Space - I mean it, both physically and mentally. Btw, Leave me alone is my code word!
Dear Open Plan Office Managers,
What sort of culture are you trying to breed by cramming a bunch of geeks in to a single room? I reckon, you are only trying to hype it up to ape yet another silicon firm, the reason it was ever invented was to save some bucks of startups who couldn't afford decent and practical seating and please quit arguing that it fosters collaboration.
The loss that occurs because of lack of privacy and control on personal space is far higher than the apparent gain through collaboration. And hello! who says you cannot collaborate when you sit in an open cubicle next to one another, at least you have a thin wall in between and not a colleague peering into your monitor. Social collaboration is an attitude and seating plan is only a tool to achieve it. If you like, get creative in nurturing this attitude in humane ways and not merely play with the tool, which may only endanger the objective.
Lets get this straight - I will put you through a written exam and stand right next to you, staring at your paper. Now, just tell me, how long can you ignore me and write away by being unconscious of my presence? Quit faking the comfort of baring in public. Its the exact same analogy and even more in our workspace. Its an everyday test or rather application of our knowledge!
We are in a knowledge economy that warrants deep reflection and critical analysis at some part, you just cannot neglect how your mind feels when you chop off the much needed space.
Stop being fad about open offices and wake up to the needs of your mind! You got to be solitary at ideation and collaborative at decision. Respect the space!
P.S: Yes, I am an introvert - a rather proud and arrogant one!
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I cant type the next word at work if someone stands next to me. Its always been like that. I usually stop typing when someone comes over to my desk. In my mind, it is respect for the person who has something to tell you.I cannot look at the monitor ignoring the person near me or peering over me.
Just once when I saw a very interesting page on my friend's desk, I asked about it and she lectured me for say fifteen minutes on how wrong I was.. Well, it was the seating again and till date I recall I never meant anything but appreciating the page. Still.. I can imagine how it could have been averted if they had a different workplace arrangement.