930s_1940s.htm https://www.officemuseum.com/photo_gallery_1930s_1940s.htm

Ididntdothis 7y ago
There are plenty of places where offices were the norm some years ago. When I worked in Germany the standard was either single Offices or team offices With max 5 people. In the US IBM also had offices when I contracted there. Microsoft always talked about their offices as important. Developers sitting elbow to elbow in a room with dozens of people is a fairly recent development from what I have seen. The need for headsets to get some quiet also seems fairly new.
npongratz 7y ago
That's interesting, but I'm unsure how much we can generalize from some photos. For example, I wonder how much "photogenic bias" [0] and survivorship bias exist in such photographic evidence. How many photographers of the time would take a picture of a hallway of private offices? And what editor would keep such photographs for posterity? [0] There's probably a better term for this...
- bussierem 7y ago
  You're probably looking for "selection bias" in some sense, where the photos exist but they aren't being looked for so they aren't found.
majkinetor 7y ago
THere are a bunch of places where 2 to 3 pps are in the office. I never accepted a job that didn't involve me having an office like that.
loco5niner 7y ago
Office pictures from the Great Depression are not very convincing ;-)

by treis 7y ago

Ididntdothis 7y ago

There are plenty of places where offices were the norm some years ago. When I worked in Germany the standard was either single Offices or team offices With max 5 people. In the US IBM also had offices when I contracted there. Microsoft always talked about their offices as important. Developers sitting elbow to elbow in a room with dozens of people is a fairly recent development from what I have seen. The need for headsets to get some quiet also seems fairly new.

npongratz 7y ago

That's interesting, but I'm unsure how much we can generalize from some photos. For example, I wonder how much "photogenic bias" [0] and survivorship bias exist in such photographic evidence. How many photographers of the time would take a picture of a hallway of private offices? And what editor would keep such photographs for posterity? [0] There's probably a better term for this...

bussierem 7y ago
You're probably looking for "selection bias" in some sense, where the photos exist but they aren't being looked for so they aren't found.

majkinetor 7y ago

THere are a bunch of places where 2 to 3 pps are in the office. I never accepted a job that didn't involve me having an office like that.

loco5niner 7y ago

Office pictures from the Great Depression are not very convincing ;-)