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The whole point of the article is that the differences are empirically and objectively measurable on a wide variety of axes, and almost universally against the
by pjlegato 12y ago
The whole point of the article is that the differences are empirically and objectively measurable on a wide variety of axes, and almost universally against the open office. It is not a question of personal preference.
That is, there actually is a "right" answer that is the same for everyone. Measuring it is "science."
- mkehrt 12y agoNo, there really isn't a right answer. It may be that it decreases productivity and increases stress, but if it increases employee happiness (regardless of stress), that's a tradeoff that can be made. And the article definitely is less solid on happiness--it appears to vary. I'd certainly never, ever want to go back to an office, regardless of the toll an open plan may take on my productivity.
- pjlegato 12y agoIt's not about goal choice at all. "Productivity versus happiness" is not the issue. The specific goal can vary and doesn't matter to the question of whether there is a "right answer." For any arbitrary goal, yes, there is actually a "right" objective answer on the question of what factors, if any, influence in general the ability to achieve that goal. Incidentally, the article deals extensively with employee happiness in the form of "job dissatisfaction," which suffers (like almost all other metrics) in open plan offices.