Ugh open floor plan office style bummin' me out

Undertoad · 03-11-2016, 02:04 PM

There are nice points about workin' where I do, but the open floor plan really crushes me.

For a while I had it against cube farms... now I realize, luxury! Now i'm in a big open office with three other workstations on the long desk I sit at. If I sneeze everybody knows... come in late or leave early or take five minutes extra lunch... have personal calls or even just browse the Cellar to try to get my mind at ease, everybody knows.

My manager has an office and the door's open and he can look directly at me any time. It freaks me out, coming from the narcissist, because the narcissist was always constantly judging. People aren't constantly judging here, but the instinctive gut reaction still kicks in, and I'm left anxious at the end of every day.

Half the office knows when I take a shit and how long it took! But they say a lot of tech offices have gone to this approach... I can't imagine being a programmer in an office like this. Every second there's an interruption.

Y'all have to deal with any of this?

DanaC · 03-11-2016, 02:13 PM

That would drive me mental.

Gravdigr · 03-11-2016, 02:42 PM

Buy a bucket truck and a chain saw. No one will get within 100 feet of ya.

lumberjim · 03-11-2016, 02:58 PM

I'm against it. i don't like being watched over when I work. I complain about not having a window in my office, but it's better than what you describe. The salesmen here share a galley style office with two rows of divided desks, and the noise and distraction are counterproductive.

I don't like how our showroom is set up like a restaurant either. I don't think it's conducive to speaking about financial arrangements or credit reports. There should be offices ringing the place like it used to be, where the salesman could have his computer and phone, and a welcoming place for a guest to sit. As it is, they are constantly having to go to the desk or their office for this and that, leaving the customer alone to cool off.

Why are open floor plans a thing even?

xoxoxoBruce · 03-11-2016, 03:01 PM

Company has to hire less snipers that way.

Beest · 03-11-2016, 03:23 PM

About 25-30 people in my office, there are short walls demarking where your desk ends and your neighbor begins, but they are shorter than a monitor, below shoulder height sitting down. They are paired so I am sitting face to face with the guy opposite me.

I am lucky in that I can escape and go the labs and have more privacy and see different walls.

Nobody likes it, some are loud talkers on the phone, people chat etc.

Griff · 03-11-2016, 03:42 PM

No way could I work like that.

monster · 03-11-2016, 03:54 PM

I pretty much have my own office. With no windows. Right next to the garbage chute. I think I would hate open plan, but I dream of breathing occasionally. That stuff is really rank now it's warmed up, and the fug from it seems to settle in my lair.

Should probably go back to chucking the hobo corpses down the basement stairs

xoxoxoBruce · 03-11-2016, 04:02 PM

Cube farm...

infinite monkey · 03-11-2016, 04:49 PM

To me, this situation is so usual. It's not nearly ideal, but you necessarily have to deal with it.

It kinda sucks sometimes.

glatt · 03-11-2016, 05:41 PM

Yeah. I'm going from a private office to a shared office next month. The firm is going to more of an open office floor plan. I don't have any details yet because they are being secretive about it. That alone tells you they know it will be unpopular.

infinite monkey · 03-11-2016, 06:05 PM

They know it's going to suck for you. As lawyers will do, they'll file motions to put off telling the suckiness as long as possible.

sexobon · 03-11-2016, 07:08 PM

You can try putting some tape on the floor ...

xoxoxoBruce · 03-11-2016, 11:08 PM

Box of tissues, cough drops and a shawl, then practice sneezing and coughing. Eyebrow pencil spots a effective too.

DanaC · 03-12-2016, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beest

About 25-30 people in my office, there are short walls demarking where your desk ends and your neighbor begins, but they are shorter than a monitor, below shoulder height sitting down. They are paired so I am sitting face to face with the guy opposite me.

I am lucky in that I can escape and go the labs and have more privacy and see different walls.

Nobody likes it, some are loud talkers on the phone, people chat etc.

Mine is like this, but the demarcation walls are taller. You can look over them but you'd have to sit quite straight up and lift your head. I would hate it to be fully open plan without those dividers.

03-11-2016, 02:04 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Ugh open floor plan office style bummin' me out There are nice points about workin' where I do, but the open floor plan really crushes me. For a while I had it against cube farms... now I realize, luxury! Now i'm in a big open office with three other workstations on the long desk I sit at. If I sneeze everybody knows... come in late or leave early or take five minutes extra lunch... have personal calls or even just browse the Cellar to try to get my mind at ease, everybody knows. My manager has an office and the door's open and he can look directly at me any time. It freaks me out, coming from the narcissist, because the narcissist was always constantly judging. People aren't constantly judging here, but the instinctive gut reaction still kicks in, and I'm left anxious at the end of every day. Half the office knows when I take a shit and how long it took! But they say a lot of tech offices have gone to this approach... I can't imagine being a programmer in an office like this. Every second there's an interruption. Y'all have to deal with any of this?

03-11-2016, 02:42 PM	#3
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Buy a bucket truck and a chain saw. No one will get within 100 feet of ya. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

03-11-2016, 02:58 PM	#4
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	I'm against it. i don't like being watched over when I work. I complain about not having a window in my office, but it's better than what you describe. The salesmen here share a galley style office with two rows of divided desks, and the noise and distraction are counterproductive. I don't like how our showroom is set up like a restaurant either. I don't think it's conducive to speaking about financial arrangements or credit reports. There should be offices ringing the place like it used to be, where the salesman could have his computer and phone, and a welcoming place for a guest to sit. As it is, they are constantly having to go to the desk or their office for this and that, leaving the customer alone to cool off. Why are open floor plans a thing even? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

03-11-2016, 03:01 PM	#5
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Company has to hire less snipers that way. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-11-2016, 03:42 PM	#7
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	No way could I work like that. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

03-11-2016, 03:23 PM	#6
Beest Adapt and Survive Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Mi Posts: 957	About 25-30 people in my office, there are short walls demarking where your desk ends and your neighbor begins, but they are shorter than a monitor, below shoulder height sitting down. They are paired so I am sitting face to face with the guy opposite me. I am lucky in that I can escape and go the labs and have more privacy and see different walls. Nobody likes it, some are loud talkers on the phone, people chat etc.

03-11-2016, 03:54 PM	#8
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I pretty much have my own office. With no windows. Right next to the garbage chute. I think I would hate open plan, but I dream of breathing occasionally. That stuff is really rank now it's warmed up, and the fug from it seems to settle in my lair. Should probably go back to chucking the hobo corpses down the basement stairs __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart Last edited by monster; 03-11-2016 at 05:35 PM.

03-11-2016, 04:02 PM	#9
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Cube farm... Attached Images __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-11-2016, 04:49 PM	#10
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	To me, this situation is so usual. It's not nearly ideal, but you necessarily have to deal with it. It kinda sucks sometimes.

03-11-2016, 05:41 PM	#11
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Yeah. I'm going from a private office to a shared office next month. The firm is going to more of an open office floor plan. I don't have any details yet because they are being secretive about it. That alone tells you they know it will be unpopular.

03-11-2016, 06:05 PM	#12
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	They know it's going to suck for you. As lawyers will do, they'll file motions to put off telling the suckiness as long as possible.

03-11-2016, 07:08 PM	#13
sexobon I love it when a plan comes together. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 9,793	You can try putting some tape on the floor ...

03-11-2016, 11:08 PM	#14
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Box of tissues, cough drops and a shawl, then practice sneezing and coughing. Eyebrow pencil spots a effective too. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

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