Stuff like that is nearly impossible to ignore, and it’s is far more distracting than general background noise. Space needs to be designed for what the employees are doing, not at the organizational level. Can someone explain why so many desks are positioned so that the occupants’ backs are towards entrances? The obsessive focus on being ‘fair’ doesn’t get much discussion, but it really should. I actually like taking my work to places like this specifically because I actually can concentrate better in those places than I can at home, as counter-intuitive as that might seem. The companies that are saving big money on their real estate are the ones reducing the number of desks and altering the desk-to-employee ratio. Almost everyone I know with the opportunity to occasionally telecommute, including me, reports being much more productive during the times they can work from home with minimal distraction. I’m sure he enjoys feeling someone is looking over him all day. We need to give people options. Knowledge workers need peace and quiet to get thought intensive tasks completed. 6. The problem in today’s “workplace strategy” discussion is that everyone wants the golden eggs without taking care of the goose. Glad I’m not the only one to notice this article was garbage. By keeping thousands of Google Employees out of their car’s driver seats, Google has managed to keep 71 million vehicles off the road annually, resulting in 20,000 metric ton less of CO2 produced. Google makes sure that no employee is ever more than 150 feet away from food source, hence it also provides micro-kitchens, just in case you want to try your hand at cooking a healthy gourmet meal for yourself. But we can’t see people enter. And my co-workers are equally considerate, but when you put that many people close together, distraction is inevitable. The space must be designed with all forms of communication in mind. Open offices are great for some organizations and disastrous for others.  AMITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING. In starbucks, you KNOW that people are not directing their conversation to you. But read Kay’s piece again. It is time to bake the cost of employee replacement into the math of facilities. Selected Google Office Archive: Moscow, Zurich, Stockholm, Mountain View, Beverly Hills, London. I stand to work. That we all use a computer has rendered this fact somehow vacant from discussions about space. Your email address will not be published. Google believes in having open spaces in their offices, where everyone is accessible for everyone. Inside the Facebook Office | 10 coolest things you get as a Facebook Employee! Real estate is typically seen as a cost center that must be “managed”. Many times acoustical distraction is an employee’s biggest gripe about open spaces, in which case: look into better acoustics. It is PROVEN that people are more creative when there are less inputs coming from their environment, so the idea that we’re in a new world where ALL workers are collaborating ALL the time is downright untrue. Googlers enjoy quiet huddle rooms, conference rooms, shared enclosed offices, multiple cafes, great food, games rooms, libraries and a host of other amenities as part of their basic work environment. Referring to Scott Francisco’s comment, it would be interesting to see if there is correlation between a style of an office design and a turnover rate. If you wish to opt out, please close your SlideShare account. Flipkart and Amazon looking to hire engineering graduates. Now, employees rarely sit in one place all day. It is an internal mental activity and I need to be left alone and have quiet. Been one of your coworkers prancing around in the city 's historic West Loop neighborhood while! Reality of most open plan offices that enable collaboration self conscious of my behavior... 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