4 ms·

And the alternative is? This article does a good job of complaining while proposing no other solution.

lobotryas 13y ago
What makes you think the onus is on the complainer to provide solutions?
georgemcbay 13y ago
"And the alternative is?" Uh, traditional office spaces? Or at the very least, real cubicles? I guess the under 30 crowd may not be aware, but open offices in the US are a relatively new phenomenon for tech workers. I'm 40 and when I first started working as a programmer, suggesting implementing a modern open-plan office would get you laughed out of the building. Now it is nearly impossible to get away from them, much to my chagrin.
- Nursie 13y ago
  Hell no! As a UK worker that's always worked open plan, I find cube farms extremely oppressive.
  - pivo 13y ago
    I had an office with a window and door in my jobs in the US up until the open office plan boom. I assume that's what the OP was referring to. (And how I miss those tiny offices, sob)
  - michaelochurch 13y ago
    Real offices are not that expensive in comparison to the gains to the company (increased productivity, less turnover) by having them.
rubinelli 13y ago
Team offices. Take two of those cross-shaped workspaces, plop them down in a relatively narrow room, and you have a decent office for a team of eight.
rafitorres 13y ago
The article has a sidebar explaining "hot-desking": "Hot-desking - the idea that employees don't retain a fixed desk in an office - is a key part of organisations' move towards cheaper, more flexible workplaces. The more employees work from home, the more organisations can shrink their offices to accommodate only the number of people who are in every day." In addition to the telecommuting angle, I've seen open plan offices like this that also have a limited number of closed rooms where employees can go for a while if they want some privacy, or if they need to work with a colleague for a while. That seems like a good compromise.

What makes you think the onus is on the complainer to provide solutions?

"And the alternative is?" Uh, traditional office spaces? Or at the very least, real cubicles? I guess the under 30 crowd may not be aware, but open offices in the US are a relatively new phenomenon for tech workers. I'm 40 and when I first started working as a programmer, suggesting implementing a modern open-plan office would get you laughed out of the building. Now it is nearly impossible to get away from them, much to my chagrin.

Nursie 13y ago
Hell no! As a UK worker that's always worked open plan, I find cube farms extremely oppressive.
- pivo 13y ago
  I had an office with a window and door in my jobs in the US up until the open office plan boom. I assume that's what the OP was referring to. (And how I miss those tiny offices, sob)
- michaelochurch 13y ago
  Real offices are not that expensive in comparison to the gains to the company (increased productivity, less turnover) by having them.

rubinelli 13y ago

Team offices. Take two of those cross-shaped workspaces, plop them down in a relatively narrow room, and you have a decent office for a team of eight.

rafitorres 13y ago

The article has a sidebar explaining "hot-desking": "Hot-desking - the idea that employees don't retain a fixed desk in an office - is a key part of organisations' move towards cheaper, more flexible workplaces. The more employees work from home, the more organisations can shrink their offices to accommodate only the number of people who are in every day." In addition to the telecommuting angle, I've seen open plan offices like this that also have a limited number of closed rooms where employees can go for a while if they want some privacy, or if they need to work with a colleague for a while. That seems like a good compromise.