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As a starting point I imagine an open floor plan with plenty of room between desks, and conference rooms for private discussion. I am interested in private offi
by edw519 14y ago
As a starting point I imagine an open floor plan with plenty of room between desks, and conference rooms for private discussion. I am interested in private offices but I don't think we'd find affordable space to do that.
Your starting point is my ending point.
Nothing stands in the way of deep focus like open floor plans.
Nothing stands in the way of producing extraordinary results than lack of opportunity to focus deeply.
And nothing stands in the way of being a great place for me to work than not being able to produce extraordinary results.
I would turn your strategy around by first finding proper working conditions for workers (for me, this means an office with a seat facing a door that closes) and only then adding the perks (coffee, snacks, email, vacations, etc.) that don't make any difference if we don't already love our work.
- yesimahuman 14y agoWhile I do agree, I've gotten quite a lot of work done in open floor plan offices. Enough that I think it's fine to start with, especially since our company is so early stage.
- div 14y agoI worked in an open floor plan office for 8 years. The second best results invariably came from projects in which my 3-4 man team claimed a meeting room and closed the door. The best results came from working from home, where I have a private office.
- j45 14y agoBefore offices or open concept, an ability to work distraction free is necessary. I had a dedicated office for about a decade starting at 18, and an open office for about half a decade since. Before that I've also worked out of my bedroom and basement for a few years. Interruption and distraction are the enemy of productivity. Managing these two monsters is essential, whether it's the people in the room or what you let distract you on your screen. I noticed noise canceling earphones did more for me than anything else. same goes for earplugs. Having a clear list of what to do is essential to get you started. Turning of all notifications including email and im was really helpful as no walls protect against that. I keep my phone on silent and no vibrate. think some of this stuff stands out once you've worked for a while and noticed the ultra productive times vs. not. Very little is so important it can't wait. If it is, someone will interrupt you. Making this clearly known is important to anyone who might assault your space, and physically or electronically. Finding your formula of how to become deeply focused and productive is important, but realize it may not be one formula for everyone. Some people benefit from being in the same room to keep them focused (this is especially true when younger), and and others do better in a cave like an office. Whatever it is, understand it's about going to that inner cave in a way and managing the distractions and interruptions.
- pteredactyl 14y agoMixed-use floor plans solve every problem.