Open office...pros and cons

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So guys (and girls…and anyone who identifies themselves to something else)
What do you think about open office plans? I have worked in open office all my career and I personally hate and despise them to the max. If I don’t listen to Chopin piano concertos from my noise canceling headphones, I literally can’t get any work done. It’s so distracting and frustrating. I have 2-3 co-workers whom I suspect of not knowing how phone works…they feel like they have to shout their orders/requests to the other side of the world. Then there a constant chatter about non-work related stuff and just overall chaos which distracts you.
I have read studies that open office is supposed to encourage interaction with coworkers…but based on my personal experience, it does the opposite. If I have something to say to a coworker working at a desk next to mine, I use the internal chat system. Actually walking over and spark up a convo…haha yeah in your dreams!
 
The theory here does not match actual practice. Worked in many open plan offices that people don’t interact one bit. Use to work with a senior guy that would wonder round the office on a hands free talking loudly……
They reduce cost and nothing else. Even worse “Flexi desking”, it is like a social experiment where there is an unwritten desk allocation and passive aggressive enforcement.
 
Classic example of good idea that falls into bad execution. I am natural on the idea since I have experience the positive side of the effect. I can see if people are in, I can simple lean over to my next co-worker and exchange ideas. The challenge come when magement wants to do what “THEY” think is a good idea….for example. The idea is to to increase interaction (I get it)…so first go arond, they put mix investment people with trust people, end result is terrible, it did nothing for me and rest of the team. Why do I care about interacting with trust people. So people voiced our concern, then 2nd go around, they did the right, mixed investment people with investment people, and outcome was much better.
 
Yeah I did it for a while. Hated it. Get so much more done in private office. So many distractions.
The second I saw my desk I immediately said “oh crap I’m really gonna be here for 2-3 years?”
I was out of there and on to much better things in 9 months. Not what I wanted on my resume but the move worked out for the best.
 
Pros: Easy to walk around, talk to girls who don’t want to talk to you. Coworkers cannot hide their food.
Cons: Hard to apply for jobs at work. Have to “crop dust” when you have gas.
 
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