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When are we going to revolt against open plan offices?

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  • 28-03-2013 8:31pm
    #1
    Carnegie
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭


    Good article on the BBC about open plan offices and how there is a wealth of evidence how they add to stress and ill-health of employees.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21878739

    The disadvantages of open plan offices are numerous:

    - Hard to concentrate and be productive when there is a lot of noise in the room
    - On the other hand during times when the office is deathly quiet people are afraid to breath and there is a very uncomfortable feeling for everyone in the room
    - You have no privacy for phone calls
    - You can't fart, although theres always one inconsiderate ba$tard who does anyway, so you have to smell it while you've done the decent thing and held in your own fart
    - You can't pick your nose
    - People with colds are too scared to blow their nose because its disgusting hearing other peoples phlegm/snot
    - Disease and germs are everywhere during winter time resulting in it spreading and resulting in many sick days for the company
    - People are distracted by others talking about something they watched last night, therefore productivity decreases
    - People feel under watch and are therefore constantly tense and stressed and lose a lot of energy as a result
    - There is always disagreements about how warm it should be in the wrong resulting in one person being comfortable at the expense of another person. This also leads to strained relations between co-workers.
    - Extroverts work better in groups but introverts work better alone. So why should introverts be discriminated against by being forced to work in a social environment.

    The advantages of open plan offices are supposedly:

    - Cost savings due to cramming more people into a particular space- in reality it costs companies more due to increased sick leave days, lower productivity and lower morale
    - Better work communication- anyone who has worked in an open plan office knows this is not the case in practice

    In Sweden and Germany practically everyone has their own office- no wonder they are so productive.

    So what are we going to do?


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Comments

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    #2
    Yawlboy
    Registered Users Posts: 748 ✭✭✭Yawlboy


    I've been in a lot of offices in both Sweden and Germany and they were mainly open plan. Not sure where you are getting all your "facts" from.


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    #3
    Carnegie
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭Carnegie


    Yawlboy wrote: »
    I've been in a lot of offices in both Sweden and Germany and they were mainly open plan. Not sure where you are getting all your "facts" from.

    from the article, someone did a study and found that, you must of been unlucky


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    #4
    3ndahalfof6
    Registered Users Posts: 5,184 ✭✭✭3ndahalfof6


    Tomorrow, after ten if that is ok.


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    #5
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    They're cheap and lower the company's costs. No one is forcing you to work there.


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    #6
    Gorilla Rising
    Closed Accounts Posts: 381 ✭✭Gorilla Rising


    Question:

    Is there anything someone on here doesn't want to revolt against? Or are we just talking here as usual and waiting for someone else to take charge?


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    #7
    Gorilla Rising
    Closed Accounts Posts: 381 ✭✭Gorilla Rising


    3ndahalfof6 wrote: »
    Tomorrow, after ten if that is ok.

    I think there's a revolt against the pubs being closed tomorrow. It'll have to be next week.


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    #8
    Carnegie
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭Carnegie


    Iwasfrozen wrote: »
    They're cheap and lower the company's costs. No one is forcing you to work there.

    They dont lower costs because of the reasons listed, they increase costs and lower morale.

    No one is forcing me to work there but why shouldn't I try to fix something that is broke?


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    #9
    Pilotdude5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 619 ✭✭✭Pilotdude5


    Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.


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    #10
    marketty
    Registered Users Posts: 1,080 ✭✭✭marketty


    Pilotdude5 wrote: »
    Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

    I hope you're not flying my plane


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    #11
    Yawlboy
    Registered Users Posts: 748 ✭✭✭Yawlboy


    I hope you are not employed by my company


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    #12
    Thoie
    Registered Users Posts: 6,344 ✭✭✭Thoie


    Something I've noticed is that US cubicles seem to have higher walls, which presumably helps baffle the noise somewhat. In the UK and Ireland, the walls are too low, allowing noise to travel all over, not giving you any bit of privacy (try working out people's performance reviews when your screen can be seen by anyone).


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    #13
    Odysseus
    Registered Users Posts: 6,754 ✭✭✭Odysseus


    Just get a job which required you to have your own office. I wouldn't be into sharing work spaces, thanksfully it is not an issue for me


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    #14
    Dwork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 797 ✭✭✭Dwork


    Yawlboy wrote: »
    I hope you are not employed by my company
    Easily narrowed down:
    1. Do you have a company?
    2. Do you have open plan offices?
    3.Do you employ a dude who was/is/wants to be a pilot?
    4.Does he stare at his desk for hours doing nothing?

    No bother, btw, if you answered yes to some/all/none of the above, your employees are ripping the pi55. Go gettem;)

    If you answered no to any/some/all of the above, you are ripping the pi55. And my hunt-chart has been wasted.:(


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    #15
    Duggys Housemate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,298 ✭✭✭Duggys Housemate


    The comments are pointless. I've worked in

    1) fully open plan offices. Crap for the reasons given.
    2) cubicles. Better.
    3) everybody had an office. Much better.

    People can take the piss in any of these environments, you judge people by results. In IT the planning games, stand ups , and generally meetings can happen in a meeting room or in a general area outside the offices.

    There is nothing to be said for open plan


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    #16
    3ndahalfof6
    Registered Users Posts: 5,184 ✭✭✭3ndahalfof6


    Duggys Housemate wrote: »
    The comments are pointless. I've worked in

    1) fully open plan offices. Crap for the reasons given.
    2) cubicles. Better.
    3) everybody had an office. Much better.

    People can take the piss in any of these environments, you judge people by results. In IT the planning games, stand ups , and generally meetings can happen in a meeting room or in a general area outside the offices.

    There is nothing to be said for open plan

    2) cubicles. Better. One of the reasons more money should be pumped into snooker.


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    #17
    krudler
    Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    Hell no, we have eye candy here it's grand like it is.


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    #18
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Carnegie wrote: »
    They dont lower costs because of the reasons listed, they increase costs and lower morale.

    No one is forcing me to work there but why shouldn't I try to fix something that is broke?
    If you don't mind me saying your opinion is obviously biased. Companies are out to make money and apart from mandatory legislation they don't give a rats ass about their workers welfare. If open planned offices costed more they wouldn't be used.


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    #19
    3ndahalfof6
    Registered Users Posts: 5,184 ✭✭✭3ndahalfof6


    Iwasfrozen wrote: »
    If you don't mind me saying your opinion is obviously biased. Companies are out to make money and apart from mandatory legislation they don't give a rats ass about their workers welfare. If open planned offices costed more they wouldn't be used.

    Your not invited to the party.


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    #20
    Duggys Housemate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,298 ✭✭✭Duggys Housemate


    Companies have no obvious way of estimating sick days *etc. this survey points out the drawbacks but the typical facilities manager looks as direct costs - the cost of offices not lost productivity.

    * EDIT: and people looking at eye candy like Krudler


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    #21
    Duggys Housemate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,298 ✭✭✭Duggys Housemate


    krudler wrote: »
    Hell no, we have eye candy here it's grand like it is.

    Now how productive are you? :-p


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    #22
    omahaid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,497 ✭✭✭omahaid


    Pilotdude5 wrote: »
    Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.
    marketty wrote: »
    I hope you're not flying my plane
    Yawlboy wrote: »
    I hope you are not employed by my company

    Have ye never seen office space?


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    #23
    Carnegie
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭Carnegie


    Iwasfrozen wrote: »
    If open planned offices costed more they wouldn't be used.

    They do cost more, its just about educating employers about this. When employers make the decision to have an open plan office, they are not basing their decision on the correct information. They are looking at costs per sq metre etc, but they are not including the costs of:

    - Increased sick days
    - Lower morale
    - Lower productivity etc


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    #24
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    they were probably too busy filling out their tps reports


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    #25
    sock puppet
    Registered Users Posts: 4,586 ✭✭✭sock puppet


    krudler wrote: »
    Hell no, we have eye candy here it's grand like it is.

    It makes slacking off a lot harder though, unless you're lucky enough to get a desk with your back to the wall.


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    #26
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I have my own office. It's boring.


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    #27
    MMAGirl
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭MMAGirl


    On the days when I am in the office.
    There are about 100 people on the floor. you can see everyone from the shoulders up and all of the things like people chatting or looking up to see what everyone else is laughing at etc makes open plan a stupid idea.
    But something quite funny happens when I stand up. I stand up to walk to the water fountain or someone elses desk. ALL of the heads look up and start staring at me and just follow me around as I walk. I am assuming the reason is that I have rather large boobs. Way larger than average. And they look even bigger because I am slim. The boss, who is almost the same build as me told me she noticed it too and she just sits down most of the time.
    I dont mind really. Getting it ever since I was 12. I laugh to myself.
    Wouldnt happen without open plan though.


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    #28
    ollaetta
    Registered Users Posts: 1,641 ✭✭✭ollaetta


    Worked in both enclosed and open plan layouts and probably prefer the open plan. Only issue I have is two colleagues who regularly pop out to a nearby oriental take-away and bring back vile stinky stuff to eat at their desks. Poisons the place for ages afterwards. Yeuch.


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    #29
    --Kaiser--
    Registered Users Posts: 6,461 ✭✭✭--Kaiser--


    MMAGirl wrote: »
    On the days when I am in the office.
    There are about 100 people on the floor. you can see everyone from the shoulders up and all of the things like people chatting or looking up to see what everyone else is laughing at etc makes open plan a stupid idea.
    But something quite funny happens when I stand up. I stand up to walk to the water fountain or someone elses desk. ALL of the heads look up and start staring at me and just follow me around as I walk. I am assuming the reason is that I have rather large boobs. Way larger than average. And they look even bigger because I am slim. The boss, who is almost the same build as me told me she noticed it too and she just sits down most of the time.
    I dont mind really. Getting it ever since I was 12. I laugh to myself.
    Wouldnt happen without open plan though.

    Are we allowed to say 'pics or GTFO' any more?


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    #30
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,087 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Duggys Housemate wrote: »

    There is nothing to be said for open plan

    Better +
    collaboration?
    knowledge sharing?
    communication?

    It totally depends on the industry and your role.


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    #31
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,438 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Everyone having their own office does not work. It completely stifles communication and collaboration. People arrive in to work in the morning, close their office door and don't emerge until they are going home in the evening.

    People get lazy, instead of going and talking to the guy across the hall face to face they either phone them or they mail them. A conversation that would take 30 seconds face to face get's drawn out for hours over email because people are just too afraid to talk to one another.


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